Hoping to swing a quick little getaway out of SFO to somewhere else in the country? Check your wallet first, because SFO is the third most expensive airport in the U.S. for flying domestically, as reported by Axios. Recent data from the Transportation Department reveals that while the national average (out of the 50 busiest airports) for domestic airfare is $366, in San Francisco that number magically transforms to $425. And when we say “magically,” we mean tragically.
Quick solution? Head across the bay to Oakland for an average domestic airfare of $314 to save $111 over San Francisco—a not insignificant savings—or slip over to San Jose to keep almost $100 in your pocket with the average of $323.
But we’ve got to be fair. There could be some good reasons that $425 figure is artificially inflated, like if there are more people buying first class and business class tickets and driving up the average fare. On the other hand, an airport with a lot of budget airlines could also misleadingly reduce the average fare if you don’t happen to fly that budget carrier. It’s also worth mentioning that SFO is a popular gateway to Hawaii—but those lengthy domestic flights don’t seem to impact the average fare at the similarly situated LAX, which comes in just under $385 per ticket.
You’re of course wondering what the most expensive airport is. That dubious honor goes to Washington, D.C.’s Washington Dulles International Airport, where the average domestic airfare is a dizzying $473, followed by Santa Ana’s John Wayne Airport with a figure of $428.
The least expensive airport is Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, where the average domestic fare is a decent $252. San Juan, Puerto Rico, Las Vegas and Orlando are all sub-$275 to inspire your low-key, why-not impulsive flights.