GREENVILLE, N.C. / AGILITYPR.NEWS / December 08, 2025 / In 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation mandated that airlines fully disclose fees up front when passengers book flights in an effort to make pricing more transparent and enable consumers to better compare their options. Several airlines sued to block the rule, and as the case undergoes the appeals process — and travelers gear up for holiday travel — a research study conducted at East Carolina University is helping shed light on the subject.

“On the airlines’ websites they don’t make it easy to conduct searches that provide transparent fares,” said Dr. Nicholas Rupp, professor of economics. “They use what’s called drip pricing, with add-ons for seat choice, baggage, early boarding and other service fees.”

By the time the consumer checks out, he said, a fare that’s advertised at $99 might cost more than twice as much. And the consumer can’t find out what that total fare is until after submitting their personal information and completing a lengthy check-out process.

Rupp’s students participated as subjects in the study, comparing online prices for four itineraries involving two full-fare airlines, two low-cost airlines and four online travel agencies.

“The experiment documents that when matching up the identical itinerary, consumers can more quickly identify the cost of the trip using an online travel agency,” Rupp said. “The process is quicker, more transparent and more accurate.”

Dr. Rupp is available for interviews on his research. To schedule an interview, contact the ECU News Services office at ecunews@ecu.edu.