US domestic fares right now are about 20% higher than they were in February last year when demand was still depressed, according to Hayley Berg, an economist at travel site Hopper.
“So though the national average looks pretty normal to us in comparison to pre-pandemic prices, for a lot of travelers a route that they may have taken for years and years to a smaller, more regional airport — that might be two or three times more expensive than what they paid pre-pandemic,” Berg said.
“International on the whole is more expensive than pre-pandemic and more expensive than last year,” Berg said.The region that will really break the bank? Asia Pacific. Pent-up demand for Asian destinations means a flood of bookings now that they’re fully open. Bookings from the United Kingdom through Flight Centre UK to Malaysia and Vietnam are up by more than 2,200% from early last year when both countries were still closed to international tourists.
If you have your heart set on Santorini, consider booking your international leg to Athens, where deals from US cities can drop below $500, and find a more affordable regional flight or ferry on to the island.