US airlines raise base fares

Associated Press

DALLAS

U.S. airlines are raising base fares on many domestic flights even though they are getting a windfall from lower fuel prices.

JetBlue Airways raised fares by $4 per round trip on some routes Thursday, and Delta Air Lines picked up and expanded the breadth of the increase, according to FareCompare.com CEO Rick Seaney and J.P. Morgan analyst Jamie Baker.

The increase got an important boost when Southwest matched it a day later. Other airlines often drop price increases if they are resisted by Southwest.

A JetBlue spokeswoman confirmed that the airline initiated the increase on its domestic flights. Delta said it had matched and expanded “an industry increase.” United Airlines and American Airlines confirmed matching the $4 increase.