An MIT study released in August 2013 found newer, smaller airlines were having a greater impact on lowering the average price of a ticket where they fly. According to an MIT International Center for Air Transportation analysis of ticket statistics, between 2007 and 2012, Southwest's ability to lower fares had weakened from $36 per one-way fare to only $17 per one-way fare.
A study by MIT in August 2013 revealed that smaller airlines were more effective at lowering airfares. The MIT International Center for Air Transportation analyzed ticket data between 2007 and 2012, finding that Southwest's ability to reduce fares decreased from $36 per one-way trip to only $17 per one-way trip during this period.