AirTran Airways A+ Rewards - MKE-MSP Over $500

I was looking to fly up to minneapolis next month and the fares are over $500 and they stay that way until at least july (as far as I looked). I used buy this flight for $120 roundtrip. Does anyone know why such a drastic increase?

I was looking to fly up to minneapolis next month and the fares are over $500 and they stay that way until at least july (as far as I looked). I used buy this flight for $120 roundtrip. Does anyone know why such a drastic increase?

My guess is they weren't making money at $120 r/t. There is a reason MKE-MSP was one of the first markets F9 dropped, and it wasn't due to lack of passengers.

I noticed the same thing.

I'm surprised the fare isn't around the $350 point. That's what an IRS mileage-rate reimbursement would run for driving a personal vehicle roundtrip MKE-MSP. (A rental car would almost certainly be less depending on the length of the trip.) For those of us on more restrictive corporate travel policies, a $500 airfare on this route means we're driving. If the flight is at or below the IRS mileage rate, we're flying.

I was looking to fly up to minneapolis next month and the fares are over $500 and they stay that way until at least july (as far as I looked). I used buy this flight for $120 roundtrip. Does anyone know why such a drastic increase?

IMO, It is the fact that AirTran was setting the pricing, everyone else was matching and now Southwest is doing yield management at AirTran. Sale pricing on non stops from ATL on routes that AirTran serves have gone up off the chart since Southwest took over. :td:

Spirit Air is opening up service from MSP to ORD with introductory fares around $29 each way. Take the Coach USA bus to/from Milwaukee:cool:

Incidentally, Southwest's CEO has apparently sent an email to employees indicating that final integration of Air Tran into Southwest won't be completed for at least two years (i.e., all the planes painted in Southwest livery, etc)

I think our beloved Business Class is safe for at least a year.

IMO, It is the fact that AirTran was setting the pricing, everyone else was matching and now Southwest is doing yield management at AirTran. Sale pricing on non stops from ATL on routes that AirTran serves have gone up off the chart since Southwest took over. :td:

Are people are lapping up these "Sale Fares" in significant numbers? They're higher, in many instances, than peak travel day fares.

This is supposed to retain A+ loyalty?

It's a little insulting.

Are people are lapping up these "Sale Fares" in significant numbers? They're higher, in many instances, than peak travel day fares.

This is supposed to retain A+ loyalty?

It's a little insulting.

+1

I can't remember $120 RT unless an off peak sale.

Most seats are probably connecting booked well in advance. Spring break and summer are heavy travel times. Did you check after Easter through late May?

With F9 no longer flying MKE-MSP and DL apparently not eager to increase you have existing flights on FL and DL though come fall FL's MKE-MSP is adding 2 to 5x per day.

Why they caused $500 RT? This is ridiculous!!! It's too extremely expensive! He cannot afford it at all.

I can't remember $120 RT unless an off peak sale.

Most seats are probably connecting booked well in advance. Spring break and summer are heavy travel times. Did you check after Easter through late May?

I used to fly MSP-MKE 3x a year and it was always $120 - $150. Its $500 + through july thats as far as I looked. Looks like I will be taking the train!!!

I used to fly MSP-MKE 3x a year and it was always $120 - $150. Its $500 + through july thats as far as I looked. Looks like I will be taking the train!!!

You could argue that WN's doing the same thing in their other FL hub.

I don't get the game plan.

I can't remember $120 RT unless an off peak sale.

Most seats are probably connecting booked well in advance. Spring break and summer are heavy travel times. Did you check after Easter through late May?

With F9 no longer flying MKE-MSP and DL apparently not eager to increase you have existing flights on FL and DL though come fall FL's MKE-MSP is adding 2 to 5x per day.

One time, I was able to snag a $58 RT fare MKE-MSP. Ah, those were the days.

Ah, those were the days.

+1

Hoss, I thought I had a low fare at $79 RT, ai. It was last year, when FL had their fantastic sale, and I was also able to apply the Little Debbie coupons.

Another great opportunity was flying MKE-MSP in BC, for about $109 each way, + taxes and fees. It was at the time that the promo was running to "Fly between 09/15/2011-11/7/2011 and receive double A+ credits." That was also a fantastic deal, that we will never see again.

When I see what is happening to AirTran since the merger, I am wondering who still flies them out of Atlanta. Really? What do they offer?

They used to be the price maker for many routes out of Atlanta and they were really dirt cheap and quite successful at it. Now that the price have more than doubled (and increased much more than the competition %-wise), there are very few reasons to use them anymore:

- they use to be cheap, they are no more

- they use to have descent frequency on major markets out of Atlanta, no more. i.e. ATL-CLT with two flights a day???

- they use to have lots of award availability at the 8 redemption rate, they now mostly sell everything at 16. 8 made them really valuable and worthy of segment runs. At 16, not anymore: 16*$70=$1020 minimum to get an award compared to 8*$50=$400 minimum two years ago (using the average cheapest fare on FL network)

- the frequent flyer program visibility is poor at least for the next year or two

- Delta offers many more perks / flexibility and potential use for the miles earned (even though they are worthless)

There are still some goods:

- FL is much more often on schedule than DL. All of my 20 flights oon FL last year and all of the one the year before except one Mechanical diversion and subsequent IFSD) were on schedule or ahead of time. This is never the case on DL.

So where is the incentive?Are they willingly running FL aground at the LUV quarter?

Minos

So where is the incentive?Are they willingly running FL aground at the LUV quarter?

Minos

I did 26 runs last year. Have not booked a 2012 flight.

How can FL expect to do 24 million (http://pressroom.airtran.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=201565&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1513199&highlight=) enplaned passengers a year with this plan?

I was looking to fly up to minneapolis next month and the fares are over $500 and they stay that way until at least july (as far as I looked). I used buy this flight for $120 roundtrip. Does anyone know why such a drastic increase?

They call that "The Southwest effect"

They call that "The Southwest effect"

That made my day! Seriously, I advocate that the term "Southwest Effect" be retired from anything but historic use. These days when you hear a journalist invoke the so-called Southwest Effect, it's a good bet that person is about as an authority on airlines as they are about dental filling materials, woodworking lathes, and bubble bath brands.

As for MKE-MSP and the pricing levels, I'm very curious how things will work out as AirTran increases to 5x/day in the market this fall. In Q3 of 2011, AirTran carried only around a dozen or so local passengers per flight (4x/day) between MKE and MSP at an average fare of $110 and change. That was with 4x flights per day. With local fares so much higher, the total pie will almost certainly contract. Unless they wrestle away a chunk of road-warrior traffic from Delta, the will have even fewer local pax to carry on their expanded (5x/day) schedule come fall. We shall see how things develop between now and then, of course. But a lot of people will be back in their cars at these fares.

They call that "The Southwest effect"

I got a good laugh out of this, but this is not as bad as calling hubs "mega cities" and connections "ICOs"

In all honesty I find it to be amusing, just like I find a child who is 4-5 talking to their imaginary friend in jibberish to be amusing.

LOL...although IMHO listening to a 4-5 year old speaking jibberish to an imaginary friend is only amusing for a short time.

WN is hoping that such a strategy will still get enough revenue while running Airtran's name to the ground and so people will welcome the merger as if it's god's gift to earth.

LOL...although IMHO listening to a 4-5 year old speaking jibberish to an imaginary friend is only amusing for a short time.

Which is why I like to wear headphones. Blocks a lot of it out.

WN is hoping that such a strategy will still get enough revenue while running Airtran's name to the ground and so people will welcome the merger as if it's god's gift to earth.

While I find that theory to be also amusing If you had P&Ls in front of you you'd be singing a different tune my friend.

As for MKE-MSP and the pricing levels, I'm very curious how things will work out as AirTran increases to 5x/day in the market this fall. In Q3 of 2011, AirTran carried only around a dozen or so local passengers per flight (4x/day) between MKE and MSP at an average fare of $110 and change. That was with 4x flights per day. With local fares so much higher, the total pie will almost certainly contract. Unless they wrestle away a chunk of road-warrior traffic from Delta, the will have even fewer local pax to carry on their expanded (5x/day) schedule come fall. We shall see how things develop between now and then, of course. But a lot of people will be back in their cars at these fares.

Just as a side note DL is matching that $504 RT fare until the end of the FL Nov 2 booking period and then the DL fares start to go EVEN HIGHER!..

Perhaps you're correct with the "wrestle" thought.

Which is why I like to wear headphones. Blocks a lot of it out.

Too bad XM is gone....it was a really easy way to block out unwanted noise, too.

Plus, you could still listen to it during takeoff and landing.

Thru mid-June, MKE-MSP coach fare starting @$68 one-way.

Purchase by March 15, 2012, 11:59 pm Pacific Time.
Travel April 3 through June 13, 2012.
Off-peak domestic travel valid only on Tuesdays & Wednesdays.