Apologies if this was already discussed up-thread - if it was I didn’t see it.
Its interesting to me that the FCM offer doesn’t comprehend the fare paid at booking. Example: SJC-SLC FCM is currently $68 for a flight next week (using the new seat map functionality). I bought that ticket on a U fare. This week’s flight was the same $68 charge for FCM on an M fare.
I need to to look at this again but it looks to me like I can fly up front for U + FCM for less money than an A fare. For a short flight like SJC-SLC, you can argue about whether the value is there, but if i could buy a U/T/X/V fare + FCM for less than an A fare on SLC-JFK, That becomes interesting.
So I went and looked at an active booking I have for SLC-JFK in Nov. U outbound/ T return for 457. FCM is being offered now at 267 each way, so I’d be at -990 all-in if I bit. An A fare for the same dates is 924. Not cheaper in this case, but close.
has anyone else looked at it this way on routes they fly frequently? There have to be other examples where a low Fare class plus FCM is less than an A fare.