Southwest Hikes Fares, Others Match

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

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Southwest Airlines has hiked base fares by $5 each way, according to the Associated Press (AP). This is the latest hike in what has become a year-long trend toward more expensive travel.

According to the AP, Southwest said the fare hike was meant to combat rising fuel costs, and this has been the common refrain with each new hike. Fuel prices have been trending upward, due largely to rising demand, though unrest in major oil-producing countries hasn’t helped.

So it’s not surprising that that other airlines have already matched Southwest’s hike. The Sacramento Business Journal reports American, AirTran, Continental, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, United, and US Airways have all joined in.

It’s starting to look like fuel costs will be the big story as 2011 takes shape. Prices keep rising, and airlines keep tacking on surcharges and raising fares. Fuel costs are up 42 percent compared to a year ago, and have been climbing by about 5 percent each month so far this year. All told, the International Air Transport Association estimates airlines’ fuel bills could spike by $30 billion this year.

Readers, have you noticed higher fares in your searches lately?

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