Originally Posted by Radiocycle
In November The Zipper and I met in Eagan, MN with the VP of Domestic Pricing/Yield management. They have a complex database of information about historical sales of tickets by fare class and release seats periodically up until the time of departure to get the best yield (price per revenue mile/seat)
It seemed to me that they have a "blended mix" of fares, based on historical data and competitive pressure (what other airlines are selling -- and at pricing competitive w/ other airlines that are competing on the same routes)
This is a very complex process, also award seats are released in small amounts (I wouldn't say "chunks") from 11 months prior to departure date, right up to date of departure (based on unsold inventory and historical sales data)
RC
The above answer is correct. If you have specific questions about how Yield/Revenue Management works, just PM me and I will try to answer them. Typically, as the departure date of the flight gets closer, the lower fare buckets fill up and you would end up with a higher fare buckets. However, if the flight is booking more slowly than expected, the YM system is going to open up more lower bucket availability.
Another key variable is pricing. In very competitive markets, there are some little or no advance purchase fares in relatively low fare buckets. So, theoretically, you could wait, pay more, and still be in a relatively low fare bucket.