Jet fuel prices reported to the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics differ from producer prices. Reports to BTS show the cost per gallon of
fuel used by an airline during the month rather than the price charged by a
producer on a single day. Fuel costs
for scheduled airline services reflect contractual and storage advantages
available to large buyers, while fuel costs for nonscheduled airline services
reflect economic conditions for smaller buyers. Jet fuel prices also reflect
seasonality due to both the seasonality of aviation and because jet fuel has
similar refining requirements to heating oil.
Jet Fuel
Price by Type of Service
May-06
May-07
For nonscheduled airlines
(Current dollars per gallon)
2.16
2.15
Percent change from same
month previous year
38.46
-0.46
For scheduled airlines
(Current dollars per gallon)
2.04
2.04
Percent change from same
month previous year
35.10
0.00
NOTES: The
current value is compared to the value from the same period in the previous
year to account for seasonality.
Data for
January 2007 to May 2007 are preliminary due to late reports by carriers.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and
Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,
Office of Airline Information, August, 2007; available at: http://www.bts.gov/oai.