Virgin America Elevate - Looking at SFO-FLL...woah!

I was doing some scouting for my yearly SFO-FLL trip and thought I should look at Virgin...those F prices are INSANE! $1k more than US Air! It may be a better product, and non-stop is nice, but $2200? No thanks!

That is a fairly standard F fare. It means they aren't offering any of the discounted F on the route because the loads are good. Remember, only 8 seats. Nonstop. They don't have to sell many to fill up the cabin.

That is a fairly standard F fare. It means they aren't offering any of the discounted F on the route because the loads are good. Remember, only 8 seats. Nonstop. They don't have to sell many to fill up the cabin.

Well, I guess I'm not rich enough to fly non-stop. :) But I could have sworn that VA said when they launched that they won't be insanely priced....guess I'll stick with my regular flight.

But I could have sworn that VA said when they launched that they won't be insanely priced....

It's not insanely priced, though, compared to AA (over 3K)- whose nonstop on two SFO-MIA flights is a 757 (ouch), though one flight's on a 763 (which is pretty nice).

If CO can get 1600 RT on that route, then VX is certainly worth more than they are charging. It's more than twice the comfort.

Having said that, if you follow the instructions in the FAQ for upgrades, you can get F for substantially cheaper (almost always).

If CO can get 1600 RT on that route, then VX is certainly worth more than they are charging. It's more than twice the comfort.

That's the appropriate comparison. VX must be losing money on some routes due to competitive pressures. Not that long ago, I paid a little over $200 on an SFO-IAD nonstop RT. That had to be a loss for VX. Even if VX is just matching the price of a legacy carrier, it is improving the lot of the travelling public.

That's the appropriate comparison. VX must be losing money on some routes due to competitive pressures. Not that long ago, I paid a little over $200 on an SFO-IAD nonstop RT. That had to be a loss for VX. Even if VX is just matching the price of a legacy carrier, it is improving the lot of the travelling public.

Yes. The key for me is that *VX* apply their own pressure for the other carriers to improve the F cabins. That would be the ultimate bonus for me.

Not that long ago, I paid a little over $200 on an SFO-IAD nonstop RT. That had to be a loss for VX

Did you buy any GoGo? Food or a drink on the plane? Maybe a movie? Upgrade to F or MCS? ;)

VX probably has the most ability of any USA carrier to upsell on their planes. That helps their bottom line.

Did you buy any GoGo? Food or a drink on the plane? Maybe a movie? Upgrade to F or MCS? ;)

Yes on GoGo and yes on upgrade to F, both ways. That was when the upgrades were $250 each way. So, it was around $730 RT. I agree that VX can make extra money on upsells, but I doubt a plane full of F seats with GoGo included on SFO-IAD would make money for VX at $730 per passenger RT.

I agree that VX can make extra money on upsells, but I doubt a plane full of F seats with GoGo included on SFO-IAD would make money for VX at $730 per passenger RT.

On the other hand, UA on that same route may have given away their F seats to people who paid that same $200 that you did... but didn't have the opportunity to take another $530 in bites at people's money. (SFO-IAD is a hub route, so I would bet that UA doesn't make much money on E+, either- in fact, it's likely some elites get stuck in E- unless the plane is an international config or "ghetto bird".)

Just for reference, I've seen stats where VX gets RASM not too far away from AA and UA on their JFK routes, and they actually LEAD everyone on RASM on their FLL routes... and their costs are far lower. And IAD has been a VX station for a long, long time (from the start). Don't you think that if they were taking a bath there, they would have shut it down like they have SNA and YYZ?