American, Delta, NWA join in airfare jump

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines matched fare increases of as much as 5 percent round-trip that were initiated Thursday by United Airlines.

Jet-fuel prices have surged 65 percent in the past year, forcing airlines to increase fares, add fees for certain services such as checking a second piece of luggage and cut flight capacity.

The 10 largest U.S. carriers blamed fuel costs for combined losses of $1.69 billion in the first quarter.

The price of jet fuel is now about $3.66 a gallon.

Delta boosted fares by 5 percent in certain markets last night, a spokeswoman said.

The increases at American ranged from 3 to 5 percent, spokesman Tim Smith said in an e-mail. Northwest announced its increase of 3 to 5 percent in a statement released Friday evening.

Those figures amount to $4 to $70 extra round trip, Rick Seaney of ticket-research Web site FareCompare.com said in an e-mailed statement.

Continental Airlines and US Airways are likely to make similar moves, Seaney said.