Dow Jones Newswires | U.S. airlines’ average fuel cost per gallon for scheduled flights jumped 34 percent in March from last year’s low levels, and increased 1.9 percent from February, according to the Department of Transportation.

The DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said airlines spent an average $2.19 a gallon on fuel in March, up from $1.64 a year earlier and $2.15 in February. Fuel costs for international flights rose one percent on the month and climbed 1.9 percent for domestic flights.

The agency also said total fuel consumption on scheduled flights was 1.35 billion gallons in March, down 2.6 percent from a year earlier, and up 17 percent
from February.

Some carriers have been adding flights as travel demand rebounds. They
sharply cut capacity during the recession as business and leisure travel
fell off.