This might just be a US thing, I don’t know. But it seems like if I want to fly somewhere, the cheapest option is to choose the nonstop flight. If I pick a flight with a layover it always costs more.
I don’t think it used to be this way! Flights with stops and layovers were cheaper because of the inconvenience. What’s the point of picking one if they’re more expensive?
Airlines are charged for every landing, docking, refuel, etc they do at every airport. So for the same flight from A to Z, it you stop at E, J, and T airports, the airline is shelling out money for each of those three pitstops.
That’s contributing to the cost of stopover flights.