Fare question
May 31, 2007 | 1:01 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 3,948
Fare question
I need to buy a ticket BUF to CLE Oneway. If I buy it on continetal.com it will be $364. However if I buy BUF to MDW on with a change of planes in CLE and BUF to CLE segment is on the same plane as oneway BUF-CLE it will only cost me $272
Can I just book a flight to MDW and just leave the plane in CLE?
Why does it cost more to fly further via same route?
Can I just book a flight to MDW and just leave the plane in CLE?
Why does it cost more to fly further via same route?
May 31, 2007 | 1:30 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
What you are suggesting is called throw-away ticketing and is a violation of the contract that you're entering into when you buy the ticket, but probably won't actually be a problem unless you make a habit of it.
As for why that sort of thing happens, that's just "normal" airline revenue management. A r/t ticket from NYC-DCA is ~$650 for Y, slightly more than r/t NYC-MCO/TPA, both of which are ~4x further away. That's just the way it is sometimes.
As for why that sort of thing happens, that's just "normal" airline revenue management. A r/t ticket from NYC-DCA is ~$650 for Y, slightly more than r/t NYC-MCO/TPA, both of which are ~4x further away. That's just the way it is sometimes.
May 31, 2007 | 1:37 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: CLE
Posts: 9,816
Just like I used to do mileage runs in the late 90s and 00s - flights from CLE-NYC were $1150 for weekday trips but I could tag on flights to Europe and save my company over $500 because I had a Saturday night stay. Doesnt make much sense, but that was just the pricing model at the time.
May 31, 2007 | 1:38 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 3,169
you can do it. if you're not a onepass member i dont see how they can penialize you. it is something CO, in theory, does not allow, but it is difficult for them to enforce the rule. as said before, just dont make a habbit of it.
May 31, 2007 | 2:27 pm
#5
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,070
It could be there's something going on in CLE during that time that they're expecting high volumes for so they'll up the price for that destination. When I needed to be ~2.5 hrs north of DTW for meetings in February last year, the price from IAH-DTW was over $600 on NW. However, if I went IAH-DTW-MBS-DTW-IAH it was under $300. It was obvious they were just gouging everyone going to DTW for Super Bowl activities.
May 31, 2007 | 2:34 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: PVD
Programs: Priority Club Plat
Posts: 12,312
Also check roundtrip tickets. They are often significantly cheaper. Check BUF-CLE roundtrip, as well as BUF-CLE-anywhere.
One thing though, you cannot have checked luggage to the BUF-CLE-xxx thing, as they will not tag your bags to CLE only.
One thing though, you cannot have checked luggage to the BUF-CLE-xxx thing, as they will not tag your bags to CLE only.
May 31, 2007 | 4:09 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH Silver, MR Plat Prem & LT Plat, Hyatt Plat,SPG Plat, Hertz PC, National EE, UA 1K
Posts: 3,437
My company gets "watched" by co and ua for this. They WILL pull our discounts if we do this! I have done it, and have rc'd a letter from hour on NOT doing it.
That said, if I do it now, I book online NOT using the co discount, and even use my op# with NO problems!
That said, if I do it now, I book online NOT using the co discount, and even use my op# with NO problems!
May 31, 2007 | 5:44 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 3,948
Thanks all for your replies. I guess I will have to book Buf to MDW with a stop in Cleveland and just exit airport in Cleveland in order to save money.
May 31, 2007 | 7:22 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: NJ
Programs: Retired-CO Former Long-time Plat, Now a Kettle, Hilton Gold (Thanks AMEX)
Posts: 475
You may want to look into PIT or any Florida city (MCO, FLL, TPA, etc)...Depending on your date of travel, there's some better one way fares than MDW.