mikeef

Just got a call from a friend letting me know. Hope I'm wrong, but this guy is usually right.

Mike

CodeAdam10

....and soon AA

NovaEngr

It's true.

$150 award tickets
$200 domestic, Canada, Central America, the Caribbean and Hawaii
$250 Europe & Middle East
$300 South America

Optional Service Fees

Often1

Hardly surprising. UA followed DL's decision on SDC (which accomplishes roughly the same thing as raising the change fee) and it's entirely expected that US would be #3 and presume that AA will become #4 well before the acquisition by US is complete.

PWMTrav

You know, if they're going to crank up change fees to $200, it might be time to think about giving status members a bit of a break there. US DM is generous in some respects, but in others, it seems like they've forgotten that a lot of us are flying them frequently and almost exclusively. Given that frequency, our plans are going to change from time to time, and refundable fares are not the answer. I wouldn't complain at all if they gave a break down to $100, or discounted it $50 a level (essentially leaving me with $150 as a Silver).

Delta flies connections to ATL and DTW from here, and suddenly their change fee is $50 cheaper. My upgrade rate would probably go down the chemical toilet, but I'm probably going to start booking my "riskier" trips with them.

Superguy

Chairman's still gets free award changes though, correct?

formeraa

In Phoenix, I have a choice of WN or US. Because of exhorbitant change fees, baggage fees, and a terrible boarding process for non-Elites on US, I've chose WN for all but one trip this year (and that was because a co-worker insisted on flying US).

lemfc

I don't have too much of an institutional memory. How long had the $150 been in place? Why not just offer a no-refund fare class and be done with it?

DCdeacon

With US matching UA, do you really think DL's change fee will stay at $150? I'll bet they match to $200 by the end of next week.

Often1

But, that's the entire point. When discounted penalty fares were introduced, they weren't meant for regular business travelers. The whole point is to make these fares less attractive to regular flyers and to better differentiate flexible from non-flexible fares.

The absolute last person US wants to help out here is a regular flyer.

Bet AA & DL follow within 30 days.

Sabre1

I'd like to see the airlines have to pay us the same $200 change fee whenever they make a schedule change more than 3 hours. Pretty much our only recourse now is refund of the ticket or accept whatever accommodations the airline is willing to give us. The playing field isn't level.

I'd love to see the DOT go after the airlines for this.

dw

Of course, the disconnect now is that many corporate travel policies for "regular business travelers" require the lowest available fare to be purchased and do not allow for flexible fares if cheaper options are available.

3Cforme

United took the change fee from $100 to $150 in 2007.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...ange-fee-by-50

Often1

And it's exactly those policies which have now caused the change fees to be increased. I forsee three versions of fares within the next 18-24 months:

1. Fully flexible
2. Flexible with Change Penalty (the current $150-200 domestic)
3. Deep discount - No changes permitted (you fly the segments as originally ticketed or lose the value of the ticket).

That's existed in various forms in the past and DL is experimenting with it for its E fares.

jfinsocal

I wonder if tickets purchased before today are subject to the old change fees?