Originally reported by NBC News
If you were planning to fly anywhere this spring, prepare to pay more, wait longer, and enjoy it less. American air travel is getting hit from two directions at once, and neither one is going away anytime soon.
On one side, the Iran war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have sent jet fuel prices into orbit. The spot price hit $3.99 per gallon last Friday — roughly double what it was a year ago. Fuel is the single largest expense for airlines, eating up around 30 percent of their operating costs. That math is about to land directly on your credit card statement.
On the other side, the DHS partial shutdown has gutted TSA staffing. More than 300 TSA workers have quit since the shutdown began on February 14th. The ones who stayed are working without knowing when their next paycheck will arrive. The result: hourslong security lines at airports across the country, just in time for the busiest spring break travel week of the year.
Airlines Are Coming for Your Wallet
The airlines aren’t going to eat these costs. They never do. Cathay Pacific has already announced it will double its fuel surcharge. Hong Kong Airlines, Qantas, SAS, Thai Airways, and others are following suit. American carriers are next — they’re just doing it quieter, through dynamic pricing increases that show up when you search for flights but never get announced in a press release.
Unlike European and Asian airlines, most major U.S. carriers don’t hedge their fuel costs. That means they’re fully exposed to every spike in oil prices, and they pass that exposure directly to consumers. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby warned at Harvard this month that surging fuel costs could force the industry to ground thousands of aircraft if prices don’t stabilize. Last-minute domestic flights are already seeing price increases across the board.
The TSA Disaster
The TSA situation is infuriating because it’s entirely self-inflicted. Federal airport security workers are classified as essential employees during shutdowns, which means they have to show up to work — but the government doesn’t have to pay them on time. Shockingly, when you tell people they have to work for free at one of the most thankless jobs in America, some of them quit. Over 300 so far, and counting.
Social media is now flooded with videos of security lines snaking through terminals. Travelers are missing flights. Families with small children are standing in line for hours. And this is all happening during what airlines call their peak spring travel window.
No End in Sight
The ugly truth is that both of these problems are going to get worse before they get better. The Iran conflict shows no signs of ending — oil just soared past $100 a barrel — and the DHS shutdown doesn’t have a resolution date. Congress is doing what Congress does best: nothing useful.
If you can drive, drive. If you can postpone, postpone. And if you absolutely have to fly, budget an extra hundred bucks for the ticket and an extra two hours for security. Welcome to spring break 2026.