Major Airports With the Best Fares — and Where DIA Lands

Sometimes it seems that fares at Denver International Airport will climb as high as the planes that regularly depart from the facility. But now is not one of those times. New figures from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (a branch of the U.S. Treasury Department) reveals the best average fares at...

By Michael Roberts

February 15, 2016

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Sometimes it seems that fares at Denver International Airport will climb as high as the planes that regularly depart from the facility.

But now is not one of those times.

New figures from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (a branch of the U.S. Treasury Department) reveals the best average fares at the twelve busiest airports in America as determined by the number of domestic passengers who took off from each during the third quarter of 2015 — the most recent period for which data is available.

And DIA, which bid farewell to the third-most travelers among U.S. airports over that span, finishes very, very well.

Count down the photo-illustrated stats from the top twelve below, complete with the current average fare across the system. Comparing that number to the one at DIA makes the latter look even better.

Number 12: Newark-Liberty

Average ticket price: $479

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 5,599,640 (11th among originating passengers)

Number 11: New York/JFK

Average ticket price: $431

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 6,703,530 (7th among originating passengers)

Number 10: San Francisco

Average ticket price: $424

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 7,257,970 (5th among originating passengers)

Number 9: Los Angeles

Average ticket price: $389

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 10,317,650 (1st among originating passengers)

Number 8: Atlanta

Average ticket price: $382

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 7,172,690 (6th among originating passengers)

Number 7: Boston

Average ticket price: $365

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 7,738,750 (4th among originating passengers)

Number 6: Dallas-Fort Worth

Average ticket price: $364

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 6,444,950 (9th among originating passengers)

Number 5: Seattle/Tacoma

Average ticket price: $361

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 6,519,040 (8th among originating passengers)

Number 4: New York/LaGuardia

Average ticket price: $357

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 6,275,020 (10th among originating passengers)

Number 3: Chicago/O'Hare

Average ticket price: $342

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 8,039,070 (2nd among originating passengers)

Number 2: Phoenix

Average ticket price: $342

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 5,451,590 (12th among originating passengers)

Number 1: Denver

Average ticket price: $324

Third quarter 2015 number of originating passengers: 7,840,200 (3rd among originating passengers)

Airport average ticket price: $380

Third quarter 2015 average number of originating passengers: 7,113,342

Note: Fares [for U.S. originating domestic passengers] are based on domestic itinerary fares. Itinerary fares consist of round-trip fares unless the customer does not purchase a return trip. In that case, the one-way fare is included. Fares are based on the total ticket value which consists of the price charged by the airlines plus any additional taxes and fees levied by an outside entity at the time of purchase. Fares include only the price paid at the time of the ticket purchase and do not include other fees paid at the airport or onboard the aircraft. Averages do not include frequent-flyer or “zero fares” or a few abnormally high reported fares.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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