United CEO Warns "15-20%" Hike on Tickets, and May Come in Time for Summer Travel
Summers are usually a time when many Americans decide to take a break from their routine lives and go on vacations, often hopping on flights to get to their favorite destinations. Whether that's boarding a plane to a beachfront in Mexico, or taking off for LA or the Big Apple, or embarking on a family vacation to Disney World, summers equate to travel for millions. Sadly, this year, many airlines are warning that things may be a bit more expensive this go-around due to the rising petroleum prices.
One airline in particular is cautioning its customers that higher energy prices are likely to equate to increased summer fares as much as 20%. That's certainly not the news any traveler wants to hear.
United CEO Warns Tickets May Need to Increase by "15-20%"
Per a USA Today report, on the United Airlines earnings call on April 22, company CEO Scott Kirby stated, "Yields need to increase by about 15% to 20%." Essentially, that means higher ticket prices to rise to help the company battle surging jet fuel costs. As the story suggests, this comes on the heels of United already "implementing five fare increases late in the first quarter, along with higher baggage fees."
This is likely to have a significant impact on summer travel, as Kirby wants to recover the higher expenditures on jet fuel "as quickly as possible." And with the Iranian conflict continuing, there's no telling when jet fuel costs will go down to help lower ticket prices. So one shudders to think what this could mean for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays should jet fuel costs remain inflated.
How to Save Money on Airfare
With all the airlines feeling the pinch these days, United is hardly the only one passing along their bigger costs to consumers. So, it would be best if you did all you could to save some cash on tickets. For example, CNBC suggests the tried-and-true 21-Day Rule: purchasing your departure ticket at least 21 days before it takes off to get the best fare.
Then there's ticket shopping. Instead of buying round-trip tickets, try looking at one-way fares. Heck, you can fly to a destination on one airline and return home on another if the price is right. Also, it's worth considering changing out your usual destination. For example, if you like a Miami beach vacation and usually fly directly into the city, perhaps look to flying into neighboring Fort Lauderdale instead. Airfare has habitually been known to be cheaper in the latter city, and it's close enough to catch a train or rideshare to Miami.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 6:00 AM.