United Airlines wants even higher ticket prices. It’ll get them — with or without the Iran war.

United Airlines wants even higher ticket prices. It’ll get them — with or without the Iran war.(5 min)(5 min)Summertime is near, and airline ticket prices are jumping. That is, if you can even get off the ground. One major U.S. airline aiming to profit most from higher travel costs is United Airlines UAL. The company’s investors will like this higher-pricing environment; United’s stock is outperforming the broad market. But consumers will not like it one bit.First, the price increases. In February, the Airline Fares index hit 280 — a level typically reached in May. Expect the March result to be closer to 300. The last time this index was over 300 was the summer of 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Americans were tired of being cooped up in their homes and the federal government sent people $2,000 stimulus checks.About the AuthorKenneth Rapoza is an analyst for the Coalition for a Prosperous America, which represents U.S. producers and workers. He is a former journalist who has reported from Brazil and covered the BRIC economies. Follow him on X.A Dow Jones CompanyCopyright © 2026 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved.