US says airline jet fuel costs jumped $1.8bn in March

Published May 6, 2026 Updated May 6, 2026 09:23pm

Major US passenger airlines spent just over $5 billion on jet fuel in March, up $1.8bn or 56 per cent from what they spent in February, Reuters reports, citing the US Transportation Department.

The cost per gallon of fuel in March was $3.13, up 74 cents, and 31pc over February. Fuel use rose 20pc in March, the department adds.

Since the US-Israeli war with Iran began, disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have roiled global oil markets. Surging jet fuel prices have created the air travel industry’s biggest crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opinion

Editorial

The May war
Updated 06 May, 2026

The May war

Rationality demands that both states come to the table and discuss their grievances, and their solutions in a mature manner.
Looking inwards
06 May, 2026

Looking inwards

REGULAR appraisals by human rights groups and activists should not be treated by the authorities as attempts to ...
Feeling the heat
06 May, 2026

Feeling the heat

ANOTHER heatwave season has begun, and once again, the state is scrambling to respond to conditions it has long been...
Energy shock
Updated 05 May, 2026

Energy shock

The longer the crisis persists, the more profound its consequences will be.
Unchecked HIV
05 May, 2026

Unchecked HIV

PAKISTAN’S HIV surge is no longer a slow-burning public health concern. It is now a system failure unfolding in...
PSL thrills
05 May, 2026

PSL thrills

BY the end of it all, in front of fans who had been absent for almost the entire 11th season of the Pakistan Super...