Delta became the latest U.S. airline to make headlines this week, with the news that it plans to eliminate food and beverage services from some of its short-haul flights.
Starting on May 19, all passengers except those in Delta First will no longer get snacks or drinks on flights shorter than 350 miles — less than an hour in the air — an airline spokesperson told NPR in an email on Tuesday.
Delta says it is making the change "to create a more consistent experience across our network." The company says more people will now have access to full food and beverage service (as opposed to express service), since it will be newly available to all economy passengers on flights over 350 miles.
Delta's snack update isn't being advertised as a cost-cutting measure. But it does immediately follow the bankruptcy-related shutdown of Spirit Airlines over the weekend after talks for a government bailout fell through.
Spirit partially blamed its demise on the skyrocketing price of jet fuel, which has roughly doubled since the start of the start of the year. The problem has plagued the airline industry since the war began, with no signs of abating.
Nick Ewen, editor in chief of The Points Guy, says jet fuel is typically airlines' largest expense, second only to labor — meaning companies are suddenly facing hundreds of millions of dollars in additional expenses.
"Consumers are very price sensitive. So airlines can't just pass that entire …increase in fuel costs through increased ticket prices," he tells NPR. "Instead, they've started looking for other ways that they can potentially increase fees or increase revenue outside of ticket prices."
Already, rising fuel costs have forced many major airlines to raise baggage fees and suspend certain routes. Those disruptions are poised to further snarl a busy summer travel season.
Ewen says airlines are moving incrementally because of the uncertainty of the situation. It's not clear how long the conflict will continue or when the Strait of Hormuz — through which some 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas typically travels— will fully reopen.
"Even if an agreement was reached today … we're talking weeks, if not months, before any relief would actually come to the jet fuel supply and prices that would meaningfully move the needle on some of these ticket prices, because it just takes time to get all of these things processed through," Ewen says.
Ewen says some fares simply may not return to pre-conflict levels. Historically, he says, he's never seen checked bag fees go down after an increase. And he also expects prices to increase in certain markets where Spirit previously operated, because of reduced competition.
Here's what to know if you'll be flying anytime soon.
What airlines are changing
All major U.S. carriers have increased their checked baggage fees in recent weeks: American, Alaska, Delta, Southwest and United all announced price hikes of about $10 per bag in April, citing the uncertain geopolitical picture.
Checked bag fees for domestic flights now start at $45 for most passengers' first bag.
Exact pricing varies based on how many bags a passenger is checking, whether they're flying overseas and whether they pay to check their bag in advance rather than at the airport. Certain status members, credit card holders and active-duty military personnel generally still do not need to pay.
Ewen says it makes sense that airlines are starting with checked bags, as a "surgical" rather than across-the-board change.
"That is something that not everyone has to pay unless you are going for two weeks and have to check a bag," he says. "That is viewed a little bit more favorably than airfare because it is an additional service."
He says another strategy, which some international airlines are already employing, is to add a surcharge for passengers who book their flights with miles. And a growing number of international airlines, particularly in Europe, have announced they will suspend certain routes this summer.
Ewen says that airlines typically adjust their flight schedules during the summer months to accommodate leisure travel, but this is different.
"I don't think that we would have seen anywhere near the extent of changes that we have seen if it wasn't for the conflict in Iran right now," he added.
One example close to home is Air Canada, which announced last month it will suspend half a dozen routes that are "no longer economically feasible" due to higher fuel prices.
Three routes between Canada and the U.S. will be affected starting in late June. Flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport and both Toronto and Montreal are set to resume in late October, while those between Salt Lake City and Toronto are planned to restart sometime in 2027.
What passengers can do about it
Ewen's biggest piece of advice is to book any anticipated air travel sooner rather than later.
"We do not see prices dropping anytime soon," he says. "In fact, they will probably only get higher."
As far as the type of ticket, Ewen suggests avoiding basic economy fares in such an uncertain time, because of their highly restrictive cancellation and change policies.
"I always opt to go for the lowest flexible fare — not refundable — but at least I know if I have to make a change, I'm not going to be penalized," he adds. "Or if I need to cancel, I'm going to get that back as a credit."
He also says it may be worth exploring airline credit cards, especially as a way to avoid checked baggage fees. A card's annual fee could more than cover the cost of luggage for a big family's round trip.
For those not quite ready to book just yet, Ewen recommends using the price tracker feature on Google Flights to keep an eye on fluctuations. He says fliers can even use it to their advantage after booking, if "by some miracle" the price of their flight drops later.
In that case, passengers may be able to rebook their flight at the lower price (with the difference generally going toward a travel credit rather than a cash refund). He says the process varies by airline: it may be an option online, or it may require some customer service help.
"Again, I don't know that that's going to be super common this summer, but it's at least something that, 'Hey, if I lock this price in now, even though it's high, if there is a drop down the road, I might be able to get a partial refund,'" he says.
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