Airline bookings dip as ticket prices rise steeply

Airline fares have jumped 47% since January and remain higher than they were before the pandemic, which could be leading to a slowdown in the number of seats airlines can sell. Bookings for flights within the United States fell 2.3% in May compared with April. Airline officials say demand for travel is strong after two years of the pandemic and they need to raise fares to cover surging jet fuel prices.The number of air travelers in the U.S. has rebounded to nearly 90% of 2019 levels. International travel has lagged domestic travel, but it could get a boost from the Biden administration's decision to end the requirement to show a negative test for COVID-19 before flying to the U.S.