Airlines Accused of Price Gouging Ahead of Hurricane Milton

With Florida residents preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Milton—forecasted to make landfall as catastrophic Category 4 storm—and airports across the state shutting down operations, airlines have been accused of trying to profit from the situation by hiking flight prices for those looking to evacuate.

The storm, which is expected to make imminent landfall on the state’s west coast, has sparked one of the largest evacuation efforts in Florida’s history. With highways in gridlock and gas stations running empty, desperate residents fleeing the storm have been trying to book flights out of harm’s way before airports shut their doors.

But some travelers have taken to social media to express their exasperation at airlines seemingly raising the price of flights out of Tampa International Airport (TPA) and other Florida airports to excessive levels, prompting widespread accusations of price gouging. Social media users have posted screenshots on X (formerly Twitter) showing airlines charging over a thousand dollars for one-way economy tickets out of the state.

One viral tweet showed United Airlines seemingly charging up to $2,351 for an economy flight from Tampa to St. Louis (STL).

Hey @united, what’s up with the price gouging in Tampa for people trying to evacuate? Your prices aren’t nearly as comparable to American or Southwest… shady. pic.twitter.com/DWBT05QQL5

— Jeremy (@iowaradioguy) October 7, 2024

One exasperated mother, Cerina McQuillan, told ABC News that when she tried to book a flight out of Tampa to New York for her daughter, prices were initially displayed at around $200 before the website crashed. She says flights shot up to around $750 by the time the site came back online.

Is Price Gouging Illegal?

The practice of price gouging is not unheard of in times of crisis and natural disasters, as demand for flights naturally spikes as customers scramble for last-minute deals en masse. The laws surrounding price gouging differ from state to state in the U.S., but in hurricane-prone Florida the practice is prohibited, with offenders facing fines of up to $1,000 per infraction.

How Is the U.S. Government Responding?

In response to the allegations, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) said it was in contact with airlines regarding the affordability of flights out of regions affected by Hurricane Milton.

“The Department takes all allegations of airline price-gouging seriously,” wrote U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on X. “We are keeping a close eye on flights in and out of areas affected by Hurricane Milton to make sure airlines are not charging excessively increasing fares.”

The Department takes all allegations of airline price-gouging seriously. We are keeping a close eye on flights in and out of areas affected by Hurricane Milton to make sure airlines are not charging excessively increasing fares.

— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) October 8, 2024

Following a briefing on the hurricane, President Biden said: “I’m calling on the airlines and other companies to provide as much service as possible to accommodate evacuations, and not to engage in price gouging—to just do it on the level.”

How Are Airlines Responding?

Airlines have denied the allegations, with some claiming they have even imposed price caps on flights out of affected areas. Leslie Scott, a spokesperson for United Airlines, said itineraries posted on social media showing inflated prices were for flights with multiple connections, adding that the flights also never happened, with the departure scheduled for after TPA had ceased operations.

“We implemented fare caps on Sunday,” said Scott. “Since then, the average price paid for a one-way, economy-class ticket to our hubs from the impacted Florida markets was below $500.”

Meanwhile, Hannah Walden, a spokesperson for the trade association Airlines for America, said the airlines it represents “are working diligently to accommodate customers impacted by Hurricane Milton,” adding that “the safety of our passengers and employees is our top priority.”

Travel expert and American Economic Liberties Project advocate William McGee, however, said his organization has seen growing evidence of price gouging at times of natural disasters such as Hurricane Milton, and called on consumers who experience it to file complaints with the DOT and share any details of it on social media.