Warren, Sanders, Blumenthal, Heinrich, Probe Major Airlines On Fare and Fee Increases as Jet Fuel Costs Spike Due To Trump’s Iran War

Warren, Sanders, Blumenthal, Heinrich, Probe Major Airlines On Fare and Fee Increases as Jet Fuel Costs Spike Due To Trump's Iran War

Flights are almost 20% more expensive to fly this year than at the same time last year.

"Americans are paying the high price for President Trump's war."

Text of Delta Letter (PDF) | Text of United Letter (PDF) | Text of American Letter (PDF) | Text of JetBlue Letter (PDF) | Text of Alaska Letter (PDF) | Text of Southwest Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) pressed the CEOs of the six biggest U.S. airlines over how they plan to address rising jet fuel costs as President Trump's war in Iran continues to increase costs for American businesses and consumers.

Following President Trump's launch of attacks on Iran, global oil and fuel markets fell into chaos. Before the start of the war, the average jet fuel price was $2.50. By the end of April, jet fuel prices had climbed to $4.51, increasing by 80%.

One of the airlines impacted, Spirit Airlines, was set to successfully emerge from bankruptcy when the jet fuel increases hit, delivering the final nail in the coffin that drove the airline to collapse.

Reporting initially suggested the Trump administration might enter into a $500 million deal to bail out Spirit and was considering a similar $2.5 billion action on behalf of other value carriers, who have been "disproportionately affected by the run-up in fuel prices."

However, in late April, "Spirit was informed that this potential new financing was no longer an available option," and on May 2, Spirit announced that the company had begun to wind down operations and had cancelled all flights. In a declaration filed in bankruptcy court, Spirit's Chief Financial Officer blamed geopolitical events, pointing to Trump's war with Iran, which caused a "massive and sustained increase in fuel prices" that "will require U.S. airlines to spend billions of incremental dollars on fuel in 2026."

Travelers are facing potentially permanent fare and fee increases from airlines following the beginning of President Trump's war:

• American announced it raised bag fees by $10 to $50 for the first bag and $60 for the second bag.
• United Airlines claims it aims to pass on 100% of the fuel increase to passengers, hiking fares by as much as 20 percent and raising checked bag fees by $10 to $50.
• Delta Air Lines raised checked bag fees by $10, to $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second. Delta has also announced that it will eliminate food and beverage services for all flights shorter than 350 miles for all passengers who are not in first class.
• Southwest Airlines also raised checked bag fees by $10, to $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second.
• Alaska Airlines raised checked bag fees by $5 for the first bag and $10 for the second.
• JetBlue is reportedly working to "identify flights"- presumably to eliminate - that "won't bring in enough revenue to cover the costs of fuel, airport landing fees, and maintenance" and has raised baggage fees for economy passengers by up to almost $10 to a minimum of $39.

"Americans are paying the high price for President Trump's war," wrote the senators.

Yet, there has been no indication from airlines that they will take other measures - such as capping executive pay or limiting stock buybacks and dividends - to offset costs. CEOs continue to rake in exorbitant profits: in 2025, American's CEO made more than $13.8 million, United's CEO made more than $32.2 million, Delta's CEO made more than $19.2 million, Southwest's CEO made more than $16.5 million, Alaska's CEO made more than $9.9 million, and JetBlue's CEO made more than $5.1 million.

To inform work addressing the pressure on American families from rising costs, the senators requested that the airlines answer questions by May 29, including airlines' profit margins in 2025, how the airlines determine fares, whether the companies plan to offset rising costs by reducing CEO pay or limiting stock buybacks and dividends, and whether and when airlines will bring fares and fees back down if jet fuel costs decrease.

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