Planning to Fly? War, Pricey Fuel and a Shutdown Are Making It Harder episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 22, 2026 · 11 MIN

Planning to Fly? War, Pricey Fuel and a Shutdown Are Making It Harder

from WSJ What’s News · host The Wall Street Journal

Ahead of the busy spring travel period, it's quickly become more expensive and inconvenient to fly. With war dragging on in the Middle East, rising fuel prices are increasing costs for airlines and forcing some to steer clear of the region. Meanwhile, a partial government shutdown in the U.S. is causing long lines at busy air-travel hubs as TSA employees quit or call in sick. Host Luke Vargas speaks to aviation reporter Benjamin Katz and airlines reporter Alison Sider to consider whether there’s an end to the disruption in sight. And check out WSJ’s Take On the Week for an in-depth conversation on oil and the broader energy markets from an investor's perspective. Further Reading: Airfares Have Doubled on Some Flights. The Sticker Shock for Spring Travel Is Upon Us. European Airlines Extend Middle East Flight Suspensions Airlines Offer Glimpse Into Operations as Middle East Conflict Weighs on Fuel Prices Airline Executives Urge Congress to End Partial Government Shutdown Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 22, 2026

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Planning to Fly? War, Pricey Fuel and a Shutdown Are Making It Harder

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