Airlines have warned that airfare prices could continue to soar due to the war in Iran and rising oil prices, so travel experts suggest now is the best time to book summer flights and navigate any fare adjustments down the road.
Amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told ABC News that ticket prices will need to go up 20% to help cover the surging cost of jet fuel which is now up more than 70% since the start of the war.
Kirby also said that travelers should lock in any planned trips at current airfare rates now.
"It's no wonder airlines are raising red flags around rising oil prices and being pretty vocal about it. If one of their biggest expenses rises, they are going to look at ways to mitigate the impacts, and history has shown that one such way is to try to pass some expense onto consumers," Katy Nastro, of airfare monitoring site Going.com, told ABC News.
In looking at past summer flight price data from Going, Nastro said she noticed the average median domestic fare was up roughly 18%, but noted that's not necessarily for every flight across every carrier.
But it's not just fuel, Nastro explained that demand also has a large impact on fares.
"If people decide not to travel as much because fares are too high, we could see some deflation or spending down. If the economy goes south, budget carriers could be the ones with revenue heading north," she said.
Regardless if oil prices spike or not, Nastro said "travelers should be looking at booking their summer flights now."