The U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed a rule that could allow airlines to advertise base fares more prominently than the full ticket price, a shift consumer advocates warn may make comparison shopping harder.
The proposal, titled “Enhancing Flexibility of Air Fare Price Advertising,” would ease the department’s current full-fare rule. That rule requires airlines to display the total ticket price, including taxes and fees, more prominently than any individual fare component.
The Trump administration has argued that existing regulations are too strict. The DOT said the changes would give airlines more flexibility in advertising their products and services. The agency disputes that the changes would make comparison shopping more difficult, noting the full fare would still be advertised.
Not all stakeholders agree with the DOT’s position. Five public interest organizations advocating on behalf of airline passengers filed comments stating that the existing full-fare rule “enables basic market forces to function” and that without price transparency, “consumers cannot make informed decisions, and competition fails.” The Travel Technology Association similarly urged the Department to retain the current rule, arguing that it prevents deceptive marketing of air fares, enables accurate price comparisons across carriers and sales channels, and upholds a baseline standard of fairness.
According to the DOT’s own proposal, fare components such as government taxes and fees could be displayed just as prominently as the total ticket price, meaning consumers may need to calculate the true all-in cost of a flight themselves rather than seeing it clearly stated upfront.
According to the DOT’s own regulatory impact analysis, the proposed changes could affect how consumers perceive the total cost of air travel, particularly because government-imposed taxes and fees can constitute a significant portion of the final price paid.
Some airlines share those concerns. Southwest Airlines said it opposes the rule change because it could confuse customers who are used to reading fares as the complete cost of a ticket.
“An entire generation of consumers has shopped and purchased air travel under this system,” Southwest said in a July 22 filing.
In comments submitted to the DOT in response to the agency’s April 2025 Request for Information, Airlines for America (A4A) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged the Department to repeal the core requirement that the initial advertised fare include government-imposed taxes and fees, arguing that such rules impose stricter standards on airlines than on any other industry.
The proposal is consistent with a broader deregulatory push under the current administration. DOT cited Executive Order 14192, “Unleashing Prosperity through Deregulation,” and Executive Order 14219, “Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative,” as guiding principles behind the rulemaking.
The department will review public feedback before issuing a final rule.
How to Submit a Comment to DOT by Aug. 21st
The public comment period is open through Aug. 21, 2026. Consumers can share their views using docket number DOT-OST-2025-0831 by either of these methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOT-OST-2025-0831-0001 and follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
- By mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, 5th Floor, W58-213, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Comments are posted publicly to regulations.gov without change, including any personal information provided.
