Several airports in Florida rank among the most affordable places for air travel despite mounting industry pressures, like spikes in jet fuel prices and operational costs.
Travel website Upgraded Points analyzed federal transportation data and found that, among large airports, Tampa, Orlando, Miami and Fort Lauderdale were among the cheapest to fly into and out of.
Airfare from the Tampa International Airport is $355, on average, compared to $482 at Washington Dulles International in D.C., the most expensive large-hub airport, according to an analysis of fourth-quarter 2025 aviation consumer data.
Traveler Kimberley Slowik, who frequently visits the greater Tampa Bay region, said she's noticed a slight increase in roundtrip prices coming from Rhode Island.
"They have increased, but I do have a Southwest credit card where I charge everything on that I possibly can, so I grab as many points as I can. So this is what helps us fly back and forth all the time," she said.
Deidra Towns, who arrived in Tampa on Wednesday for a birthday celebration, said she also prefers cashing in on frequent-flyer perks to keep airfare affordable.
"I'm balling on a budget. I play the points game," she said. "I'm always trying to find the cheapest flight on Delta."
While Towns is loyal to Delta, she said she worries that the disappearance of budget airlines, like the recent shuttering of Spirit Airlines, will have a ripple effect in the market.
While many airlines see Spirit's collapse as an opportunity to absorb demand, industry experts say the lack of competition from an ultralow-cost carrier could mean higher prices for consumers.
"I think that, in general, we have gotten away from competition. We're moving more and more toward monopolies in many, many sectors ... and I don't think it's good for customers," Towns said.
Responding to WUSF on Nextdoor, Tampa Heights resident Entoile Moorehead said that she won't miss the lack of legroom and customer service on the airline, but it's hard to see layoffs.
"I won’t miss Spirit. I just feel bad for the people who are losing their jobs," she said.
She recently flew roundtrip on Spirit with her 11-year-old son to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, she wrote on WUSF's post.
And while Florida airports seem to be somewhat insulated from rising airfare, travelers are still ultimately at the mercy of major airlines and whether they decide to hike prices or cut routes in this turbulent market, as NPR reports.
That feels especially true for St. Petersburg native Caborri Paschal, who is based in Alaska with the military.
He said flying to Tampa typically requires a major airline and a route with at least one connection, which often comes with upcharges.
"For real, for real. Because, like, coming from Fairbanks, I always got, like, multiple flights and stuff like that, so it seemed like it's always charging me more for that," he said.
This week, it cost him $1,300 to travel across the country.
Standing in "blue" baggage claim area, he said that seems steep for off-season travel, but it's not too expensive yet to keep him from coming home.
Gabriella Paul covers the stories of people living paycheck to paycheck in the greater Tampa Bay region for WUSF. Here’s how you can share your story with her.
