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Air Fares at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport Decrease in Fourth Quarter


Date:  April 28, 2008
Contact:  Valerie Wise, Air Service and Business Development Manager
E-mail: vwise@wichita.gov
Phone: (316) 946-4700


Average airline fares at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport decreased nearly 7% during the fourth quarter of 2007, according to a report released by the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).  This decrease was the third biggest drop of the top 100 U.S. airports.  Wichita bucked the national trend where average fares increased 4.0% during the same period to an average of $331.  The average fare at Wichita was $349 in fourth quarter 2007, down from $373.75 in fourth quarter 2006.   The fares reported by the BTS are based on the U.S. domestic itinerary fares, include round-trip or one-way, and do not include frequent flyer fares.  Anchorage had the unenviable top spot with the highest average fare of $539, and Dallas Love Field had the lowest average of the U.S. mainland airports at $200.

Comparing average airline fares from 2000 to 2007, Wichita’s air fares dropped by 17%, which was the 12th largest decrease of the top 100 U.S. airports. 

 “The lower fourth quarter fares are a direct result of the entrance of Frontier Airlines in this market in October 2007, forcing other airlines to lower their fares on competing routes.  We are fortunate to have three low-cost carriers - AirTran Airways, Allegiant Air, and Frontier Airlines - keeping pressure on air fares.  Even though the airlines have had to raise fares recently due to high fuel costs, our average fares are still less than a year ago,” commented Valerie Wise, Air Service Manager.

“The lower air fares in Wichita are spurring our extraordinary growth in passenger traffic, which has been on the upswing for more than 18 months.  These higher traffic levels are putting quite a strain on our airport facilities, but the new passenger terminal should be operational by 2012, which will give us more breathing room,” said Victor White, Wichita’s Director of Airports.

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