International airfares plunge below $1,000 for first time since March here are the cities with the best deals

Last-minute travelers might be in luck as international airfares have plunged below $1,000 for the first time since mid-March – but experts are warning it will likely be just a brief respite as the effects from the war in Iran keep fuel costs elevated.The average international ticket dropped to $980 last week, the lowest level since the week of March 23, when prices hit $954, according to Kayak, which tracks weekly flight searches.Destinations with the largest price drops included Seoul, South Korea, which was down 15% to $1,207; Shanghai, China, where prices fell 15% to $1,378; and Naples, Italy, which is down 11% to $1,022.Other cities with lower airfares last week included Stockholm, Sweden; Vienna, Austria; Athens, Greece; Dublin, Ireland; Paris, France; and Madrid, Spain.“When you see a price that looks good to you, hop on it.Even though they’re cooling off a bit, you just never know,” said Brian Kelly, founder of travel website “The Points Guy.”“Waiting around in 2026 has not been a great strategy,” he told The Post.Carriers are easing prices in an attempt to win over cash-strapped customers as airlines face relatively weak demand, according to experts.“In general, travel between the US and Europe is down significantly from where it has been in the past,” Joe Adamski, managing director of ProcureAbility, a supply chain consultancy, told The Post.The 2026 FIFA World Cup – which is holding matches across 11 US cities, including at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium – was largely expected to boost tourism, but those figures have been underwhelming, according to Adamski.European reluctance to travel to the US over immigration concerns and “way, way overpriced tickets” for the events have kept World Cup-related tourism lower than expected, he said.Travel is one of the first non-necessity expenses on the chopping block when consumers are looking to cut back, according to Kelly – so the lower prices last week seem like a desperate effort fr...