I thought that this was an interesting example of UA playing fare games. We were trying to book a ticket SFO to OGG for Memorial Day.
The fares for NONSTOP flights OGG/SFO were significantly higher than the fares STOPPING OVER in LA each. OK, we naively and innocently assumed that was because SFO was not as big a hub, the flights were more full, etc.

But, a little bit of searching revealed that if you try to book a ticket from LA to OGG on the same dates and almost exact same times, then the NONSTOP flights from LA are significantly higher than the ones STOPPING OVER in SF each way. The exact SF flights above that were so full that you had to be routed through LA.

In the end, it was $130 less to book SFO/OGG/SFO/LAX than SFO/OGG/SFO. Just remember to check bags to SFO and get off. See below. Is this that typical? And the airlines wonder why the public is not sympathetic...

$505 United
SFO 1:10p
OGG 8:45p

OGG 3:32p (via SFO)
LAX 7:23a



$634 United
SFO 1:10p
OGG 8:45p

OGG 3:32p
SFO 4:44a