Iran War Doubles U.S. Jet Fuel Prices, Forcing Airlines to Cut Flights and Raise Fares and Fees

📌 Key Facts

• Brent crude jumped to roughly $115–$116 per barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) to about $101–$103 per barrel over the weekend, contributing to higher jet fuel costs.
• The latest oil spike is being driven by Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israel and fears those strikes could expand to Red Sea shipping lanes and further threaten chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz; analyst Daniel Yergin warned Houthi disruption of the Red Sea would 'aggravate what is already the most severe oil disruption that we have seen in history.'
• Iran-backed Houthi rebels have formally entered the monthlong war, raising fresh risks to shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait; the wider Iran war is threatening global oil and gas supplies, fertilizer production and has disrupted air travel.
• The U.S. has increased its regional military presence — about 2,500 U.S. Marines have arrived in the region — while Pakistan will host talks with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt to try to end the fighting.
• The crude-price jump compounds an already-documented spike in jet fuel prices and related airline cutbacks; jet fuel is roughly one-fifth of airline operating expenses, which encourages carriers to pass costs on to passengers.
• Airlines are already raising prices for travelers: United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said United’s airfares have increased about 15–20% over the past month due to elevated oil prices.
• JetBlue has raised checked-bag fees by $4–$9 per bag — with minimums now $39 for a first checked bag and $59 for a second when paid more than 24 hours out, plus a $10-per-bag surcharge inside 24 hours — and explicitly framed the increase as a response to higher operating costs from rising jet fuel since the Iran war began.

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