BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – The ripple effect of high fuel prices is moving from the highway to the sky.
Whether drivers are filling up at the pump or packing bags for the airport, rising energy costs are proving difficult to escape. Over recent months, regional fuel costs have climbed, with regular gasoline averaging nearly $4.20 a gallon and diesel exceeding $6 a gallon.
The surge is squeezing airline operating budgets, with carriers quickly passing the expense onto travelers through increased ticket prices and elevated fuel surcharges, particularly on international flights.
“Additional fees are sometimes as much or more than what the base fare is even of a round-trip ticket. So, it does affect—I’ve noticed that that has gone up maybe a year or so ago. Maybe at least 100 or 200 dollars a ticket,” said Sheryl Fenster, a travel advisor at Northland Travel.
According to Fenster, domestic flights have more than likely doubled what they were two years ago. As for international, those prices lean closer to hitting or exceeding a $2,000 range, up from the $400 to $1,800 average they were two years ago.
Higher operating costs could also impact flight routes, scheduling and passenger amenities as airlines continually adjust fleet deployments to maximize profitability.
Industry experts caution that rising fuel costs could also prompt cruise lines to implement fuel surcharges. Even if fuel prices lower, the cost of your travel plans will more than likely remain high for quite some time.
Over the past year, major airlines have also raised checked baggage fees and increasingly require bookings at least 30 days in advance to secure the lowest available rates.
For travelers planning upcoming getaways or holiday trips, advisers recommend booking flights as early as possible and closely watching for ancillary fees before checkout.
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