With ‘eye on’ fuel prices due to Iran, Charlotte airport expects busy Memorial Day

Charlotte International Douglas Airport is readying for summer travel with the kick-off of Memorial Day weekend. But rising energy prices due to the Iran war and the recent shutdown of an airline could make finding cheaper flights difficult for travelers over the coming months.

An estimated 1.05 million passengers are expected to travel through the Charlotte airport for arriving and departing flights between Wednesday and Monday. However, the passenger forecast is expected to be 8% lower than 2025’s holiday period, according to the airport.

More than 530,000 departing passengers are expected over the holiday weekend with around 202,000 beginning their trip in Charlotte, in line with 2025 numbers.

Ralph Lopez Massas, American Airline’s senior vice president of CLT operations, said American has over 70,000 flights planned for the summer schedule in Charlotte. Charlotte Douglas is the second-largest hub for American Airlines.

“We will see a reduction in seats through gauge, but we expect (passenger) volumes are going to be similar year-over-year,” said Massas in a press conference on Tuesday.

The airline is expected to operate more than 3,800 departures at the Charlotte airport over the Memorial Day weekend. Peak days for travelers are expected to be Thursday, Friday and Monday. Massas said American Airlines is currently seeing a healthy demand for summer travel, but the volatility of fuel prices continues to be a concern.

“We’re keeping a very close eye on fuel prices,” he said. “If necessary we will adjust demand accordingly.”

Impact of Iran War and Spirit Airline’s closure

The rising costs of fuel comes as America and Iran face an impasse as talks to bring the war to an end have stalled. The conflict has led to higher food costs and increased gas prices across the country.

The average cost of fuel in North Carolina, as of Wednesday, was $4.17, up from $2.85 per gallon last year, according to AAA. Similarly, the average price of jet fuel in North America this week is $3.95 per gallon, according to Airlines for America. That compares with average jet fuel costs of $2.70 to $2.80 per gallon for the full year of 2025.

Travelers also have one less airline to choose from this summer with the recent shutdown of Spirit Airlines. The airline shuttered in early May after its bid for a government bail out fell through. But analysts say it’s a smaller factor in the prices travelers are seeing this summer.

“Prices have risen not just because of less capacity in the market-place, but also because airline costs have increased due to fuel, and they’re trying to recover those costs wherever they can,” said Bob Mann, an airline industry analyst with R.W. Mann & Company, Inc.

But travelers could see the real impact of the loss of the airline over the long-term, he said. Fewer seats in the market could tighten supply and demand, which generally causes the selling price for tickets to increase, Mann said.

“The possible alternative to that is that some true low-cost carriers take over a market that was abandoned due to the failure of Spirit,” he said.

Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst with Atmosphere Research Group, a research firm for the global travel industry, shared similar sentiments.

“One thing the airline industry is, is brutally competitive when it comes to price,” Harteveldt said. “We’re already seeing airlines announce their intention to start adding flights to cities and on routes that Spirit used to operate.”

He said that the high cost of jet fuel is having a larger impact on summer travel than Spirit Airlines shutting down. Other airlines will likely just look for opportunities where Spirit’s closure has left unserved or underserved routes or cities, he said.

Harteveldt said his firm is seeing more people plan to take road trips this summer due to increasing air fares. Others are choosing to book flights closer to their vacation in hopes of finding better prices.

“It’s not going to be easy for travelers to find really cheap air fares this year because jet fuel is 70% more expensive than it was before the war in Iran began,” he said. “But if you are flexible as a traveler there are bargains out there.”

Harteveldt said more travelers are showing that they’re open to trade-offs this year due to the rising costs of gas and food. This includes people choosing destinations closer to home instead of internationally.

“If you’re a value-focused traveler you’re not going to willingly spend more than you want to on your summer vacation,” Harteveldt said. “You’re going to do all you can to stay within your budget.”