By Kashmira Konduparty
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed changes to federal airfare advertising rules that would allow airlines greater flexibility in displaying ticket prices, potentially making low base fares more prominent while still requiring the total cost of a ticket to be shown.
The proposal would amend the department’s “Full Fare Rule,” introduced in 2012, which currently requires airlines and ticket agents to prominently display the total price a traveler must pay including all mandatory government taxes, fees and carrier-imposed charges. Under the proposed rule, airlines would be permitted to display individual fare components, such as the base fare and taxes, with the same prominence as the total price.
The DOT is also seeking public comment on a more sweeping alternative that would repeal the Full Fare Rule altogether. If adopted, airlines could advertise only the lower base fare, excluding taxes and mandatory fees, provided they comply with other federal disclosure requirements.
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In its notice of proposed rulemaking, the department said the current regulation is “unnecessarily prescriptive” and may no longer align with evolving First Amendment jurisprudence governing commercial speech. Officials argued the proposed changes would give airlines more flexibility while continuing to require disclosure of the total ticket price.
The proposal marks another shift in federal aviation consumer policy under the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the DOT repleaded a Biden-era rule that would have required airlines and ticket agents to disclosure ancillary fees, such as charges for checked baggage, carry-on luggage and seat selection, during the initial booking process after a court challenge.
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Airlines have long argued that requiring taxes and government-imposed fees to be bundled into advertised fares makes it difficult for consumers to understand how much of the ticket price goes to the airline versus the government. Industry groups have maintained that displaying fare components separately would improve transparency. Consumer advocates, however, have warned that emphasizing lower base fares could make airfare comparisons more confusing and lead travelers to underestimate the actual cost of a ticket.
The DOT’s proposal does not immediately change how airlines advertise fares. Instead, it begins a public comment period before the department decides whether to finalize the rule. Comments will be accepted for 30 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.
If finalized, the changes would represent the most significant overhaul of U.S. airfare advertising requirements in more than a decade and could reshape how airlines market ticket prices to millions of travelers.