SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Summer travel season is underway, but Central New York travelers flying out of Syracuse Hancock International Airport are facing a steep new reality at the ticket counter.
A report from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows U.S. airlines paid nearly $6.5 billion in fuel costs in April alone — up 78% from a year ago and up more than 26% from just the month prior. Jet fuel hit $4.11 per gallon, a price point analysts say is being driven directly by the ongoing war with Iran.
Beginning in late February, the conflict in Iran was spurred by the U.S. and Israel coordinating missile strikes and hitting multiple locations throughout the country.
It is because of the joint attacks that the Iranian military in Tehran opted to restrict oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz — a waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. The disruption has sent energy costs rippling through the airline industry, with carriers passing the added expense on to passengers through higher fares and increased baggage fees.
For travelers at Hancock, the impact is tangible. The shift in passenger behavior is playing out across the country, with travelers rethinking seat upgrades, not checking bags, and in some cases reconsidering their summer plans altogether.
“I can no longer splurge on the premium seat — I’ll settle for economy due to the prices,” Joc Pifko, who travels for work, said Wednesday while checking in for a flight.
Officials at the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority say they are actively working with airline partners to protect service levels at Hancock despite the volatile fuel environment.
“Obviously we have no control over the fuel prices — but we are going to help them in any way that we can,” SRAA spokesperson Kiernan Coffey said. “If that means shifting some routes or to different times, we will work with them hand in hand.”
The authority said its broader focus remains on the experience passengers have when they arrive at the airport, regardless of what happened at the booking stage.
“We’re trying to give people a welcome experience in Syracuse,” Coffey said.
Hancock served more than 1.5 million passengers in 2025 and contributed roughly $1.2 billion to the local economy, according to the SRAA. Airport leaders say maintaining robust air service is a priority as the region heads into peak travel season.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that smaller carriers with weaker balance sheets are especially vulnerable to sustained high fuel costs, raising concerns about route reductions at regional airports like Hancock.
The Strait of Hormuz disruption represents one of the most significant supply shocks to global oil markets in years, with the speed and severity of the consumer price impact comparable to, and in some measures exceeding, disruptions seen during previous geopolitical crises.
Without a diplomatic resolution or ceasefire, analysts say elevated fares and fees are likely to persist through the remainder of the summer and potentially into the fall travel season.