Originally Posted by
neuron
Any suggestions on cheaper UA fares to Europe in May?
I am finding it quite hard to find reasonable fares using UA! Everything to Italy or Germany (I have 3 flights to do) is above $1000 on codeshares, with UA metal being hundreds more.
Finding it hard to justify spending $2-300 more than the competitors.
What's going on?
Welcome to the club.
I've posted for a couple months on the fact that UA is selling codeshares for substantially less than their own metal, and that UA is substantially (more then 15%) above the cost of other carriers. It's not a minor thing. And there's the irony of seeing those dirt-cheap biz fares that still aren't in the range of someone who is having trouble affording basic Y... but it makes you wonder just what's going on.
I'm still trying to book a reasonable mid-July fare on UA metal. If I abandon UA and go with AC (which people tell me is a decent airline, don't know first-hand), I can get it for about $1310. On UA codeshares on *A metal, about $1500. On UA metal, about $1750.
Very frustrating, and you're playing russian roulette waiting for a UA fare sale, because it might not happen and the other cheaper fares might all go up as well. Back in the day you could re-fare but that isn't an option anymore, with the $250 refare penalty.