Aviation fuel prices touched $194.90 per barrel levels over continuing disruption in the crude oil supplies from the GCC.
According to the Jet Fuel Price Monitor, the global average aviation fuel price rose 7.4% from the previous week to $194.90/bbl for the week ending September 18, 2026. The previous week ended at $181.47/bbl.
The Aviation fuel price is the lowest in the Middle East at $177.36 and the highest in Europe at $207.57.
The aviation fuel prices for the week ending August 28 was $156.86/bbl, $163.87/bbl for the week ending August 21, $158.9/bbl for the week ending August 14, and $146.93/bbl for the week ending August 7.
The aviation fuel prices dropped 4.3% in the week ending August 28 from the previous week and dropped 7.5% in the week ending August 7.
Amid these market shifts, the Sultanate of Oman recorded a 15.6% surge in aviation fuel production and a 27.7% increase in exports during the first eight months of 2026. Domestic sales of aviation fuel however dropped by 5% percent during the same period.
On a year-to-year basis, jet fuel prices have surged by 90% since 2025. The sharpest regional price increases occurred in Europe and the CIS (97.8%), followed by the Middle East (84.5%), Africa (100.9%), Asia and Oceania (81.9%), and North America (88.9%).
According to the International Air Travel Association (IATA), "Fuel is the largest operating expense for airlines. Aviation fuel costs more than crude oil, and the difference between the two is called the jet fuel crack spread. Given the historically strong correlation between jet fuel and crude oil prices, airlines have been able to manage fuel price exposure primarily through crude oil market risks."
Global airfares have risen by roughly 10.8% year-on-year (as of June 2026) driven by aviation fuel costs and capacity constraints, according to OAG Group.
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