CLEVELAND — Airlines and travel hubs across the country took a major hit at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

What You Need To Know

  • Flight prices across the country increased dramatically, but it hasn't stopped travelers from taking to the skies

  • In northeast Ohio, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport representatives said travel numbers are almost similar to pre-pandemic levels
  • Higher demand and jet fuel prices are leading to soaring travel costs

John Hogan, deputy chief of marketing and air services development at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, said the airport is finally starting to bounce back from the blow of the pandemic.

“In January and February, we saw that number starting to pick up, and it's been a gradual increase since the beginning of this year," Hogan said. "For the past four weeks here, we are at approximately 93% of where we were in 2019."

With spring here and summer months just around the corner, passengers have been checking in, boarding planes and taking off from Cleveland Hopkins. They've also been arriving here to visit, according to Hogan.

“Just one day in March, we are at about 32,000 passengers, both departing and arriving, and that was the highest level that we had since October of 2019,” Hogan said. 

Flights aren’t only full, but they’re also more expensive. Higher demand and jet fuel prices are leading to soaring travel costs. According to USTravel.org, February 2022 airfare prices were 13%  higher than February 2021. The average roundtrip airfare for a domestic flight from Cleveland Hopkins is around $246. That is still reasonable when compared to other major travel hubs, Hogan said. 

“On a national basis, air fares here are much lower than they are across the country," he said. "We have a wide variety of airlines, a much diversified look than a lot of airports, which keeps competition at bay and keeps prices at an affordable rate for our customers."

According to USTravel.org's monthly travel data report, nearly nine in 10 Americans are expecting to travel this summer, many of them by plane. Hogan said he expects the summer to put Cleveland Hopkins airport in a position to see or beat pre-pandemic success. 

“We expect record levels for June, July and August, and possibly a record-breaking July, which would exceed a million passengers,” Hogan said. ​