Airfare fell 6.4% in January from a year earlier, the Labor Department said in its monthly consumer price index report on Tuesday.
January is typically a slower month for travel as customers take fewer trips following the New Year's holiday.
The drop comes even though carriers are facing capacity constraints this year, in part because of an engine recall from Pratt & Whitney , congested airspace and delayed aircraft deliveries.
In 2023, airlines had been forced to discount flights, particularly in off-peak periods, after the industry added capacity.
...Those operating environment challenges led directly to industry capacity plans, including our own, coming down 3 points on average as carriers adapted to the new operating environment," Kirby said.
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