FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Why are UA fares so high? "When should I book?" [Merged Threads]
Old Feb 11, 2010 | 10:31 pm
  #33  
Phil Level
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX & EWR/JFK
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Originally Posted by cordelli
More indicating are the seat maps. I have a couple of NY to LA and NY to SFO flights coming up, and for the most part coach is full or very close to full on them. As long as the seats are full (one won't even sell any more coach, just business) the prices will not be on their way down anytime soon. I would expect them to continue to climb until it affects sales.

I honestly do not remember the last time I saw a flight with a full seat map over a week out.
I'm looking at some JFK to LAX and the fares quoted do not seem in any way related to free seats, at least as far as seatmaps. On the same day I see low fares and some 2x almost 3x the low. I have a hunch the bad weather this week on east coast is jacking the fares up, and I hope, they will come back down once things return to normal.

Edit Feb 12, 8:45 AM PST - Yesterday low fare on the flight I wanted was $299 one-way. This morning is dropped to $224 so I booked. Was looking for sub $200, but took $224. Still this flight looks low/moderate load as of current seatmap, while an earlier flight same day is offered at lower price, even though seatmap shows the flight nearly full.

Edit #2 Feb 12 4:30 PM PST - Price is back to $299, but it doesn't look like they sold any more seats according to seat map. In fact, this morning there was 1 seat assigned in C, and now seatmap shows both C & F 100% open. I have an upgrade waitlisted. Flight shows NC0 and NF0.

Last edited by Phil Level; Feb 12, 2010 at 7:07 pm
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