If you’ve recently searched for flights and felt personally attacked by the price, you’re not alone. A lot of people are wondering: Why are flights so expensive in 2025? Let’s break down what actually affects flight prices: no jargon, no fluff, just straight-up facts (and a bit of hacks too).

1. It’s Not Just the Airline. Airport Taxes Are a Beast

That flight fare you see online? It’s not just what the airline pockets. There are two big parts:

• Base fare: This is what the airline actually charges you to seat your bum.
• Airport taxes & government fees: These are added on and vary depending on the country and the airport.

International airport taxes can add over 65% to your total airfare. And there’s no skipping them. Even budget airlines have to play by these rules.

Speaking of airports, Singapore has the most beautiful airport in the world, book before the fares increase!

2. Jet Fuel Prices Are Still High (And Planes Need Fuel)

Jet fuel prices have surged since 2023. Airlines are paying more to operate every single flight.

Fuel is one of the biggest expenses for airlines. When oil prices go up, so do operating costs and guess who picks up the slack? Yup. The consumer.

If you’re searching for “what affects flight prices” or “why is airfare increasing this year,” fuel is a major culprit.

3. Fare Groups Are a Thing (And Yes, You’re Probably in the Cheap Seats)

Airlines don’t sell all their seats at the same price. Seats are sold in fare groups, think of them like price buckets. You can be sitting next to someone in a flight yet you are in different fare groups. 

Each flight might have 10+ different price buckets depending on demand, route, day of the week and booking time.

• Book early = cheaper bucket.
• Book late = only expensive buckets left.

So if you’re checking flights the week before Christmas, you’re probably browsing the top-tier buckets. Which is why flights seem outrageously expensive when you book last-minute.

Here’s how to properly book flights online

4. Supply vs Demand (aka Everyone Wants Out)

After years of travel bans, lockdowns, and sitting in joggers, people are travelling hard.

Airlines are still ramping up flight frequency post-pandemic, but demand is already through the roof. That imbalance = price surge.

This explains why airfare in 2025 is still higher than pre-pandemic levels.

5. Load Factors (Fancy Talk for Full Flights)

Airlines aim to fill every seat. The load factor is the percentage of seats sold.

The fuller the flight, the more the airline can charge for remaining seats.

So, if you’re booking when the flight is 80% full, prices jump. Simple maths, unfortunately.

6. Exchange Rates: Rand vs World

If you’re flying internationally, you’re not just dealing with flight costs, you’re dealing with forex.

A weaker Rand against the Dollar or Euro means higher ticket prices, especially if the airline operates in foreign currency.

That R7,000 ticket to London might have cost R5,000 six months ago, but the Rand’s wobble makes the difference.

7. It’s Not Always the Airline’s Fault

Airlines aren’t out here trying to rob you (most of the time).

Between airport fees, fuel, currency swings, fare buckets, and demand spikes, flight pricing is like a very chaotic group project. Airlines are just one of the students.

8. What About Travelstart? Do We Mark It Up Too?

Let’s get real. We’re an online travel agency (OTA), not an airline. We’re on your side.

While some platforms (and even airlines) quietly bake in hidden fees, Travelstart often strips back the fluff. We don’t mark up just because we can, we’re considerate. When we run a flight sale, we actually cut our margin to bring you better fares. Sometimes even cheaper than booking directly with the airline.

We can’t make fuel cheaper, but we can help you dodge the high-fare trap. That’s why we have been voted South Africa’s leading travel agency 2025! (Under the Club Travel Group)!

TL;DR: Why Flights Are Expensive in 2025

• Airport taxes are high
• Jet fuel prices are up
• Fare buckets reward early birds
• Demand is high, supply is still catching up
• Exchange rates matter
• Load factor pushes prices higher

Flight pricing = a hot mess of moving parts. But now you know what you’re really paying for.

Tags: why flights are expensive, what affects flight prices, airfare increase 2025, airport taxes, jet fuel prices 2025, airline pricing explained, base fare, fare groups, load factor, rand vs dollar flights