[ARCHIVED] Why are AA fares so expensive / non-competitive (2017+ consolidated)
Mar 10, 2017, 1:42 pm
#31
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,689
JFK LAX is very competitive market for premium customers. Thats the pair where it all started.
Mar 10, 2017, 2:12 pm
#32
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Programs: AA PLT, 1.8mm
Posts: 6,988
Mar 10, 2017, 2:17 pm
#33
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
I've heard about those J fares from LAX-NYC to Match B6 but I've never anything remotely close. Do they still exist?
Mar 10, 2017, 2:23 pm
#34
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
So ... as I checked in and boarded today from DFW to MIA, I got it ... there appears to be this thing of EXP's planning spring break vacations with their children and families. Since they planned in advance, they took up all the MCE seats. Some apparently even Uber fare to Miami is less than the cost savings. Then again no Centurion lounge or AC 
Mar 10, 2017, 2:33 pm
#35
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: AA EXP, CX GO, SPG Plat, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 133
You can find 1,300 from LAX to JFK but you have to take overnight (redeye) flight on the way there (9 or 10 PM) and on the return has to be the 9PM or 10PM flight as well. So you get into JFK super early the next day and get into LAX super late on the way back.
Mar 10, 2017, 2:45 pm
#36
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Northridge, CA, - AA EXP 3 MM , Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC, Lots of other programs and points
Posts: 1,438
A little over a month ago i booked - LAX-JFK-SFO-LAX - in May all in J except SFO -LAX for about $1150. May is very difficult for J fares to JFK, since all of the college graduations and network Upfronts. (look at J & F fares the week of May 15th!)
Mar 10, 2017, 3:36 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA Gold AAdvantage Elite, Rapids Reward
Posts: 38,326
I'm trying to get a cheap ticket to JAX and coming back home from FLL. The ticket prices is $435 RT. That's too expensive! There is no reason for that. The those days is on June 4 to 9, 2017. Any ideas?
Mar 10, 2017, 5:03 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,234
I'm traveling from DFW to South Florida today (March 10) . When I bought a ticket last week, all flights to MIA/PBI/FLL were J0 and most were YO. Since I bought outside the CK/EXP upgrade window, it must be paid so if its Spring Breakers, they are buying F.
I was initially stuck on a non-MCE middle seat but finally was able to move to an MCE seat. It's a little crazy today.
I was initially stuck on a non-MCE middle seat but finally was able to move to an MCE seat. It's a little crazy today.
Obviously they *werent* pricing J correctly...
Mar 10, 2017, 8:22 pm
#39
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
Back when I was trying to justify a full switch to AA it seemed that AA was nearly always 10-20% more than UA out of IAH. Today I booked a bunch of tickets and AA was the cheapest on nearly every economy itinerary. For F DL is usually the lowest.
Mar 11, 2017, 12:52 am
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,753
Why are AA fares so expensive / non-competitive
I would posit that they are, by definition, not non-competitive. If they were truly not competitive, people would stop flying AA. The number crunchers at AA have figured out how high they can raise the prices. Sure they'll lose pax as prices go up; but they are there to optimize income, not make the fares as cheap as they possibly can. And why shouldn't they? AA isn't a charity. I charge what the market will bear in my business.
I would posit that they are, by definition, not non-competitive. If they were truly not competitive, people would stop flying AA. The number crunchers at AA have figured out how high they can raise the prices. Sure they'll lose pax as prices go up; but they are there to optimize income, not make the fares as cheap as they possibly can. And why shouldn't they? AA isn't a charity. I charge what the market will bear in my business.
Mar 11, 2017, 7:48 am
#41
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,123
My wife is a teacher and her school's spring break is always the last full week of March. We've been booking flights that week to Mexico or the Caribbean for about 15 years.
I book well in advance, 300 or more days out. AA has always been cheaper in both coach and first/business to those destinations. This year AA was a good $200 or $300 cheaper that UA for F seats. And AA was about $100 cheaper for Y seats.
I book well in advance, 300 or more days out. AA has always been cheaper in both coach and first/business to those destinations. This year AA was a good $200 or $300 cheaper that UA for F seats. And AA was about $100 cheaper for Y seats.
Mar 14, 2017, 2:40 pm
#42
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: spg plat, AA PLAT, Hertz 5 star
Posts: 205
It seems the guys in Revenue management have a strategy. Overall too on other routes using upgrades is almost impossible, did about 12 segments for this year already and nothing.
Mar 14, 2017, 6:14 pm
#43
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
I have been doing this route since 2006 about 3-4 times year mainly business trips. Since the last qtr of 2016, I noticed fare on this route and overall has gone signficantly up. I did a similar trip 2 weeks ago in J and probably paid about 50% more than previously. Now I am looking at similar trips in May and October and the prices are extremely high.
It seems the guys in Revenue management have a strategy. Overall too on other routes us4ing upgrades is almost impossible, did about 12 segments for this year already and nothing.
It seems the guys in Revenue management have a strategy. Overall too on other routes us4ing upgrades is almost impossible, did about 12 segments for this year already and nothing.
Mar 16, 2017, 11:29 am
#44
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium.;UA 1.5MM; UA Lifetime Gold (whoppee); DL Plat
Posts: 2,124
Try flying in and out of BNA (Nashville). Fares are always sky high out of there. If I transit to ORD using miles, I can usually save $300-700 on all tickets. Did ORD-PVG for sub 600, while it was $1200 out of BNA. The bean counters have really drilled those of us in BNA!!
Mar 16, 2017, 12:36 pm
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
Try flying in and out of BNA (Nashville). Fares are always sky high out of there. If I transit to ORD using miles, I can usually save $300-700 on all tickets. Did ORD-PVG for sub 600, while it was $1200 out of BNA. The bean counters have really drilled those of us in BNA!!