Dayton International Airport’s average fare dipped to the lowest in the region against rivals Columbus and Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky airports in the third quarter of 2012, newly released federal figures show.

Dayton also beat the average domestic air fare of $367 by a few dollars.

For many years Dayton’s average fare has vied with Columbus for the low spot among the three airports. Columbus’ average fare has been slightly lower than Dayton’s for all of 2012 and 2011 until the third quarter, with Dayton now dipping a few dollars lower.

Dayton’s average was $361.90, Columbus reported an average of $366.03 and Cincinnati reported $519.21.

In the past year Dayton International Airport saw a 3 percent increase in travelers compared to 2011, a better showing than Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport or Port Columbus International Airport. Total passenger traffic at the airport reached 2,607,528 in 2012 and cargo handled by the airport is climbed 17.1 percent to 10,068.93 tons.

Airport spokeswoman Linda Hughes attributes economical ticket prices in Dayton in part for the good showing in 2012.

The national average air fare in the third quarter of 2012 is up up 1.8 percent from the average fare of $361 in the third quarter of 2011, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said Thursday.

Huntsville, Ala. had the highest average fare, $522, while Atlantic City, N.J. had the lowest, $133.

Not adjusted for inflation, the federal bureau said the $367 third-quarter 2012 average fare is the fifth-highest average fare for any quarter since air fare records began being collected in 1995.

Fares include only the price paid at the time of the ticket purchase and do not include other fees, such as baggage fees, paid at the airport or onboard the aircraft. Averages do not include frequent-flyer or “zero fares” or abnormally high reported fares.

Passenger airlines collected 71.2 percent of their total revenue from passenger fares during the third quarter of 2012, down from 1990 when 87.6 percent of airline revenue was received from fares, the bureau said.