U.S. Airlines' August Fuel Bill Rises 60% Year Over Year as Reported Use Falls

WASHINGTON — Scheduled U.S. airlines spent US$6.17bn on fuel in August 2026, up 60.2% from a year earlier, even as their reported consumption fell 1.2%, according to figures released October 5, 2026, by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

The carriers' fuel bill increased by US$2.32bn from August 2025. Average cost per gallon reached US$3.72, up 62.2% from US$2.30 a year earlier, while consumption declined to 1.656 billion gallons from 1.677 billion.

Compared with July, expenditure rose 4.8% despite a 4.4% decline in consumption. Cost per gallon increased 9.5% from US$3.40.

The figures cover scheduled domestic and international service by U.S. carriers and count fuel paid for by the carrier. They measure August fuel costs, with reported prices potentially affected by fuel hedging, rather than current spot-market prices. Costs are in current dollars, and monthly comparisons are not seasonally adjusted.

A Sustained Increase in Spending

The BTS historical fuel table shows that August's increase followed two months of lower unit costs. Average cost per gallon had reached US$4.11 in April and US$4.09 in May before falling to US$3.59 in June and US$3.40 in July.

Through August, scheduled carriers spent US$42.92bn on fuel, up 44.6% from the same eight months of 2025. Reported consumption fell 0.7%. The spending increase therefore extends beyond a single month's comparison.

Domestic operations accounted for US$4.02bn of the August bill, with average cost at US$3.74 per gallon. International service accounted for US$2.15bn at US$3.70 per gallon. Both parts of the network faced higher unit costs than in July.

Airways previously examined how rising jet fuel costs affect airline operations. The August figures quantify the reported U.S. fuel bill but do not establish why an individual airline changed a route, fare, or fleet plan.

Carrier Comparisons Have Limits

The historical table labels July and August data preliminary and says individual carrier information is unavailable for those months. It also cautions that fuel paid for by another party can affect reported carrier consumption, recommending quarterly operating-expense schedules as a potentially more accurate measure of gallons consumed.

Lower reported fuel use alone does not establish improved efficiency. A comparison of fuel use with capacity would also need to account for aircraft mix and flight distance; the aggregate release does not resolve those effects.

Delta Air Lines (DL) has scheduled its September-quarter results call for October 9, 2026, at 10:00 ET.