Can anyone guide me to some information on historic air, rail, ship, and bus fares? How expensive or cheap was travel at various times, given people’s ideas about money at the time? For instance, I read in an 1960 encyclopedia that “regular” service by airliner–which is what first class was then called–cost about the same as first class rail plus Pullman fare. But obviously, that conveys nothing to me now, in 2004, particularly since Pullman cars don’t exist anymore. It’s fairly easy to find out average worker salaries at various times, so we know about how much money people had at their disposal. Any bits of information would be appreciated. How much did it cost to fly from L.A. to New York in 1960? Did they have the wild variations in price that they do now, depending on whether it’s a walk-up or advance purchase?
Duke University has a great site of old ads which feature several adverts for travel, including air. You can find some fares listed on there.
Main page: http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/adaccess/
Travel: http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/dynaweb/adaccess/transportation/@Generic__CollectionView
I don’t believe that the advance purchase requirements were as stringent in the 1960s as they are today. Airline travel, in the U.S. at least, was much more heavily regulated. Fares and routes were set by the Civil Aeronautics Board in conjunction with the airlines. The hub and spoke system didn’t exist as we know it know. It’s likely your flight from NYC to LA would have had a stop, but you probably wouldn’t have changed planes.
Here you go - if it’s 1952, you can fly on the TWA Skyliner, New York to LA, $158.58 one-way. Just call Lexington 2-7100 for your ticket.
In contrast, I just got an Expedia round-trip fare in June New York to LA, Saturday stay, $227 round-trip on ATA. And if you value your life and want to go with someone like Continental or AA, it’s still only $281 round-trip.
This may be a little more anecdotal than you wanted, but in 1971 my family sailed on the Queen Elizabeth II from NYC to Southampton. Passage for the three of us in second class was $250 each one-way, which was almost exactly the same as coach round trip airfare to London. (Don’t forget, this was pre-energy crisis.) So for twice the price of flying, you got five days of luxury accommodations and great food. Oh yeah, and no jet lag.
Thanks for the responses. Commasense, your offering is by no means too anecdotal.