What consumers can do as the Iran war impacts the cost and availability of flights

A Philippine Airlines plane takes off from Los Angeles International Airport in El Segundo, Calif., on Friday, April 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) 2026-04-18T18:53:22Z As the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran squeezes global oil supplies, travelers have valid reasons to worry about the cost and availability of flights as they plan their late spring and summer trips. The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that European countries could run low on jet fuel within weeks , forcing the continent’s airlines and carriers that fly to Europe to significantly reduce flights. Many airlines have already raised checked bag fees or added fuel surcharges as the global price of jet fuel increased from about $99 per barrel at the end of February to as high as $209 a barrel at the beginning of April. In a sign of the conflict’s ongoing repercussions for travel, Air Canada said Friday it planned to suspend its service to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport from June 1 until Oct. 25 to lower its fuel costs. Other airlines, ranging from U.S. carriers like United and Delta to Air France-KLM, SAS, Philippine Airlines and and Cathay Pacific in Europe and Asia, have reduced routes and either increased ticket prices or said they would hike them if the war keeps oil from passing through the Strait of Hormuz . freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); “It’s very hard for the airlines to make predictions in this environment, so they’re going to be conservative, and that’s why it’s likely that their prices will remain elevated for some time until things really stabilize,” said Shye Gilad, a former airline captain who now teaches at Georgetown University’s business school. With airfares and fees on the rise, consumers still can make choices that determine how much of their travel budgets will get taken up by paying to get to and from their destinations. Act quickly While consumers may be tempted to see if the war ends before buying airline tickets, the “wait-and-see” approach to booking flights is riskier this year, travel experts say, especially the longer the war goes on and the closer to summer and other peak travel periods it gets. “Presuming there is a lasting ceasefire — or better yet, peace agreement — it will take a few months for normal levels of jet fuel production and delivery to resume,” airline industry analyst Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group, said. Iran’s reversal on Saturday of its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and President Donald Trump’s insistence on maintaining a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports illustrated the shakiness of prospects for oil flowing reliably again from the Persian Gulf and with it, an easing of the price pressure on airlines and their customers. /* Desktop-first: fully collapse by default */ #ap-readmore-embed { display: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; height: 0; min-height: 0; overflow: hidden; text-align: center; position: relative; z-index: 2; } /* Only show on mobile */ @media (max-width: 767px) { #ap-readmore-embed { display: block; margin: 28px 0; height: auto; overflow: visible; } } #ap-readmore-embed .ap-readmore-btn { appearance: none; -webkit-appearance: none; border: 0; background: #000; color: #fff; cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; gap: 10px; padding: 14px 22px; border-radius: 999px; font-family: inherit, "AP Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1; box-shadow: 0 10px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.12); transition: transform 120ms ease, box-shadow 120ms ease, opacity 120ms ease; touch-action: manipulation; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; position: relative; z-index: 3; } #ap-readmore-embed .ap-readmore-btn:hover { transform: translateY(-1px); box-shadow: 0 14px 22px rgba(0,0,0,0.16); } #ap-readmore-embed .ap-readmore-btn:active { transform: translateY(0); box-shadow: 0 10px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.12); opacity: 0.95; } #ap-readmore-embed .ap-readmore-btn:focus-visible { outline: 3px solid rgba(228, 0, 43, 0.35); outline-offset: 3px; } #ap-readmore-embed .ap-readmore-icon { width: 10px; height: 10px; border-right: 2px solid currentColor; border-bottom: 2px solid currentColor; transform: rotate(45deg); margin-top: -2px; } #ap-readmore-embed .ap-readmore-fade { display: none; height: 48px; margin-top: -48px; pointer-events: none; background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(255,255,255,0), rgba(255,255,255,1)); } Read More (function () { var APRM_EMBED_ID = "ap-readmore-embed"; var APRM_MOBILE_MQ = "(max-width: 767px)"; function APRM_onReady(fn) { if (document.readyState === "loading") { document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", fn); } else { fn(); } } APRM_onReady(function () { var APRM_embedEl = document.getElementById(APRM_EMBED_ID); if (!APRM_embedEl) return; // 🚨 DESKTOP: remove entire module wrapper and bail early if (!window.matchMedia(APRM_MOBILE_MQ).matches) { var APRM_rootModule = APRM_embedEl.closest(".HTMLModuleEnhancement") || APRM_embedEl.closest(".HtmlModule"); if (APRM_rootModule && APRM_rootModule.parentNode) { APRM_rootModule.parentNode.removeChild(APRM_rootModule); } else if (APRM_embedEl.parentNode) { APRM_embedEl.parentNode.removeChild(APRM_embedEl); } return; // stop the rest of the script from running } }); })(); (function () { var EMBED_ID = "ap-readmore-embed"; var BTN_ID = "apReadMoreBtn"; var FADE_ID = "apReadMoreFade"; var STOP_SELECTOR = ".Page-below"; var SIGN_IN_GATE_SELECTOR = ".sign-in-gate-content"; var HIDDEN_ATTR = "data-ap-readmore-hidden"; var MOBILE_MQ = "(max-width: 767px)"; function ready(fn) { if (document.readyState === "loading") { document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", fn); } else { fn(); } } function isElementNode(n) { return n && n.nodeType === 1; } function cancelEvent(e) { if (!e) return; if (typeof e.preventDefault === "function") e.preventDefault(); if (typeof e.stopPropagation === "function") e.stopPropagation(); if (typeof e.stopImmediatePropagation === "function") e.stopImmediatePropagation(); e.cancelBubble = true; e.returnValue = false; } function collapseDesktopEmbed(embed) { if (!embed) return true; if (!window.matchMedia(MOBILE_MQ).matches) { var maybeWrappers = [ embed.parentElement, embed.closest(".html-embed"), embed.closest("[data-type='htmlembed']"), embed.closest("[class*='embed']"), embed.closest("[class*='Embed']") ].filter(Boolean); embed.style.display = "none"; embed.style.margin = "0"; embed.style.padding = "0"; embed.style.height = "0"; embed.style.minHeight = "0"; embed.style.overflow = "hidden"; maybeWrappers.forEach(function (el) { el.style.margin = "0"; el.style.padding = "0"; el.style.height = "0"; el.style.minHeight = "0"; el.style.overflow = "hidden"; }); if (embed.parentNode) { embed.parentNode.removeChild(embed); } return true; } return false; } ready(function () { var embed = document.getElementById(EMBED_ID); var btn = document.getElementById(BTN_ID); var fade = document.getElementById(FADE_ID); if (!embed || !btn) return; if (collapseDesktopEmbed(embed)) return; var signInGate = document.querySelector(SIGN_IN_GATE_SELECTOR); if (signInGate) { embed.innerHTML = ""; return; } // — Analytics: impression when embed enters viewport — if ("IntersectionObserver" in window) { var io = new IntersectionObserver(function (entries, observer) { if (entries[0].isIntersecting) { window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; window.dataLayer.push({ event: "ap_readmore_impression" }); observer.disconnect(); } }, { threshold: 0 }); io.observe(btn); } var stopEl = document.querySelector(STOP_SELECTOR); if (!stopEl) return; var rootCandidates = [ embed.closest(".Page"), embed.closest("article"), embed.closest("main"), document.body ].filter(Boolean); var root = rootCandidates.find(function (c) { return c.contains(stopEl); }) || document.body; var all = root.getElementsByTagName("*"); var hidden = []; for (var i = 0; i “My advice to travelers is this: If you find a flight whose schedule fits yours, with a fare you can afford, and on an airline you can at least tolerate, book it,” Harteveldt said. “But — and I cannot emphasize this enough —do not book a Basic Economy fare,” the cheapest but also the most restrictive airline ticket class. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Along with charging for checked bags and seat selection, most North American airlines do not give refunds or travel credits to passengers with Basic Economy tickets if they don’t cancel their trips within 24 hours of purchase. Policies may vary, but spending more for a Standard Economy ticket provides more flexibility, according to Harteveldt. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy . [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; gap: 16px; width: 100%; max-width: 720px; min-width: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid #E6E6E7; background: #F2F2F2; box-shadow: 0 4px 4px 4px rgba(102, 102, 102, 0.40); font-family: "AP Var", system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; color: #000; container-type: inline-size; container-name: ap-nl-nlmw25; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; align-self: center; justify-self: center; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-accent-nlmw25 { width: 48px; height: 6px; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-title-nlmw25 { align-self: stretch; color: #000; font-family: "AP Var", system-ui, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 150%; margin: 0; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-title-nlmw25 strong { font-weight: 700; line-height: 130%; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-form-nlmw25 { margin: 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 16px; width: 100%; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-row-nlmw25 { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; width: 100%; flex-wrap: nowrap; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-input-nlmw25 { width: 100%; min-width: 0; border: 1px solid #E6E6E7; border-radius: 10px; padding: 11px 12px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.2; outline: none; box-sizing: border-box; background: #fff; color: #000; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-input-wrapper-nlmw25 { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; gap: 8px; flex: 1 0 0; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-input-nlmw25:focus { border-color: rgba(0,0,0,.35); box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(255, 50, 46, 0.18); } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-button-nlmw25 { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 40px; max-height: 40px; padding: 8px 16px; border-radius: 24px; background: #191919; color: #ffffff; border: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1; cursor: pointer; white-space: nowrap; transition: background 150ms ease, transform 120ms ease; flex: 0 0 auto; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-button-nlmw25:hover { background: #000000; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-button-nlmw25:active { transform: scale(0.98); } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-disclaimer-nlmw25 { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; gap: 8px; align-self: stretch; background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-blend-mode: multiply; margin: 0; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-check-nlmw25 { display: flex; gap: 8px; align-items: flex-start; user-select: none; cursor: pointer; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-checkbox-nlmw25 { margin-top: 2px; width: 16px; height: 16px; accent-color: var(--ap-accent); flex: 0 0 auto; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-checktext-nlmw25 { font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.35; color: var(--ap-muted); } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] a { color: var(--ap-text); text-decoration: underline; text-underline-offset: 2px; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] a:hover { color: var(--ap-accent); } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-messages-nlmw25 { margin: 0; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-error-nlmw25:empty, [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-help-nlmw25:empty { display: none; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-help-nlmw25 { margin: 0; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-messages-nlmw25:has(.ap-newsletter-error-nlmw25:empty):has(.ap-newsletter-help-nlmw25:empty) { display: none; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-error-nlmw25 { margin: 0; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.35; color: var(--ap-error); min-height: 1.2em; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-help-nlmw25 { margin: 6px 0 0; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.35; color: var(--ap-muted); } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25].is-submitted-nlmw25 .ap-newsletter-input-nlmw25 { background: rgba(0,0,0,.04); border-color: rgba(0,0,0,.10); color: rgba(0,0,0,.70); cursor: default; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25].is-submitted-nlmw25 .ap-newsletter-button-nlmw25 { display: none; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25].is-submitted-nlmw25 .ap-newsletter-disclaimer-nlmw25 { display: none; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-bot-field-nlmw25 { position: absolute !important; left: -9999px; top: -9999px; width: 1px; height: 1px; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-sr-only-nlmw25 { position: absolute !important; width: 1px; height: 1px; padding: 0; margin: -1px; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0,0,0,0); white-space: nowrap; border: 0; } @container ap-nl-nlmw25 (max-width: 420px) { [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] { max-width: 350px; padding: 16px; gap: 12px; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-form-nlmw25 { gap: 12px; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-row-nlmw25 { flex-direction: column; align-items: stretch; gap: 12px; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-button-nlmw25 { width: 100%; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-input-wrapper-nlmw25, [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-input-nlmw25 { width: 100%; } } @media (max-width: 420px) { [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] { max-width: 350px; padding: 16px; gap: 12px; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-form-nlmw25 { gap: 12px; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-row-nlmw25 { flex-direction: column; align-items: stretch; gap: 12px; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-button-nlmw25 { width: 100%; } [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-input-wrapper-nlmw25, [data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25] .ap-newsletter-input-nlmw25 { width: 100%; } } const NL_DEFAULT_CONFIG_NLMW25 = { apiUrl: '/api/newsletter/signup', defaultNewsletterList: ['Morning Wire Subscribers'], recaptchaSiteKey: '6Lf06WQrAAAAABB9Ms3Gru2SFLSxUYrLqP5YLDMn', recaptchaHeader: 'X-ReCaptcha-Token', /* UTM params to append to the page URL used as the request referrer. This does NOT modify the subscription payload. */ referrerUtmParams: { utm_source: 'embed' }, messages: { invalidEmail: 'Please use a valid email address.', disclaimerRequired: 'Please check disclaimer before proceeding.', invalidBoth: 'Please provide a valid email address, and check disclaimer.', genericError: 'Something went wrong. Please try again later.', botBlocked: 'Please try again.', recaptchaLoadFail: 'Failed to load reCAPTCHA. Please refresh the page and try again.', recaptchaRequired: 'reCAPTCHA verification is required. Please ensure reCAPTCHA is loaded on this page.', recaptchaFailed: 'reCAPTCHA verification failed. Please refresh the page and try again.', verificationFailed: 'Verification failed. Please try again.' } }; (function (nlConfigNLMW25) { const nlEmailRegexNLMW25 = /^[^\s@]+@[^\s@]+\.[^\s@]{2,}$/; const nlRecaptchaCheckIntervalNLMW25 = 100; const nlRecaptchaMaxAttemptsNLMW25 = 50; function nlIsValidEmailNLMW25(email) { return nlEmailRegexNLMW25.test(String(email || '').trim()); } function nlBuildReferrerUrlNLMW25(utmParams) { try { const url = new URL(window.location.href); Object.entries(utmParams || {}).forEach(([key, value]) => { if (value !== undefined && value !== null && value !== '') { url.searchParams.set(key, value); } }); return url.toString(); } catch (err) { console.warn('Unable to build referrer URL with UTM params:', err); return window.location.href; } } function nlLoadRecaptchaScriptNLMW25(siteKey, callback) { if (typeof window.grecaptcha !== 'undefined') { callback && callback(); return; } const existingScript = document.querySelector('script[src*="recaptcha/api.js"]'); if (existingScript) { const checkInterval = setInterval(() => { if (typeof window.grecaptcha !== 'undefined') { clearInterval(checkInterval); callback && callback(); } }, nlRecaptchaCheckIntervalNLMW25); return; } const script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = `https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js?render=${encodeURIComponent(siteKey)}`; script.async = true; script.defer = true; script.onload = () => callback && callback(); script.onerror = () => { console.error('Failed to load reCAPTCHA script'); callback && callback(false); }; document.head.appendChild(script); } function nlWaitForRecaptchaNLMW25(callback, maxAttempts = nlRecaptchaMaxAttemptsNLMW25) { let attempts = 0; const checkRecaptcha = () => { attempts++; if ( typeof window.grecaptcha !== 'undefined' && typeof window.grecaptcha.execute === 'function' ) { callback(true); } else if (attempts token && token.length > 0 ? token : null) .catch(error => { const errorMsg = error?.message || String(error); if ( errorMsg.includes('No reCAPTCHA clients') || errorMsg.includes('not initialized') || errorMsg.includes('Invalid site key') ) { throw new Error('recaptcha_failed'); } throw error; }); } const nlEmbedsNLMW25 = document.querySelectorAll('[data-ap-newsletter-embed-nlmw25]'); nlEmbedsNLMW25.forEach((rootNLMW25, idxNLMW25) => { const formNLMW25 = rootNLMW25.querySelector('.ap-newsletter-form-nlmw25'); const emailInputNLMW25 = rootNLMW25.querySelector('.ap-newsletter-input-nlmw25'); const checkboxNLMW25 = rootNLMW25.querySelector('.ap-newsletter-checkbox-nlmw25'); const errorElNLMW25 = rootNLMW25.querySelector('.ap-newsletter-error-nlmw25'); const helpElNLMW25 = rootNLMW25.querySelector('.ap-newsletter-help-nlmw25'); const botFieldNLMW25 = rootNLMW25.querySelector('.ap-newsletter-bot-field-nlmw25'); const recaptchaDivNLMW25 = rootNLMW25.querySelector('.ap-newsletter-recaptcha-nlmw25'); let nlIsSubmittingNLMW25 = false; const newsletterListNLMW25 = nlConfigNLMW25.defaultNewsletterList; const recaptchaSiteKeyNLMW25 = nlConfigNLMW25.recaptchaSiteKey; const requestReferrerNLMW25 = nlBuildReferrerUrlNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.referrerUtmParams); const emailIdNLMW25 = `nl-email-nlmw25-${idxNLMW25}`; const helpIdNLMW25 = `nl-help-nlmw25-${idxNLMW25}`; const errIdNLMW25 = `nl-error-nlmw25-${idxNLMW25}`; const recaptchaIdNLMW25 = `recaptcha-nlmw25-${idxNLMW25}`; emailInputNLMW25.id = emailIdNLMW25; helpElNLMW25.id = helpIdNLMW25; errorElNLMW25.id = errIdNLMW25; if (recaptchaDivNLMW25) { recaptchaDivNLMW25.id = recaptchaIdNLMW25; if (recaptchaSiteKeyNLMW25) { recaptchaDivNLMW25.setAttribute('data-sitekey', recaptchaSiteKeyNLMW25); } } emailInputNLMW25.setAttribute('aria-describedby', `${helpIdNLMW25} ${errIdNLMW25}`); const nlSetErrorNLMW25 = (msg) => { errorElNLMW25.textContent = msg || ''; errorElNLMW25.style.display = msg ? 'block' : 'none'; }; const nlHideErrorNLMW25 = () => nlSetErrorNLMW25(''); const nlSetSubmittedNLMW25 = () => { rootNLMW25.classList.add('is-submitted-nlmw25'); emailInputNLMW25.value = 'SUBMITTED'; emailInputNLMW25.style.fontWeight = 'bold'; emailInputNLMW25.setAttribute('readonly', 'readonly'); emailInputNLMW25.setAttribute('aria-invalid', 'false'); nlHideErrorNLMW25(); }; const nlSubscribeNLMW25 = (tokenNLMW25) => { if (nlIsSubmittingNLMW25) return; if (botFieldNLMW25?.value) { console.warn('Bot field filled --', botFieldNLMW25.value); nlSetErrorNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.messages.botBlocked); return; } const emailNLMW25 = String(emailInputNLMW25.value || '').trim(); const emailOkNLMW25 = nlIsValidEmailNLMW25(emailNLMW25); const disclaimerOkNLMW25 = checkboxNLMW25.checked; if (!emailOkNLMW25 && !disclaimerOkNLMW25) { nlSetErrorNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.messages.invalidBoth); emailInputNLMW25.setAttribute('aria-invalid', 'true'); emailInputNLMW25.focus(); return; } if (!emailOkNLMW25) { nlSetErrorNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.messages.invalidEmail); emailInputNLMW25.setAttribute('aria-invalid', 'true'); emailInputNLMW25.focus(); return; } if (!disclaimerOkNLMW25) { nlSetErrorNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.messages.disclaimerRequired); checkboxNLMW25.focus(); return; } nlIsSubmittingNLMW25 = true; const headersNLMW25 = { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }; if (tokenNLMW25) { headersNLMW25[nlConfigNLMW25.recaptchaHeader] = tokenNLMW25; } fetch(nlConfigNLMW25.apiUrl, { method: 'POST', headers: headersNLMW25, body: JSON.stringify({ emailId: emailNLMW25, newsLetterListToSubscribe: newsletterListNLMW25 }), /* This is the key change: send the current page URL + UTM params as the referrer. Example: https://.../article/... ?utm_source=embed */ referrer: requestReferrerNLMW25, referrerPolicy: 'strict-origin-when-cross-origin' }) .then(response => response.json() .then(data => ({ status: response.status, data })) .catch(() => ({ status: response.status, data: null })) ) .then(result => { nlIsSubmittingNLMW25 = false; const hasVerificationErrorNLMW25 = result.data && ( result.data.message?.includes('Verification Failed') || result.data.error?.includes('Verification Failed') ); if (hasVerificationErrorNLMW25) { nlSetErrorNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.messages.verificationFailed); return; } if (result.status === 200) { if (typeof window.NLSignup === 'function') { try { window.NLSignup(emailNLMW25); } catch (err) {} } window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('nl:newsletterSignup:nlmw25', { detail: { email: emailNLMW25, source: 'Morning Wire Embed', newsletters: newsletterListNLMW25, referrer: requestReferrerNLMW25 } })); nlSetSubmittedNLMW25(); } else { const errorMsgNLMW25 = result.data?.message || result.data?.error || nlConfigNLMW25.messages.genericError; nlSetErrorNLMW25(errorMsgNLMW25); } }) .catch(error => { nlIsSubmittingNLMW25 = false; console.error('Newsletter subscription error:', error); nlSetErrorNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.messages.genericError); }); }; const nlAttemptRecaptchaNLMW25 = () => { if (!recaptchaSiteKeyNLMW25) { nlWaitForRecaptchaNLMW25(isAvailable => { if (!isAvailable) { nlSetErrorNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.messages.recaptchaRequired); nlIsSubmittingNLMW25 = false; return; } nlExecuteRecaptchaNLMW25() .then(token => nlSubscribeNLMW25(token)) .catch(() => nlSubscribeNLMW25(null)); }); return; } nlLoadRecaptchaScriptNLMW25(recaptchaSiteKeyNLMW25, success => { if (success === false) { nlSetErrorNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.messages.recaptchaLoadFail); nlIsSubmittingNLMW25 = false; return; } nlWaitForRecaptchaNLMW25(isAvailable => { if (!isAvailable) { nlSetErrorNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.messages.recaptchaRequired); nlIsSubmittingNLMW25 = false; return; } const runExecuteNLMW25 = () => { nlExecuteRecaptchaNLMW25() .then(token => nlSubscribeNLMW25(token)) .catch(error => { if (error?.message === 'recaptcha_failed') { nlSetErrorNLMW25(nlConfigNLMW25.messages.recaptchaFailed); nlIsSubmittingNLMW25 = false; } else { console.warn('reCAPTCHA error:', error); nlSubscribeNLMW25(null); } }); }; if (typeof window.grecaptcha.ready === 'function') { window.grecaptcha.ready(runExecuteNLMW25); } else { runExecuteNLMW25(); } }); }); }; formNLMW25.addEventListener('submit', e => { e.preventDefault(); if (rootNLMW25.classList.contains('is-submitted-nlmw25') || nlIsSubmittingNLMW25) return; nlHideErrorNLMW25(); nlAttemptRecaptchaNLMW25(); }); emailInputNLMW25.addEventListener('input', () => { nlHideErrorNLMW25(); emailInputNLMW25.setAttribute('aria-invalid', 'false'); }); checkboxNLMW25.addEventListener('change', nlHideErrorNLMW25); }); })(NL_DEFAULT_CONFIG_NLMW25); Paying more up-front for a refundable ticket also prove advantageous because “if the prices start to dramatically change, you can cancel and rebook for the better price,” Gilad said. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Travel experts say that for now, longstanding booking guidance offers a baseline for how early to reserve a flight to get the lowest airfare: international flights are typically the cheapest about two to five months in advance, and domestic trips about three to six weeks out. Last-minute bookings and other situations that typically command higher prices are likely to keep climbing, Gilad said. “Remember, especially if you’re traveling on the major airlines, they’re going to have more ability to adjust fares. If you book too close to your travel date, you’re going to pay more,” he said. “The farther out you can book, the better.” freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Keep an open mind Travelers who don’t want or need to reach a specific place at a specific time can find it easier to save on airfare. Shifting departure or return dates by a day or two — especially from peak weekends and holidays to midweek — often yields big price differences. Choosing a different destination also may pay off. A flight from the U.S. may be significantly cheaper to one European city than another. Since budget airlines and trains connect much of Europe, and trains, an airport it cost less to get to can still provide easy access to a lot of other places. Consumers not set on a certain arrival destination can try tools like Skyscanner’s “Explore Everywhere” feature to look for less-expensive options. Looking beyond the closest airport for departures also can make a meaningful difference. Major hubs tend to offer more flights and lower fares than smaller regional airports. In some cases, booking a separate short flight or train to a hub will unlock a cheaper long-haul airfare — think Milwaukee versus Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Travel light Sticking to a carry-on bag, when possible, can help avoid the higher fees for checking luggage that many major U.S. airlines introduced recently , including Delta, American, United, Southwest and JetBlue. If packing light is not an option, plan ahead because airlines typically charge more to add bags closer to departure, especially within 24 hours of a flight. Redeem your points While fares are going up, the number of airline points needed for many flights has not increased at the same pace, said Adam Morvitz, CEO of points.me, a loyalty rewards redemption search platform. Airlines still need to fill seats, Morvitz said, and offering more of them for fewer points is one way to do it. Customers without enough frequent-flyer miles or credit card points for a round-trip ticket still can redeem their travel rewards for one leg of a journey and free up cash for other travel expenses. Many travelers redeem points directly through their credit card’s booking portal, where they’re typically worth about 1 cent each, Morvitz said. Transferring points to airline loyalty programs often unlocks significantly better value because most major credit card issuers partner with a range of airlines. Take American Express , whose points can be transferred to Air France’s Flying Blue program. Travelers who don’t want to book with Air France still can use those points with the airline’s partner carriers, such as Delta, Morvitz said. “Points are a form of wealth, and consumers should recognize that those points increase spending power,” he said. Explore travel credit cards For those new to travel credit cards, sign-up bonuses may yield benefits that can be put to use as soon as this summer. Some bonuses are large enough to cover a flight after meeting a minimum spending requirement. “Even if you were to travel the entire year, taking one trip per month, you would still earn more points simply by signing up for the card than actually sitting on a seat and flying,” Morvitz said. Points and rewards can add up through everyday spending on groceries, dining and gas. Some cards include perks like free or discounted checked bags. ___ AP writers Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Mae Anderson in New York and Lisa Leff in London contributed to this story. RIO YAMAT Yamat is a national business reporter for The Associated Press. Based in Las Vegas, she covers airlines, travel and tourism. twitter mailto