Source: US Energy Information Administration, U.S. Gulf Coast Kerosene-Type Jet Fuel Spot Price FOB, USD per gallon.

Jet Fuel Prices, 1990-2012

Fuel accounts for about 40% to 50% of air operating costs, depending of the type of plane used (economies of scale and fuel efficiency are directly related). Since 2000, the airline industry is facing an environment characterized by much higher fuel prices. While during the 1990s, jet fuel prices were very stable, the beginning of the 21st century is marked by a surge or prices as well as a high volatility. In the 2010s, jet fuel prices stood at 6 times the level seen in the 1990s.