Expensive Routings - Save $1,090! LAX-SFO, Choose Wisely!
 

I do enjoy looking at some of the fare options available at www.alaskaair.com. Example - SFO - LAX on 7/31. Options include:

- 11:00 am non-stop for $59 (travel time 1 hr 40 minutes) , or
- 11:10 am one-stop (through San Diego) for $1,149 (travel time 4 hrs 40 minutes) - Alaska/American

Perhaps even more bizarre is the posted one-stop (also through San Diego) leaving at 8:35 am. That one is "only" $1,139. I guess it's not as popular at the 11:10 am option :)

What is the craziest fare you've seen offered?

I have noticed at times... not sure if its enough to call it a trend... but it seems like any flight that AS can get you there on their metal alone, either direct or with AS connections... if there's any options with an AA codeshare are stupid expensive and often over a grand like your example.

We are enjoying AS and their current Fare's Experiment. Can't wait to see how "far out" they will try to take it.

I don't think this is new. I've often seen AS+AA combined itineraries for over $1000 when the non-stop AS flight is under $250.

Last year tried to book a LAX-PHX on an AS codeshare. It was >$2000 in Y. AA was $59 directly.
My client didn't like the idea of the $2000 option :(

For some reason the AA flights are often (though not only) available as full Y, even though lower fare classes are available.

As is PHX-SJC. The AS codeshare was slightly more than the fare AA was charging. As an AS Elite I was able to choose an MCE seat at no additional charge too.

​​​​​​​James in Dallas

December 8th, 2018 to be exact. When you say, "last few AA flights I've booked," do you mean AS marketed Codeshare Flights operated by AA?

James on AS723

The fare rules for AS LAX-SFO fares specifically exclude AA codeshare flights and do not permit AA flights (see the flight application section) --

THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
AS FLIGHTS 4000 THROUGH 8999.

This means the only way to combine the flights on a single ticket are with a broken fare (an AS fare on SAN-SFO and an AA fare on the LAX-SAN segment). However, AA fare combination rules only allow the fares to be combined if you have a full Y fare (YA2AA). It's that full Y AA fare that is what is blowing the price out of the water. The combination rules on the AS fares are not as restrictive and the AS fare on the SAN-SFO segment is far more reasonable. Yes, it's pretty silly to present such options, but now you know why it is pricing out the way it is.

A direct fare from IAH to SFO that was more expensive than the open jaw connection through LHR. That was not on AS obviously but one of the reasons why I left that airline behind and why I ended up on AS.

Hint: Wait 24 hours, select your seat. ;)

James in Seattle

thumbs up^, thanks