10 U.S. Airports With the Most Outrageous Ticket Prices

Flying remains an ever-popular but expensive mode of transportation for American travelers. Finding the right mix of airports to fly in and out of can make or break a trip financially.

The good news is that travelers have many airport options in the United States, though not all are as budget-friendly as others.

Using data published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, experts at FinanceBuzz compared domestic airfares from 45 of the busiest airports nationwide to determine which airports to avoid to save money on travel.

Here are the 10 most expensive airports to fly from in the U.S.

The Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey has an average ticket price of $406.29. According to the study, that is a $3.07 increase over last year. At this price, the average ticket at Newark Liberty International is $140.71 more expensive than at Orlando International Airport in Florida, the airport with the cheapest overall ticket prices ($265.58).

The George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, is slightly more pricey. The average cost of a ticket there is $409.34, which is $8.61 more expensive than a year prior. The average airfare costs nearly $141 more than Orlando International Airport.

Remarkably, Orlando International ranks in the top 10 for passenger volume, while George Bush Intercontinental doesn't even crack the top 15 busiest airports in the U.S.

The Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the 15th busiest airport in the country for passenger volume. It's also one of the most expensive, with an average ticket price of $418.72.

That price marks a $10.21 increase over Saint Paul International's average airfare from a year before.

With an average ticket price of $420.56, a trip flying from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, located in Queens, has gotten $4.39 more expensive over the past year.

However, budget-conscious travelers should know that Queens is also home to LaGuardia Airport — less than 10 miles from Manhattan. The average ticket price at LaGuardia is only $328.16, making it nearly $100 cheaper than JFK International.

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the country, ranking eighth in overall passenger volume. With an average airfare of $421.22, it isn’t cheap either.

Fortunately for frequent flyers traveling through Dallas-Fort Worth, the airport's average ticket price has only increased by $0.86 over the past year.

The average cost of a plane ticket at Michigan’s Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is $427.05. This is an increase of $1.70 compared to a year prior.

This price is also $161.47 more expensive than a ticket at the country’s cheapest airport to fly from.

At the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, you can expect to pay an average of $436.80 for a ticket. The good news for travelers flying through Charlotte Douglas is that this price is $7.62 cheaper than last year.

That said, it’s still $171 more expensive than Orlando International, where the average airfare is the most affordable.

Even though Salt Lake City International Airport barely cracks the top 30 for foot traffic in the U.S., it’s still one of the most expensive to fly from. The average airfare here is $438.34. That ticket price is a whopping $18.04 more expensive than the previous year.

Frequent flyers passing through the city by the Bay will be glad that SFO’s average airfare has decreased by $12.27 over the past year. However, San Francisco International is still the second most expensive airport to fly out of in the U.S., with an average ticket price of $444.59.

Flying from San Francisco is $179 more expensive than Orlando International, despite Orlando seeing more passengers pass through its doors.

With an average airfare of $488.40, the Washington Dulles International Airport in our nation’s capital has the highest average fares in the U.S. While that price is actually $6.38 cheaper than the previous year, flying through is still more than $222 more expensive than Orlando International.

It’s important for frequent flyers to realize that while airfare prices fluctuate, some airports are significantly more expensive than others. Those looking to save as much on travel as possible should see if cheaper flights are available at nearby airports. For example, in the Bay Area, Oakland International Airport is cheaper per ticket than San Francisco International.

In addition to seeking out cheaper airports to fly through, travelers looking to keep more in their wallets can also use top travel credit cards to score deals that will allow them to spend more money on fun attractions or comfortable hotels while on vacation.