What does airfare mean?
Airfare is the price a passenger pays to travel by air — essentially, the cost of an airline ticket. It covers the charge for a seat on a particular flight or route and varies widely according to distance, travel class, season, demand, and how far in advance the ticket is booked. The word functions as a countable noun and appears constantly in both casual conversation ('I snagged a cheap airfare') and formal contexts such as corporate travel policies, where airfare is listed alongside lodging and meals as a reimbursable expense. It derives from the older word 'fare', which has long denoted the price of passage on any form of transport, combined with 'air' once commercial aviation emerged in the early twentieth century. Because air travel pricing is famously volatile, airfare carries strong associations with comparison shopping, deals, and fluctuating costs, making it one of the most searched-for terms in travel planning.
nounThe price charged for a passenger's transportation by air, typically for a single ticket on a specific flight or route.
- The price charged by an airline for a passenger seat on a flight, often quoted per person and varying by route, class, and booking conditions.
- More broadly, the cost of a commercial airline ticket as a component of travel expenses (e.g., in budgeting or expense reporting).
"Airfares to Europe dropped sharply after the airline added a new route."
"We found a surprisingly cheap airfare to Tokyo during the off-season."
"The company will reimburse your hotel and meals, but not your airfare."
The plural is standard when referring to multiple ticket prices, e.g., across different airlines, routes, or dates.
"Summer airfares to the coast are always higher than spring rates."
The word 'airfare' didn't exist until humans did — it was born in the early twentieth century, the moment flying stopped being a stunt and became something you could buy a ticket for.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of airfare
Airfare is a compound of 'air' and 'fare'. The word 'fare' comes from Old English 'fær', meaning a journey or passage, related to the verb 'faran' (to travel), and by extension came to mean the price paid for such passage. When commercial aviation developed in the early twentieth century, 'fare' was naturally extended to the price of a flight, producing 'airfare' (sometimes written 'air fare'). Its cognates include other compounds built on 'fare', such as 'welfare', 'warfare', and 'thoroughfare'.
How airfare is actually used
A straightforward commercial noun used in both everyday and business contexts; it is neutral in tone. In American English it is sometimes written 'air fare', though 'airfare' is now the dominant form in both British and US usage.
Easily confused with airfare
'Fare' is the general price paid for any transport (bus, train, taxi), while 'airfare' specifically refers to the price of air travel.