HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – If you’ve booked a flight lately, you know that air fares between the Hawaiian islands have been skyrocketing. That’s affecting everyone from visitors to families — and even high school and college teams in a state where air travel is a fact of life.
One Oahu family has two boys — Elijah Ickes plays baseball for the University of Hawaii at Manoa, while is brother, Tui, plays for the U.H.-Hilo Vulcans.
Tui will have his senior night in Hilo this weekend, and two family members are flying there.
“So we’re trying to figure out which way we’re going to go, because I think we’re going to go Southwest there and Hawaiian back because of the time difference. But it’s like 150 each way,” said family member Jesus Hoomalu.
That’s about a $600 expense. And those are the cheap seats.
Have regular interisland air fares been that high?
“Never before,” said Jerry Agrusa, a professor at the U.H. School of Travel Industry Management. “What we’re having is a shortage of both flights and then the fuel surcharge is just being carried over to all the passengers. And then they both have raised the prices on the luggage as well.”
Since the Iran War began, air fares on domestic flights have surged 18%, and international flights have risen by over $100 a ticket because of jet fuel prices that have doubled to over $220 a barrel. That’s much higher than gasoline prices because jet fuel requires more production and most of it comes through the Middle East.
The sky-high fares could ground some interisland travelers this summer.
“I think the biggest challenge is going to be that 25 percent in the summers that are taking staycations that are going outer island, the kamaaina, are not going to do as much,” said Agrusa.
It’s also tough for teams heading to the first-ever high school state surfing championships this weekend on Maui. Waialua High School surf coach Spencer Suitt has been looking at flights from Honolulu to Kahului.
“There’s a ticket, 7:25 flight tomorrow, and then a return flight on Saturday — 638 dollars,” he said as he look at the prices on his computer screen.
Suitt said his athletes booked their flights early, but families who want to go could take a big financial hit.
“By the time the plane tickets come through, the rent-a-car, the hotel, the food — I don’t know if you’re leaving your car at the airport, too. That’s another thirty dollars a day,” said Suitt.
“Hopefully this war will end and the price of oil will drop, and then the airlines won’t be charging as much money,” said Agrusa.
However, experts said the price will take longer to drop than it did to jump.
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