As airline fees start to mount and families start to calculate the cost of booking seats together, some airline pricing is approaching a level at which travelers balk. Travel Leaders Group surveyed consumers about that “tipping point,” the point at which tickets cost too much to be worth buying. The survey found that for 81.5 percent, the tipping point for a domestic airline ticket is somewhere between $200 and $500. For 42.9 percent of those polled, their tipping point for an international ticket is between $1,000 and $1,500. However, 83.1 percent indicate that they will spend the same or more on leisure trips in 2012 as compared to last year.  

“The fact that nearly 94 percent of consumers polled nationwide indicate they will be taking at least one leisure trip this year—up from 89 percent last year—is very positive news for the American economy,” said Barry Liben, CEO of the Travel Leaders Group. “Consumers taking our survey were very willing to share their ‘tipping point’ on airfare, which is a reminder that everyone in the travel industry needs to clearly define the value in each and every aspect of a traveler’s itinerary. Consumers will readily pay if their needs are exceeded and they see great value in what they are purchasing. However, most will not indiscriminately spend.”

The maximum travelers are willing to pay for a domestic ticket is up to $400 per ticket for 33.1 percent and up to $500 for 24.2 percent; 18.5 percent said they would go as high as $600. On international fares, 16.3 percent would go as high as $1,000 and 10.4 percent would go as high as $1,200. When looking at aggregated responses, 42.9 percent would pay between $1,000 and $1,500. Eight percent would pay $2,000 or more for an international ticket.

Just under 94 percent plan to take at least one leisure trip. Of that group, over 71 percent have already taken one leisure trip this year and nearly 28 percent have taken two or more trips so far this year. Over 92 percent said they will take the same or more trips this year as last year.

This is the fourth year that Travel Leaders has conducted this survey. Travel Leaders conducted the survey of 855 consumers between April 4 and May 16 and conducted the survey throughout the U.S.