The Curse Of Expensive Flights 

• Logistics, not desire, is the main barrier to vacations
• Cheaper flights reduce planning stress
• Lower costs leave more budget for experiences
• Common airfare biases distort decision-making
• Loss aversion causes rushed booking decisions when prices rise
• Anchoring makes past low prices seem like the “true” price
• Recency bias leads people to assume recent prices are normal
• Sunk cost fallacy keeps people committed to suboptimal plans
• Procrastination and wishful thinking reduce ability to find deals
• Many expensive flights are avoidable with better timing and flexibility

The Flight First Method

• Most people plan travel by choosing destination first
• A cheaper approach is the flight-first method
• Flight-first: find cheap flights first, then choose destination
• Then select travel dates based on those flight deals
• Flight-first expands options and increases chances of lower costs
• Destination-first narrows choices and reduces flexibility

Flexibility

• Flexibility is the main driver of cheap flights
• Very early and last-minute bookings are often more expensive
• Domestic window: 1-3 months off-peak, 3-7 months peak
• International window: 2-8 months off-peak, 4-10 months peak
• Good deals disappear quickly, so timing matters
• If dates are fixed, booking early is safer
• Avoid peak business travel patterns to find cheaper fares

History of Airline Prices

• 1920s–40s aviation focused more on mail than passengers
• 1950s–70s saw commercial growth with better aircraft and multiple classes
• 1978 deregulation significantly lowered flight prices
• 1980s to present introduced budget airlines and new revenue models
• Airlines now earn from add-ons like seats, baggage, and upgrades
• Business and corporate travel helps subsidize economy fares

• Airfare has decreased significantly since deregulation
• Inflation-adjusted prices are roughly 50% lower than in the past