W fare class increases?
Aug 20, 2014, 9:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: UA 1k 1mil. Marriott Titanium
Posts: 202
W fare class increases?
Anyone noticed their usual routes in W class has gone up this year?
I fly to Brazil a few times a year and this market seems to have gone up in every fare class by alot. Use to be a perk to upgrade with the system wide but to buy up to w class to get the upgrade has gone up over 300 this year alone. Round trip K class run about 900 and w class around 1700. I'm not sure if the extra 800 is worth it anymore or being 1k for that matter. To upgrade with miles and cash is 50k and 1000 so the gap has gotten more narrow and is a toss up on just being platinum status and or flying other airlines.
I fly to Brazil a few times a year and this market seems to have gone up in every fare class by alot. Use to be a perk to upgrade with the system wide but to buy up to w class to get the upgrade has gone up over 300 this year alone. Round trip K class run about 900 and w class around 1700. I'm not sure if the extra 800 is worth it anymore or being 1k for that matter. To upgrade with miles and cash is 50k and 1000 so the gap has gotten more narrow and is a toss up on just being platinum status and or flying other airlines.
Aug 20, 2014, 9:56 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PBI / FLL / YUL
Programs: UA 1K, Delta Plat, AA Plat, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Courtesy Card
Posts: 1,983
I've found that my airfare in general has gone up this year, significantly in some cases. I'm seeing fares to some markets that are 2x to 3x what I paid as recently as a year or two ago. Economy is getting better.
Aug 20, 2014, 10:03 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
Anyone noticed their usual routes in W class has gone up this year?
I fly to Brazil a few times a year and this market seems to have gone up in every fare class by alot. Use to be a perk to upgrade with the system wide but to buy up to w class to get the upgrade has gone up over 300 this year alone. Round trip K class run about 900 and w class around 1700. I'm not sure if the extra 800 is worth it anymore or being 1k for that matter. To upgrade with miles and cash is 50k and 1000 so the gap has gotten more narrow and is a toss up on just being platinum status and or flying other airlines.
I fly to Brazil a few times a year and this market seems to have gone up in every fare class by alot. Use to be a perk to upgrade with the system wide but to buy up to w class to get the upgrade has gone up over 300 this year alone. Round trip K class run about 900 and w class around 1700. I'm not sure if the extra 800 is worth it anymore or being 1k for that matter. To upgrade with miles and cash is 50k and 1000 so the gap has gotten more narrow and is a toss up on just being platinum status and or flying other airlines.
Fare rules are set by class and they can make them as high as they want. I was shocked over the summer when $500 RT cross country fares were pricing as N, but I guess that's the new reality.
Aug 20, 2014, 12:19 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: UA 1k 1mil. Marriott Titanium
Posts: 202
Well the consolidation and increase pricing will get competition if the uber/lyft models ever "take off" in the airline industry. The FAA recently ban it if its profit making but it should become an antitrust issue with the big 3 now. Albeit international flight sharing is super complex.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-0...airpooler.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-0...airpooler.html
Aug 20, 2014, 12:36 pm
#7
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,129
Indeed; in many cases, the bargain-basement fares haven't gone up much or at all, but the spread to W has gone up significantly. I recall it being over $700 on WAS-BKK earlier this year r/t, for example--basically, a $700 surcharge for the chance to apply a GPU and play the lottery. This used to be about a $300 spread.
Last edited by exerda; Aug 20, 2014 at 1:01 pm
Aug 20, 2014, 3:58 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Virginia and Vitoria, ES Brazil
Programs: UA 1K, Million Miler, *G, JJ, AD, Global Entry, CLEAR, H.O.G. Life Member
Posts: 1,407
Anyone noticed their usual routes in W class has gone up this year?
I fly to Brazil a few times a year and this market seems to have gone up in every fare class by alot. Use to be a perk to upgrade with the system wide but to buy up to w class to get the upgrade has gone up over 300 this year alone. Round trip K class run about 900 and w class around 1700. I'm not sure if the extra 800 is worth it anymore or being 1k for that matter. To upgrade with miles and cash is 50k and 1000 so the gap has gotten more narrow and is a toss up on just being platinum status and or flying other airlines.
I fly to Brazil a few times a year and this market seems to have gone up in every fare class by alot. Use to be a perk to upgrade with the system wide but to buy up to w class to get the upgrade has gone up over 300 this year alone. Round trip K class run about 900 and w class around 1700. I'm not sure if the extra 800 is worth it anymore or being 1k for that matter. To upgrade with miles and cash is 50k and 1000 so the gap has gotten more narrow and is a toss up on just being platinum status and or flying other airlines.
Aug 20, 2014, 7:27 pm
#13
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,129
Yes, like the WAS-NRT fares I want for next year; generally, S fares would be available for those dates of travel, but now, UA (with empty planes) is offering only V for this much advance notice.
Aug 20, 2014, 8:06 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
Wow - I think this is the first time in at least 15 years that I am seeing lower prices from Houston than others are seeing from other cities. I am watching several routes for October, November, and December and prices now are lower than I have seen in several years.
Of course I also priced IAH-DTW for a couple weeks from now and the UA price was 3.5x the Spirit price, so the bargains aren't universal. (and the comfort of a CRJ-700 for 2.5-3 hours is roughly equivalent to flying Spirit.)
Of course I also priced IAH-DTW for a couple weeks from now and the UA price was 3.5x the Spirit price, so the bargains aren't universal. (and the comfort of a CRJ-700 for 2.5-3 hours is roughly equivalent to flying Spirit.)