International fuel surcharges on tickets issued in September will rise to Level 21, up seven levels from August's Level 14, marking the first increase in four months as higher oil prices fed through to airline pricing. Korean Air will set its September international surcharge at 48,000 won to 354,000 won depending on route, up about 36% from this month's 35,200 won to 259,200 won. The shortest Northeast Asia routes, including Fukuoka and Qingdao, will be charged 48,000 won, while U.S. East Coast routes including New York and Washington will carry a 354,000 won surcharge, up 94,800 won. The increase follows a rise in benchmark Singapore jet fuel, which averaged $149.29 a barrel during the July 16 to August 15 assessment period, up 25.4% from $119.06 a barrel in the prior period. The latest increase was linked in the report to higher global oil prices as U.S.-Iran truce talks stalled. Fuel surcharges are separate from base fares and let airlines pass through part of their fuel-cost burden, with the amount varying by carrier and flight distance. Domestic fuel surcharges for September were also raised earlier this month to 20,900 won one way from 16,500 won in August.