Spiritless summer: Americans feel squeeze of costly fuel amid busy travel season

Soaring oil prices have left many Americans with higher costs and fewer options for travel amid the Iran war Tell us: have your holiday plans changed in light of recent world events? Chelsea Blackmore saves up every year for an annual vacation with her 58-year-old mother. This year, after landing an especially good deal, they made plans to embark on a Disney cruise from Orlando. To keep costs low, she bought the least expensive plane tickets she could find: a $500 round trip fare on Spirit Airlines. Soaring oil prices have left many Americans with higher ticket prices and fewer options for summer travel amid the economic maelstrom brought on by the war in Iran. Typically, budget airlines offer travelers like Blackmore base-fare tickets that can make travel more affordable during financially unstable times. But last Saturday, Blackmore opened up the airline’s app and was faced with a pop-up message announcing Spirit was shutting down operations and her flight was cancelled. “I cried for about five hours trying to search for new flights,” said Blackmore, 35, a photographer and travel agent based in Massachusetts. Travel experts say the demise of Spirit is just a harbinger of the chao

May 9, 2026 → May 22, 2026