Aviation Jet Fuel Price API
Category: Aviation & Aerospace | Industry: Airlines & Aviation
Jet fuel accounts for 20-30% of airline operating costs, making fuel price intelligence critical for profitability. OilPriceAPI provides real-time jet fuel pricing data to support fuel hedging strategies, route economics, and operational cost management. For financial dashboards, explore our Power BI integration or Looker integration.
The Challenge
Airlines and aviation operators face significant fuel cost management challenges:
- Price volatility dramatically impacts operating margins
- Hedging decisions require accurate, timely market data
- Route profitability depends on fuel cost assumptions
- Budget forecasting is complicated by unpredictable prices
- Fuel surcharge calculations need transparent, defensible data
- Multi-base operations require coordinated fuel purchasing
Without reliable jet fuel price data, airlines struggle to manage their largest variable cost effectively and make informed strategic decisions. Looking for alternatives to expensive enterprise data providers? See our Quandl alternative comparison or Alpha Vantage comparison.
The Solution
OilPriceAPI delivers real-time jet fuel pricing data that integrates directly into your aviation fuel management, financial planning, and operations systems.
Key Benefits
| Benefit | Impact |
|---|---|
| Real-time jet fuel prices | Current market data for immediate decisions |
| Historical trend analysis | Support hedging and forecasting models |
| Crude oil correlation | Track upstream price drivers |
| API-first delivery | Seamless integration with existing systems |
| Reliable data source | Consistent, verifiable pricing data |
Relevant API Endpoints
Get Current Jet Fuel Price
Retrieve the latest jet fuel spot price:
# Get current jet fuel price
curl "https://api.oilpriceapi.com/v1/prices/latest?by_code=JET_FUEL_USD" \
-H "Authorization: Token YOUR_API_KEY"
Response:
{
"status": "success",
"data": {
"price": 2.02,
"formatted": "$2.02",
"currency": "USD",
"code": "JET_FUEL_USD",
"created_at": "2025-01-15T14:00:00.000Z",
"type": "spot_price",
"source": "eia_api"
}
}
Track Crude Oil Benchmarks
Monitor crude prices that drive jet fuel costs:
# Get crude oil benchmarks
curl "https://api.oilpriceapi.com/v1/prices/latest?by_code=WTI_USD,BRENT_CRUDE_USD" \
-H "Authorization: Token YOUR_API_KEY"
Historical Price Analysis
Analyze jet fuel price trends for hedging and forecasting:
# Past month of jet fuel prices (daily averages)
curl "https://api.oilpriceapi.com/v1/prices/past_month?by_code=JET_FUEL_USD&interval=1d" \
-H "Authorization: Token YOUR_API_KEY"
# Past year for long-term trend analysis
curl "https://api.oilpriceapi.com/v1/prices/past_year?by_code=JET_FUEL_USD&interval=1w" \
-H "Authorization: Token YOUR_API_KEY"
Multi-Commodity Analysis
Track related commodities for comprehensive fuel cost analysis:
# Jet fuel with related commodities
curl "https://api.oilpriceapi.com/v1/prices/latest?by_code=JET_FUEL_USD,BRENT_CRUDE_USD,HEATING_OIL_USD" \
-H "Authorization: Token YOUR_API_KEY"
Integration Examples
Airline Fuel Cost Calculator
Build fuel cost estimation into your flight planning system. For additional language support, see our C#/.NET, Ruby, or R guides:
import requests
from datetime import datetime
from typing import Dict, List
class AviationFuelManager:
def __init__(self, api_key):
self.api_key = api_key
self.base_url = 'https://api.oilpriceapi.com/v1'
self.headers = {'Authorization': f'Token {api_key}'}
def get_current_jet_fuel_price(self) -> float:
"""Get current jet fuel price per gallon."""
response = requests.get(
f'{self.base_url}/prices/latest',
params={'by_code': 'JET_FUEL_USD'},
headers=self.headers
)
data = response.json()
return data['data']['price']
def calculate_flight_fuel_cost(self, distance_nm: float,
aircraft_type: str) -> Dict:
"""Calculate estimated fuel cost for a flight."""
# Aircraft fuel consumption rates (gallons per nautical mile)
consumption_rates = {
'B737': 5.3, # Boeing 737-800
'A320': 5.1, # Airbus A320
'B777': 11.5, # Boeing 777-300ER
'A350': 8.2, # Airbus A350-900
'E190': 3.4 # Embraer E190
}
consumption_rate = consumption_rates.get(aircraft_type, 5.0)
fuel_gallons = distance_nm * consumption_rate
current_price = self.get_current_jet_fuel_price()
total_cost = fuel_gallons * current_price
return {
'distance_nm': distance_nm,
'aircraft_type': aircraft_type,
'fuel_gallons': round(fuel_gallons, 0),
'price_per_gallon': current_price,
'total_fuel_cost': round(total_cost, 2),
'cost_per_nm': round(total_cost / distance_nm, 2)
}
def calculate_route_economics(self, routes: List[Dict]) -> List[Dict]:
"""Calculate fuel economics for multiple routes."""
current_price = self.get_current_jet_fuel_price()
results = []
for route in routes:
fuel_gallons = route['distance_nm'] * route['consumption_rate']
fuel_cost = fuel_gallons * current_price
results.append({
'route': f"{route['origin']}-{route['destination']}",
'distance_nm': route['distance_nm'],
'fuel_gallons': round(fuel_gallons, 0),
'fuel_cost': round(fuel_cost, 2),
'revenue': route.get('revenue', 0),
'fuel_cost_ratio': round(fuel_cost / route.get('revenue', 1) * 100, 1)
})
return sorted(results, key=lambda x: x['fuel_cost_ratio'])
def get_price_trend(self, days: int = 30) -> Dict:
"""Analyze jet fuel price trend."""
endpoint = 'past_week' if days <= 7 else 'past_month' if days <= 30 else 'past_year'
response = requests.get(
f'{self.base_url}/prices/{endpoint}',
params={'by_code': 'JET_FUEL_USD', 'interval': '1d'},
headers=self.headers
)
data = response.json()
prices = [p['price'] for p in data['data']['prices']]
avg_price = sum(prices) / len(prices)
current_price = prices[0]
change_pct = ((current_price - prices[-1]) / prices[-1]) * 100
return {
'current_price': current_price,
'average_price': round(avg_price, 3),
'min_price': min(prices),
'max_price': max(prices),
'price_range': round(max(prices) - min(prices), 3),
'period_change_pct': round(change_pct, 2),
'trend': 'rising' if change_pct > 2 else 'falling' if change_pct < -2 else 'stable',
'volatility': round((max(prices) - min(prices)) / avg_price * 100, 2)
}
def calculate_fuel_surcharge(self, base_fuel_price: float,
threshold: float = 0.10) -> Dict:
"""Calculate recommended fuel surcharge based on price movement."""
current_price = self.get_current_jet_fuel_price()
price_change = current_price - base_fuel_price
change_pct = (price_change / base_fuel_price) * 100
# Determine surcharge recommendation
if price_change <= 0:
surcharge = 0
elif change_pct <= 10:
surcharge = round(change_pct * 0.5, 1) # 50% pass-through
else:
surcharge = round(5 + (change_pct - 10) * 0.75, 1) # Higher pass-through above 10%
return {
'base_price': base_fuel_price,
'current_price': current_price,
'price_change': round(price_change, 3),
'change_pct': round(change_pct, 2),
'recommended_surcharge_pct': surcharge,
'effective_date': datetime.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d')
}
# Usage example
fuel_manager = AviationFuelManager('YOUR_API_KEY')
# Calculate flight fuel cost
flight = fuel_manager.calculate_flight_fuel_cost(
distance_nm=2500,
aircraft_type='B737'
)
print(f"Flight fuel cost: ${flight['total_fuel_cost']:,.2f}")
# Analyze price trend
trend = fuel_manager.get_price_trend(days=30)
print(f"30-day trend: {trend['trend']} ({trend['period_change_pct']}%)")
JavaScript/Node.js Integration
class AviationFuelAPI {
constructor(apiKey) {
this.apiKey = apiKey;
this.baseUrl = 'https://api.oilpriceapi.com/v1';
}
async getJetFuelPrice() {
const response = await fetch(
`${this.baseUrl}/prices/latest?by_code=JET_FUEL_USD`,
{
headers: { 'Authorization': `Token ${this.apiKey}` }
}
);
const data = await response.json();
return data.data.price;
}
async getMarketOverview() {
const response = await fetch(
`${this.baseUrl}/prices/latest?by_code=JET_FUEL_USD,BRENT_CRUDE_USD,WTI_USD`,
{
headers: { 'Authorization': `Token ${this.apiKey}` }
}
);
return response.json();
}
async calculateFleetFuelBudget(fleet) {
const jetFuelPrice = await this.getJetFuelPrice();
return fleet.map(aircraft => {
const monthlyGallons = aircraft.avgMonthlyFlightHours * aircraft.gallonsPerHour;
const monthlyFuelCost = monthlyGallons * jetFuelPrice;
return {
registration: aircraft.registration,
type: aircraft.type,
monthlyFlightHours: aircraft.avgMonthlyFlightHours,
monthlyFuelGallons: Math.round(monthlyGallons),
monthlyFuelCost: Math.round(monthlyFuelCost),
costPerFlightHour: Math.round(monthlyFuelCost / aircraft.avgMonthlyFlightHours)
};
});
}
async getFuelPriceForecastData() {
const response = await fetch(
`${this.baseUrl}/prices/past_year?by_code=JET_FUEL_USD&interval=1w`,
{
headers: { 'Authorization': `Token ${this.apiKey}` }
}
);
const data = await response.json();
// Format for forecasting models
return data.data.prices.map(p => ({
date: new Date(p.created_at),
price: p.price,
type: p.type
}));
}
async analyzeHedgingOpportunity() {
const currentPrice = await this.getJetFuelPrice();
const response = await fetch(
`${this.baseUrl}/prices/past_year?by_code=JET_FUEL_USD&interval=1m`,
{
headers: { 'Authorization': `Token ${this.apiKey}` }
}
);
const data = await response.json();
const prices = data.data.prices.map(p => p.price);
const avg = prices.reduce((a, b) => a + b, 0) / prices.length;
const percentile = prices.filter(p => p < currentPrice).length / prices.length * 100;
return {
currentPrice,
yearlyAverage: Math.round(avg * 1000) / 1000,
pricePercentile: Math.round(percentile),
recommendation: percentile < 30 ? 'favorable_hedge' :
percentile > 70 ? 'wait' : 'neutral'
};
}
}
// Fleet fuel budget calculation
const fuelAPI = new AviationFuelAPI(process.env.OILPRICE_API_KEY);
const fleet = [
{ registration: 'N12345', type: 'B737-800', avgMonthlyFlightHours: 350, gallonsPerHour: 850 },
{ registration: 'N23456', type: 'A320', avgMonthlyFlightHours: 320, gallonsPerHour: 800 },
{ registration: 'N34567', type: 'E190', avgMonthlyFlightHours: 280, gallonsPerHour: 450 }
];
const budget = await fuelAPI.calculateFleetFuelBudget(fleet);
const totalMonthly = budget.reduce((sum, a) => sum + a.monthlyFuelCost, 0);
console.log(`Total fleet monthly fuel cost: $${totalMonthly.toLocaleString()}`);
Use Cases
1. Fuel Hedging Support
Access historical price data and trend analysis to inform fuel hedging decisions and timing of hedge positions.
2. Route Profitability Analysis
Calculate accurate fuel costs per route to identify profitable and unprofitable segments in your network.
3. Fuel Surcharge Management
Implement transparent, data-driven fuel surcharge policies based on verifiable market price movements.
4. Budget Forecasting
Use price trends and volatility data to create more accurate quarterly and annual fuel budgets.
5. Fuel Purchasing Optimization
Track price movements to time fuel purchases when prices are favorable at different uplift locations.
6. Investor and Board Reporting
Provide accurate fuel cost data and market context for financial reporting and stakeholder communications.
ROI and Value Proposition
| Metric | Typical Improvement |
|---|---|
| Hedging decision quality | Better timing with real-time data |
| Budget accuracy | +15-25% improvement in fuel cost forecasting |
| Reporting efficiency | 80% faster fuel cost analysis |
| Surcharge transparency | Defensible, market-based calculations |
For an airline consuming 50 million gallons annually at $2.00/gallon ($100M fuel cost), even a 1% optimization equals $1,000,000 in annual savings.
Why Aviation Companies Choose OilPriceAPI
Our API provides the real-time jet fuel visibility airlines need for smarter hedging decisions and fuel management. With accurate pricing data and historical trend analysis, aviation operators can optimize fuel purchasing and improve budget forecasting accuracy.
Getting Started
- Sign up at oilpriceapi.com/signup
- Get your API key from the dashboard
- Test jet fuel endpoints using the examples above
- Integrate with your fuel management or financial systems
- Build hedging models and forecasting tools
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is jet fuel price data updated?
OilPriceAPI updates jet fuel prices every 15 minutes during market hours. The JET_FUEL_USD commodity is refreshed multiple times per hour, providing airlines with current market data for fuel purchasing and hedging decisions.
What commodities are most relevant for aviation fuel management?
Airlines typically track jet fuel (JET_FUEL_USD) as the primary commodity, along with Brent Crude (BRENT_CRUDE_USD) and WTI (WTI_USD) as upstream price drivers. Heating oil (HEATING_OIL_USD) is also monitored as it correlates closely with jet fuel refining margins.
Can I access historical jet fuel prices for hedging analysis?
Yes, all plans include historical data access. Use the /v1/prices/past_month endpoint for short-term trend analysis or /v1/prices/past_year with weekly intervals for longer-term hedging strategy development and backtesting.
How quickly can I integrate the API into our fuel management system?
Most developers integrate within 1-2 hours using our code examples. The free tier is available immediately after signup, allowing you to test jet fuel endpoints with your existing financial or operations systems before committing to a paid plan.
How do I calculate fuel costs for flight planning?
Query the API for current jet fuel price per gallon, then multiply by your aircraft's fuel burn rate and flight distance. Our code examples above demonstrate fuel cost calculations for different aircraft types and route economics analysis.
Can this data support fuel surcharge calculations?
Yes, many airlines use our historical and real-time jet fuel data to implement transparent, market-based fuel surcharge policies. The API provides both the baseline price comparison and current market rates needed for defensible passenger and cargo surcharge calculations.
Related Resources
- Power BI Integration - Build fuel cost dashboards
- Looker Integration - Enterprise analytics platform
- Tableau Integration - Visual analytics for aviation
- Quandl Alternative - Compare vs. Quandl pricing
- Alpha Vantage Alternative - API feature comparison
- Commodities Trading API - Trading and hedging data
- Fleet Management API - Fleet cost tracking
- Fuel Savings Calculator - Savings estimator
- Carbon Footprint Calculator - Emissions tracking
- Jet Fuel Price Data - Jet fuel documentation
- Historical Prices API - Trend analysis
- API Authentication Guide - Secure API access