Originally Posted by
findark
I'm somewhat stumped, but unless you can actually buy a ticket at the lower price, I am not sure I would trust the Google/ITA quote. ITA will price the lower fare with BJS as a sales city, and the higher with SFO. Both show a fare code of
GLE0ZEC7.
But the only valid fare info I can find is
GLE0ZEC7 (BJS to LAX, origin restricted to BJS):
Code:
V FARE BASIS BK FARE TRAVEL-TICKET AP MINMAX RTG
1 GLE0ZEC7 G‡R 270.00 T30JN -/‡ -/ 3M PA01
PASSENGER TYPE-ADT AUTO PRICE-YES
FROM-BJS TO-LAX CXR-UA TVL-21NOV16 RULE-PE2S IPRP/3
FARE BASIS-GLE0ZEC7 SPECIAL FARE DIS-E VENDOR-ATP
FARE TYPE-XPN RT-INSTANT PURCHASE NONREFUNDABLE-TYPE FARES
CNY 1780 0501 E31MAY16 D-INFINITY FC-GLE0ZEC7 FN-6U
SYSTEM DATES - CREATED 30MAY16/0832 EXPIRES INFINITY
The base fare is CNY 1780.00; and the YQ for BJS/LAX is CNY 2050.00 round trip. This total price matches with United.com China site, as well as ITA with a sales city of SFO (after an discrepancy in AY and possibly other fees). I'm skeptical the lower price is bookable, but
I really don't know where ITA is getting its numbers.
that's the mystery! but they have to be getting the numbers from somewhere, right? and it's even more strange because on google flights (which i think uses the same back end as ita?), it specifically says book with united (at the higher price) and book w a travel agent (for the lower price). i feel like part of the mystery is related to this "book w a travel agent" but i can't quite figure out what...