Southwest Increases Most Ticket Prices

Southwest Airlines Co. increased most ticket prices by as much as $8 round trip as jet-fuel prices lingered near record highs.

The increases, effective Saturday, were $2 each way on flights of less than 600 miles, $3 on flights of 600 to 900 miles and $4 on flights of more than 900 miles, a spokeswoman said. The Dallas-based airline did not change its fare cap of $299 each way.

Southwest’s action followed increases of as much as $20 a round trip late last week at carriers including AMR Corp.’s American Airlines, Delta Air Lines Co. and Northwest Airlines Corp. to help offset rising fuel costs. Northwest said Monday that for competitive reasons it had dropped $10 increases set Friday on one-way fares purchased just before flying and on a narrow category of leisure fares. It retained other increases.