Feb 16, 2016, 6:52 pm
Last edit by: findark
Table 1: United First fare differential versus same fare in United Economy
x indicates that there is no normal nonstop service between the city pair. Up to two transfers (connections) are free in each direction.
‡ indicates there is no /UPDI fare published for this route. Amount is the difference between lowest available UP fare and current Economy (lowest), provided for reference.
-- indicates United does not publish a fare for this city pair.
Table 1.5: United First fare differential as a function of flight distance (partly speculation)
Table 3: Minimum fare class with matched United First fare
- indicates no /UPDI fare is published for the route
‡ indicates the minimum matched fare is also the minimum published fare
* indicates that there is a lower, unmatched fare with the same basis letter as the lowest matched fare
The United Economy booking code hierarchy is: Y B M E U H Q V W S T L K G N
Code:
lax | 99 --
sea | 129 129 --
den | 129 129 159 --
dfw | 159 159 199x 129 --
msp | 199 199 159x 129 129x --
iah | 199 159 199 129 79 159 --
ord | 199 199 199 129 129 99 129 --
atl | 249 199x 249x 159 129x 129 129 129 --
iad | 299 249 249 159 159 129 159 129 129 --
ewr | 460‡ 451‡ 299 199 159 159 159 129 129 79 --
fll | 299 249x 299x 199 159x 159x 129 159 -- 129 159x --
bos | 299 299x 299x 199 199x 159x 199 129 129x 99 79 159x
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
sfo lax sea den dfw msp iah ord atl iad ewr fll
‡ indicates there is no /UPDI fare published for this route. Amount is the difference between lowest available UP fare and current Economy (lowest), provided for reference.
-- indicates United does not publish a fare for this city pair.
Table 1.5: United First fare differential as a function of flight distance (partly speculation)
Code:
total distance fare differential
min max ($)
------------------------------------
299 79
300 499 99
500 999 129
1000 1499 159
1500 1999 199
2000 2399 249
2400 299
Code:
lax | K -
sea | K K -
den | K K K -
dfw | K K L K -
msp | K‡ K L K K -
iah | L‡ K* K‡ K K‡ T‡ -
ord | L K* L‡ L K* K* K -
atl | K K L‡ K K K‡ K K -
iad | T‡ K* L‡ K‡ K K* K K K -
ewr | - - K K K K‡ K K* K* Q -
fll | K K L K K K K K - K K -
bos | K* L‡ L K L T K K L K K L
---------------------------------------------------------------
sfo lax sea den dfw msp iah ord atl iad ewr fll
‡ indicates the minimum matched fare is also the minimum published fare
* indicates that there is a lower, unmatched fare with the same basis letter as the lowest matched fare
The United Economy booking code hierarchy is: Y B M E U H Q V W S T L K G N
A Comprehensive Look at Domestic First Class Monetization (FCM) on United
Jan 29, 2016, 9:12 am
#17
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, MR Titanium
Posts: 459
MANY THANKS! Brilliant and comprehensive analysis that helps me understand the bigger picture of what's really going on with these fares.
I guess this also helps explain why some on FT have reported problems with rebooking during IRROPS where their supposed "F" fare suddenly puts them in Y. A key conclusion I take from your analysis is that this is becoming the rule, rather than the exception, for how UA deals with domestic F fares. Thus, they need to have a better way to either ensure pax with IRROPS are rebooked into F or make it clearer to the pax when they buy the fare there is a risk with this fare they may suddenly find themselves back in coach.
I guess this also helps explain why some on FT have reported problems with rebooking during IRROPS where their supposed "F" fare suddenly puts them in Y. A key conclusion I take from your analysis is that this is becoming the rule, rather than the exception, for how UA deals with domestic F fares. Thus, they need to have a better way to either ensure pax with IRROPS are rebooked into F or make it clearer to the pax when they buy the fare there is a risk with this fare they may suddenly find themselves back in coach.
Jan 29, 2016, 10:27 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,236
At first, this looked like one of those indecipherable (at least to me) academic research papers, then I read it and actually understood what you were writing! Thanks for this incredible effort to help us understand the science behind this favorite topic of ours.
Is there a way to tell easily if an TOD offer was going to book into a premium fare or not? Knowing whether you would be getting the additional PQM's can help you decide whether to take it. For example, had two separate $89 IAH-EWR TOD's book into A, which is now worth an additional 1400 PQM's each.
Is there a way to tell easily if an TOD offer was going to book into a premium fare or not? Knowing whether you would be getting the additional PQM's can help you decide whether to take it. For example, had two separate $89 IAH-EWR TOD's book into A, which is now worth an additional 1400 PQM's each.
Jan 29, 2016, 11:57 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Plat, AS MVP, HH Gold, MR Gold
Posts: 1,848
Thank you for a terrific analysis! It was very insightful about what I should expect to pay for First on different routes, and the 7.8 cpm average differential for SEA really explains why I have not been close to the top of an upgrade list for a long time!
Jan 29, 2016, 2:21 pm
#21
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Wonderful contribution.
My only suggestion would be to add a line near Table 3 listing the UA fare classes in order for the convenience of those who do not have the list memoirzed.
My only suggestion would be to add a line near Table 3 listing the UA fare classes in order for the convenience of those who do not have the list memoirzed.
Jan 29, 2016, 3:27 pm
#22
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Platinum/LT Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,594
But it's a lot easier to understand than much of what I've read on the topic. And, at least for me, some of the data tables were fascinating, such as the L-Up and K-Up fares from ORD, which I don't think I've ever noticed before.
OP, thanks for posting this!
Others, looking forward to thoughts on how we can best use this information. I'm a big fan of UP fares and anything that can get me additional PQM's without adding a lot of cost!
Jan 29, 2016, 4:55 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,414
A key conclusion I take from your analysis is that this is becoming the rule, rather than the exception, for how UA deals with domestic F fares. Thus, they need to have a better way to either ensure pax with IRROPS are rebooked into F or make it clearer to the pax when they buy the fare there is a risk with this fare they may suddenly find themselves back in coach.
A lot of the stories with IRROPS issues have indicated that telling confused agents "this is one of those /UPDI fares" or similar yields better results.
Is there a way to tell easily if an TOD offer was going to book into a premium fare or not? Knowing whether you would be getting the additional PQM's can help you decide whether to take it. For example, had two separate $89 IAH-EWR TOD's book into A, which is now worth an additional 1400 PQM's each.
But that's all guesswork from TOD thread stories, not personal experience. I'd love to try, but AFAIK no way to do this with dummy bookings
Done!
Jan 29, 2016, 5:20 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
Hard to get data without doing it, but my best guess would be that TODs will book into the lowest open bucket in the front cabin (including non-rev buckets). United makes it pretty clear they don't intend TODs to count as paid premium cabin travel, but they evidently sell them even when a flight is PN0 R0. So instead of forcing inventory, I'd guess they take what's there. A flight that's F3 A3 Z0 would TOD into A (and earn), and a flight that's F5 ... P5 PN5 R0 would TOD into PN (and not earn).
Jan 29, 2016, 6:53 pm
#29
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: UA peon (+decades 1K), AA Exec Plt
Posts: 1,117
Table 1: United First fare differential versus same fare in United Economy
+ indicates that there is no direct service between the city pair. An additional $25 per connection, plus ad valorem tax (US), will be added to the given amount. This does mean direct in the technical sense, not nonstop.
‡ indicates there is no /UPDI fare published for this route. Amount is the difference between lowest available UP fare and current Economy (lowest), provided for reference.
-- indicates United does not publish a fare for this city pair.
* indicates an UP fare is the lowest available fare to price into First with wide open inventory. The /UPDI differential is given instead, although a cheaper First fare may be available.
Code:
lax | 49 --
sea | 69 79 --
den | 139 69 79 --
dfw | 159 79 99+ 129 --
msp | 99 99 79+ 69 79+ --
iah | 698‡ 79 99 139 79 79 --
ord | 199 199 99 129 129 59 129 --
atl | 139 99+ 139+ 79 79+ 79+ 79 79 --
iad | 349 249 299 159 159* 79 159 129 79 --
ewr | 450‡ 444‡ 299 99 159 79 79 79 79 49 --
fll | 279 189+ 189+ 229 129+ 129+ 149 159 -- 129+ 129 --
bos | 349 369 149 209 199+ 79+ 209 129 79+ 99 49 129+
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
sfo lax sea den dfw msp iah ord atl iad ewr fll
‡ indicates there is no /UPDI fare published for this route. Amount is the difference between lowest available UP fare and current Economy (lowest), provided for reference.
-- indicates United does not publish a fare for this city pair.
* indicates an UP fare is the lowest available fare to price into First with wide open inventory. The /UPDI differential is given instead, although a cheaper First fare may be available.
Any reason you didn't fill up the top of the matrix. Are all the differences the same irregardless of the direction? Ie., the fare difference between LAX-DFW is the same as DFW-LAX? Oops no data for that and other LAX city pairs.
A lot of work in that table.
The take home lesson is always check to see how much F is on a domestic flight because it might be affordable?