WASHINGTON, May 10, 2026 — Ahead of the busy summer travel season filled with FIFA World Cup games and America 250 celebrations, U.S. airlines are proactively pulling a range of levers to help offset soaring jet fuel prices and mitigate the impact to consumers. Those steps include:

• Reducing flight frequencies on some routes
• Grounding or retiring older and less fuel-efficient aircraft
• Deferring aircraft deliveries
• Cutting poorly performing routes
• Increasing fees for checked bags
• Raising fares when necessary

“While jet fuel prices have jumped significantly, and the cost of powering airplanes is at historic highs, airfares have not tracked the same sharp increase because airlines have deployed—and continue to implement—a wide range of options to offset the impact to their customers,” said A4A President and CEO Chris Sununu. “U.S. airlines are currently eating most of the increased cost of jet fuel as they work to keep fares competitive for consumers and meet the summer demand.”

A Deutsche Bank analysis from April projects that the airlines will take an $8.4 billion hit this year even after partially offsetting the $24 billion higher fuel bill with increased revenues.

Labor and fuel are historically the top two expenses for U.S. airlines. In the first quarter of 2026, labor accounted for 34 percent and fuel accounted for 21 percent of U.S. airlines’ operating expenses.