Airfare amid Iran war: Buy now or wait out the conflict? Experts weigh the risks

Travelers in Terminal 1 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, March 1, 2026. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | As airfare continues to climb amid the Iran war, prospective travelers may be wondering: Should I buy my plane ticket now or wait to see if things improve? Travel experts say the best bet is generally to buy sooner rather than later. "Regardless of whether you're looking to travel in two weeks, two months or even looking ahead to fall travel, waiting to buy airfare ... in hopes the conflict will end soon is honestly riskier than some of the fashion choices we made as teens: Our future self is not going to be happy about it," said Katy Nastro, a travel expert at Going, a travel deal website. In short: "If it fits in your budget now, don't put it off," Nastro said. Airfare has risen, especially for international routes A technician prepares to refuel a Delta Airlines aircraft at the Austin-Bergrstrom International Airport on April 10, 2026 in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell | News | Airline ticket prices generally creep upward as the high-demand summer travel season approaches. But prices have climbed more sharply than usual this year amid an oil supply shock triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict, which started Feb. 28 when the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran . The average round-trip domestic flight cost $361 as of April 20, according to weekly data from Kayak, a travel search engine. That price is up about 8% from $335 on Feb. …