Flying is actually cheaper and better than it’s ever been.
In the mood for a quick, cheap getaway?
How aboutNew York CitytoChicagofor $445.25?
Credit: Underwood Archives/Getty Images; Getty Images/Hero Images
And in cash adjusted for inflation, the cost of flying has plummeted.
By comparison, a nonstop flight in 2015 would cost $480.89 and take only six hours.
Thanks to intensifying low-cost competition, we can find airfares as cheap as$283today.
Courtesy of Airlines for America
Even after deregulation, abasic domestic round-trip airfarein 1979 averaged $615.82 in today’s money.
That average fare dropped to $344.22 by 2016.
Because flying is cheap, many more people fly today in larger planes with more seats onboard.
Air travel has evolved from the privilege of a few into a service for many.
And it has grown in staggering numbers.
In 2000, airlines carried 1.6 billion passengers, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
By 2005, that number had grown to 2.1 billion.
Security risks are greater and security lines are longer.
People dont wear their best suits to fly anymore.
