Flying is cheaper in 2024. But not for some destinations

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Airline fares from the U.S. have broadly fallen over the past year, according to the consumer price index. But there are still cities and regions where average prices have gotten more expensive, like flights to Tokyo, Canada, South America, and the Middle East and Africa. Consider being more flexible with travel plans and book well ahead to reduce spending on airfare. Avoiding checked-bag fees is another way to save. Coroimage | Moment | Getty Images

Americans traveling this summer have broadly seen prices fall for airline fares, a welcome trend after last year’s sticker shock.

But airfare remains more expensive in 2024 for some regions and destinations, largely for trips abroad, data shows.

For example, an average round-trip flight to Tokyo, Japan — one of the top hot spots for American tourists — costs $1,372 this summer, up 2% from 2023, according to travel site Hopper.

Flights to Canada, South America, and the Middle East and Africa regions are also up 6%, 2% and 1%, respectively, from summer 2023, Hopper found.

Of course, there’s significant variation among the cities and countries of such vast regions and continents.

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For example, while the price of a round-trip fare to Asia is flat from a year ago, those for certain destinations have soared: by 65% (to $3,196) for an average flight to Sakata, a coastal city in the northeast of Japan; by 42% (to $4,190) to Ipoh, among Malaysia’s biggest cities; and by 35% (to $4,092) to Udon Thani, in Thailand’s northeast, according to Hopper.

High prices to certain Asian cities impact many American tourists since the continent is their second-most frequented international travel destination, Hopper said.

Flights are also up for some major hubs in South America, according to Hopper: by 16% (to $955) to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; by 34% (to $667) to Lima, Peru; and by 13% (to $826) to Santiago, Chile, for example.

Average fares to Europe, the most popular trip abroad for Americans, are down 8% in summer 2024 versus a year ago, when they were at record highs. But they’re still elevated in some areas like Friedrichshafen and Memmingen, in southern Germany, and Bratislava, Slovakia. Fares

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The full article is available here. This article was published at CNBC Finance.