2012: Why are AA fares so expensive / non-competitive (consolidated)
May 24, 2012, 6:24 pm
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
There's plenty of availability on WN at $119.60 all-in. Maybe AA is just prioritizing higher-value traffic AUS-DFW-beyond.
May 24, 2012, 6:30 pm
#47
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IND/MEX
Programs: AA PPro BA Bronze SPG Gold HH GLD Hyatt Exp
Posts: 1,134
That's too funny. A friend and I just had this discussion earlier this afternoon. We joked about flying to avoid the horrid traffic. It looks like we might be giving WN a try if we decide to do so.
May 24, 2012, 6:34 pm
#48
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: PDX/AUS
Programs: AA-UA-AS IHG-SPG-Carlson
Posts: 4,562
On a whim, I took a quick look at using Avios.
Picked a day mid-June,
one at 6 AM was there for 4500 avios + $2.50 one-way.
Picked a day mid-June,
one at 6 AM was there for 4500 avios + $2.50 one-way.
May 24, 2012, 7:31 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
May 24, 2012, 8:23 pm
#50
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Austin TX
Programs: AA PLT, ICH Plat
Posts: 1,965
May 24, 2012, 8:30 pm
#51
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 89
AA is jacking up all non competitive market price thru dfw this year. Dfw-Orlando $420, dfw-rdu $480, etc. united and delta tried to lower their price to attack sometimes but AA just did not care. One time i flew dfw-Lga with 3/4 of seats open on a friday night and everyone got a full row. But the price for that flight was consistently priced at $500+. I think AA probably changed their pricing model in order to preserve revenue through high paying pax.
May 24, 2012, 8:43 pm
#52
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 6,769
DFW-LAX is really high too. It's about $320 to $350 when it was around $220 to $250 last year.
May 24, 2012, 8:58 pm
#53
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador, AA EXP
Posts: 2,704
Many routes have competition, like WN for AUS-Dallas and VX for DFW-LAX/SFO. However, fares will only drop if people stop booking on AA and rather book on these airlines which are currently charging less.
Someone loyal to AA has to hope that other people bolt. Otherwise, if nobody does, that just shows the strength of the AAdvantage program.
Someone loyal to AA has to hope that other people bolt. Otherwise, if nobody does, that just shows the strength of the AAdvantage program.
May 24, 2012, 9:08 pm
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,586
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Maybe. But I'd bet that more than a few of them have Amex MR points and/or Chase UR points, which can be converted to Avios at a 1:1 ratio (and sometimes better, when Amex is running a promotion).
Maybe. But I'd bet that more than a few of them have Amex MR points and/or Chase UR points, which can be converted to Avios at a 1:1 ratio (and sometimes better, when Amex is running a promotion).
May 24, 2012, 9:16 pm
#55
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA Gold; WN A-List Pref., CP; Marriott Plat.
Posts: 341
Yup - at that price it is time to join me on WN for intra-Texas travel. If you're on my plane - I will even buy you a drink (with one of my many, many drink coupons!)
May 24, 2012, 9:47 pm
#56
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AS, BA, AA
Posts: 3,670
AUS-DFW is a tossup for me. I live 15 minutes from DFW, but sometimes it's faster to drive, especially if I need to be on the north side of Austin.
Unfortunately, DFW-CRP is a 7-hour drive, so not practical to drive for a weekend trip to see the family. CRP basically doubled in price sometime last year. I used to be able to get $49 each way on a regular basis, and now I rarely see less than $120 each way. I can understand that AA is the only carrier that flies direct on this route, so they do have a competitive advantage, but more than doubling the rates forced me to consider alternatives.
So I converted everything I could to Avios, and I have happily been making 4500-point Avios redemptions. The only issue is lack of availability on Monday mornings - all of the AM flights are usually Y1 or Y0. I guess that means they don't really need to lower their rates... <shrug>
May 24, 2012, 9:55 pm
#57
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,976
Thanks for the heads up on WN. Not my favorite airline and Love is less convenient to my destination just NW of DFW but it sure beats driving up from AUS. AA is going to lose some business. I sure hope they can sell my seat for what they are asking.
May 24, 2012, 10:53 pm
#58
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 31
It's something I've noticed as well in the last few months. I was looking at AUS-LAX trips, and while the ones going through DFW offered double miles -- the fare was twice as much. $400 vs $200 (for the non-stop).
I think you're seeing is a shift in supply & demand for the AUS-DFW route and American is trying to prioritize its high value international connections rather than domestic flights clogging its inventory. AA has reduced domestic supply and we're seeing higher loads.
Inevitably, the AUS-DFW loads seem pretty full whenever I fly it, though it's a short 33 minutes in the air.
And seems like not only AUS-DFW, but AUS-ORD which I've been monitoring for months for Lollapalooza in Aug -- has been hovering around $400 this year! Last year I paid $250.
I think you're seeing is a shift in supply & demand for the AUS-DFW route and American is trying to prioritize its high value international connections rather than domestic flights clogging its inventory. AA has reduced domestic supply and we're seeing higher loads.
Inevitably, the AUS-DFW loads seem pretty full whenever I fly it, though it's a short 33 minutes in the air.
And seems like not only AUS-DFW, but AUS-ORD which I've been monitoring for months for Lollapalooza in Aug -- has been hovering around $400 this year! Last year I paid $250.
May 24, 2012, 11:34 pm
#59
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,528
Obviously, it's going to be higher than last year given the increase in gas prices.
That said, prices have definitely spiked for June for a number of routes I take (most of which involve going through DFW). Not sure what's that all about.
That said, prices have definitely spiked for June for a number of routes I take (most of which involve going through DFW). Not sure what's that all about.
May 25, 2012, 5:29 am
#60
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: CMI (Champaign, IL)
Programs: AA, WN, UA
Posts: 268
