2011: Why are AA fares so expensive / non-competitive (consolidated)
 

Why is DFW-LHR so expensive 2/21-2/26?
 

I am looking at a RT DFW-LHR either 2/18 - 2/23 or 2/22 - 2/26. The fares for the earlier time are about $300 each way before taxes. However, the fares for the second set of dates the outbound alone is over $1000! It seems only B and higher fares are available. Seat maps look wide open, and MilesAAver awards are available on practically all the flights. Why are the fares so high starting on 2/21?

Saturday stay requirement perhaps?

Because on the later dates:
The earth's magnetic field is undergoing subspace instabilities, requiring planes to be outfitted with expensive phonon shields,
Feb. 22 is Drew Barrymore's birthday,
and Sagittarius is aligned along the Pluto-Quaoar axis.

Or maybe something to do with a Saturday night stay...

I thought about Sat night stay, but surely there are fare buckets below B that don't need a Sat night stay?

Now Drew Barrymore's birthday might be it!

UK school holiday 2/21 - 2/25?

Saturday night stay is the reason. Return on the 27th and it's very cheap.

You'd think, but your $300-each-way fare most certainly includes a minimum-stay requirement:

True enough, but I would think that would effect the 2/18 outbound too...

its also fashion week.

Nothing unusual here, price up pretty much any dates that do not include a Saturday night, now extend the dates to include the Saturday and watch the fare fall.

The discounted fares pretty much always require that Saturday night stay.

Are flights more expensive this year or is AA tracking my ability to pay?
 

I usually fly AA from YYZ-Central america in discount econ and while my fares have typically been around $650 for the past 12 months, they've shot up to $750-$800 in the last 6 months. I notice that this is also reflected in the offerings by other carriers on expedia.ca. In Dec I paid a high fare, chalking it up to christmas season and it seems that they've never come back down.

Is there any particular reason for this increase? Have you guys noticed the same?

Rising fuel costs?

I know flying has got more expensive from 2009. In 2009, I could flight RT from LAX to BOS for about $160. Now.. almost 400.

They've made no secret of their desire to increase fares, and in many cases, I've seen much higher advance purchase coach prices. Those capacity reductions appear to be working.

Yesterday, the spot price of jetA reached $3.12/ga:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/air...4?siteid=yhoof

I'd look for more price hikes (or attempted price hikes) unless oil prices quickly drop and stay low.

Better economy, selling more seats, revenue management.

I fly GIG-USA often. AA has steadily been increasing fares in both y and C for the last two years. I no longer use AA GIG-MIA because their cheapest Y is now more than US or DL C, so there really is no point when the hard and soft product of the three are not easily distinguishable in the 767's they all are now using out of GIG. I suspect their high load factors, the strong markets in Latin America and lack of immediate competition are the main factors.

In their situation I would raise prices too.