International Flight Prices Cool Off as Summer Heats Up

by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:25 PM ET, Wed June 3, 2026

If you’ve been following headlines in recent months, it will hardly come as a surprise that the cost of airfare has skyrocketed following the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid these hostilities has triggered a global shortage of jet fuel. And in response, airlines raised prices and reduced capacity.

Flights to Western Europe have soared by as much as 20% since the Trump Administration launched its attack in February with peak summer fares to to places like Paris, Rome, Barcelona, and London running at an excessively steep $1,700 to $2,100 round-trip.

But new data from KAYAK’s Airfare Trends Dashboard indicates that prices are finally trending downward compared to earlier this year, reaching their lowest prices in seven weeks. It's a development that comes just in time for the busy summer travel season.

As of May 25, the cost of an international flight is averaging about $1,028. That’s down from $1,109 on May 4 which was the highest airfare reached since the February 28 attack. Compared to last year however, ticket prices are astronomical. By comparison, the average cost of an international ticket on May 25, 2025 was $875. And the highest price between January and May 2025 was $960.

Moving on to the good news. There are some pretty notable price drops taking place right now, according to KAYAK's analysis:

Nassau, Bahamas: Down 11% Average airfare for summer 2026: $399
Mexico City, Mexico: Down 10% Average airfare for summer 2026: $438
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Down 9% Average airfare for summer 2026: $898

Summer Deals When Flying With Points

A separate report, this one issued by the platform point.me, which helps travelers book tickets using their reward points, reveals a long list of points deals to popular European cities this summer. Some of the top bargains for economy flights include:

Amsterdam: August 4: San Diego (SAN) to Amsterdam (AMS) for 18,750 points + $138 or $444 in cash
Athens: August 17: Newark (EWR) to Athens (ATH) for 17,500 points + $123 or $479 in cash
Barcelona: June 8: Boston (BOS) to Barcelona (BCN) for 12,000 points + $183 or $416 in cash
Lisbon: June 9: New York (JFK) to Lisbon (LIS) for 12,000 points + $183 or $571 in cash
Milan: July 22: Boston (BOS) to Milan (MXP) for 24,500 points + $33 or $479 in cash
Paris: June 7: Washington D.C. (IAD) to Paris (CDG) for 12,000 points + $164 or $791 in cash
Rome: June 7: Seattle (SEA) to Rome (FCO) for 15,000 points + $183 or $706 in cash.