Online searches by Americans for flights to Europe trips are surging despite soaring air fares, a worsening economic outlook and risks of gridlock at some of the airports in Europe. The travel boom is promising record profit margins at some U.S. carriers, which are ramping up transatlantic capacity to cash in on Americans' thirst for travel to Europe. Travel website Kayak said searches for travel to Europe this summer are up 77% from last year. There is still untapped travel demand for Europe even after a busy summer last year, said Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper. Average fare for a round-trip flight to Europe, meanwhile, has risen 31% from last year, Hopper data shows.

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