Study: PIT Among Most Affordable Airports for Long-Distance Flights

Pittsburgh International Airport is ranked as one of most affordable U.S. airports for long-distance flights, according to a data analysis conducted by travel site Upgraded Points.

PIT ranked 12th out of 150 airports nationwide with an average one-way fare of $283.52 for long-distance domestic flights. The study placed PIT in between No. 11 Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) and No. 13 Orlando International Airport (MCO).

The top three most affordable airports for long-distance flights in the study are Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB) with an average one-way fare of $98.31; Provo Municipal Airport (PVU) with a $100.78 average one-way fare; and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) with a $216.44 average one-way fare.

The study analyzed one-way trips for flights exceeding 1,800 miles between the first quarter of 2023 and fourth quarter of 2024 using the most recent data from the Department of Transportation’s Domestic Airline Consumer Report. Airfares included both nonstop and connecting itineraries and were calculated using a weighted average of passenger volumes, per Upgraded Points.

More than 150 long-distance routes were ranked in the study. From Pittsburgh, the least expensive markets included:

• Los Angeles: 15th with a $219.45 average one-way fare.
• Las Vegas: 27th, $236.36 average one-way fare.
• Long Beach, California: 30th, $237.64 average one-way fare.
• Oakland, California: 38th, $240.59 average one-way fare.

Following a post-pandemic surge in fares caused by pent-up demand and high fuel costs, Upgraded Points says long-distance airfares have moderated over the past two years. Average fares for routes over 1,800 miles long have steadily declined from a high of $400 in the second quarter of 2022 to $326 in the second half of 2024.

“For travelers looking to stretch their budgets while still exploring new destinations, long-distance flights in the U.S. remain surprisingly affordable,” Upgraded Points stated in the report. “While airfare prices surged in 2022 due to post-pandemic demand, they have since moderated, making cross-country travel more accessible.”

Even when adjusting for inflation, long-distance flights today still remain cheaper on average versus a decade ago, the report added, creating more affordable choices for budget-conscious travelers.

Additionally, the report cited carriers such as Allegiant Air, Breeze Airways and Spirit Airlines for creating more affordable choices. In Pittsburgh, Allegiant (14 destinations) and Breeze (13 destinations) have each grown to offer the second and third most destinations of any airline; Spirit is the airport’s largest ultra-low-cost carrier by traffic, transporting 6.7 percent of the airport’s total passengers in January 2025.

Connecting more dots west

The study comes as airlines in recent years have added more nonstop service from Pittsburgh to the western U.S., a key geographical region for PIT as part of its air service strategy of creating more convenient and affordable travel choices for the region.

United Airlines and Alaska Airlines added second daily flights to San Francisco and Seattle, important to Pittsburgh-area companies that have ties to the West Coast’s two largest technology centers. In November, Delta Air Lines resumed daily Salt Lake City service, re-connecting Pittsburgh to another major business market and one of the west’s top tourism centers.

Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle are also major airline hubs that provide one-stop itineraries to other western markets, including Sacramento, Portland and Orange County, plus destinations in western Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, Asia and Australia.

In February, Allegiant began nonstop, seasonal service to Phoenix, providing a low-cost option alongside existing daily service on American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. Allegiant, which primarily targets leisure travel, will operate the Pittsburgh-Phoenix route through early May to capitalize on spring breakers flocking to Arizona. Allegiant plans to resume its seasonal Pittsburgh-Phoenix route later this fall.

American will resume daily service from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles starting in April – the first time a network carrier has served the route since 2017 – which also adds connecting opportunities to Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand. Breeze Airways, which opened PIT-LAX service in 2023, will increase to a five-times weekly schedule by early June, expanding its popular low-cost service to the market.

PIT also saw San Diego – one of the top underserved markets from Pittsburgh and a highly popular summer leisure market – added back to its route map by Breeze and Southwest in 2024. Both Breeze and Southwest will resume seasonal service to San Diego in 2025, with Breeze beginning its twice weekly flights on May 2 and Southwest bringing back its Saturday-only service starting on June 7.