cardood

Anyone else noticing outrageous fares since the merger is now more iron clad? As an example, pre-merger fares from DTW-LGA would be had sub $300 even in the 7-14 day out window. Now, DTW-LGA is $921 over one month out.
I am not naive that on this route Delta now has less competition, but IMO the merger is shooting itself in the foot.

DTW-YYZ is another rate bend-over.

Any other routes this is happening on?

c|d

AndyTLe

I just bought a transcon ticket 6 days out for less than $250 roundtrip. I've found that fares have gone down on many of the routes that I fly. It was so ridiculously low that I had a good laugh.

HWGeeks

I am finding fares to be cheaper too

AndyTLe

Unless something has changed recently, Toronto's Pearson Airport is the most expensive airport to land a plane in the world.

HWGeeks

I don't think I ever saw a fare under 1000 for JFK > YYZ and the only time I make that flight is when someone else is paying for it.

I just did, JFK > MAD and BCN > JFK for under $580

I have a JFK > LAX flight coming up round trip under 250 coming up.

FlyingHigh20

You are absolutely correct. I've noticed that legacy NW routes have gone up, and by a significant amount. Especially anything out of DTW.

CDF

I'm tending to see fares that are sometimes a little unreasonsible (IMHO) depending on where you want to fly. For example, checking DTW-AMS flights with flexible dates over the next few months I'm seeing coach tickets for anywhere between $1200 and $1500 dollars even though the flights show wide open on the seat map. Granted, I'm a hub captive but these flights were running around $400-$500 and sometimes cheaper depending on the dates.

Another thing I've noted post-merger is that even though DTW is considered a hub I rarely see fare sales listed out of DTW for Delta flights. They may be there and I'm just missing them but everything I see is usually out of either ATL or JFK. It seems like the former NW hubs (DTW/MSP/MEM) are being left out of any fare sales for the most part. DL may think that they have a lock on these markets but I'd be willing to jump to another carrier and make a connection if it would save me several hundred dollars. BTW - the latest email I got for a "fare sale" from DTW was one line - DTW-CVG for @$100 RT.

hbdunn2003

I or my wife fly dtw-lga about every weekend. Since September we have been paying $300-$350 rt with only U fares being available.

Last week they started selling T fares for $170 and I bought as bunch of them.

The problem for you is less than 3 nights and you cant get discounted fares.

daregale

I have trouble getting the Delta system to route me through Amsterdam for European flights from Minneapolis. I often have to do a multicity search (e.g., MSP-AMS-BCN) to get the options to show up rather than being routed through Atlanta or JFK. And fares have been higher than typical.

cardood

I also fly for business during the week and you fly weekends.

mooper

How can *any* fare be "outregeous", given that you are never obligated to purchase it if you don't like the price? Shouldn't airlines be trying to maximize their revenues by charging as much as demand will support? My understanding is that airlines have been trying to cut capacity for 2+ years and have also instituted/increased various fees/surcharges purposefully to boost revenues in an environment where fare hikes weren't successful in boosting revenues enough to make them profitable.

Airfare, in real terms, has been in a long-term downward trend for decades. Should this trend reverse, I don't see anything "outrageous" about it. Delta is a for-profit entity, not a charity nor a public operation that is obligated to give people what they want. Instead, they are motivated to make their services as appealing as possible, but through market/profit incentives only.

hbdunn2003

Yes but it really has to do with the length or Saturday stay. Here are the discounted fare rules.


BEGIN TVL MON/TUE/WED/THU/SUN
RETURN AFTER 3 DAYS AFTER
DEPARTURE FROM ORIGIN
BEGIN TVL FRI/SAT RETURN FIRST SUNDAY AFTER
DEPARTURE FROM ORIGIN
FURTHER RESTR APPLY SEE TEXT RULE

zman

Everyone in the world knows (Except governments) that mergers. alliances, restricted slots and ATI RAISE FARE and reduce competition. Exception is when a low cost airline competes on the same route.

Davescj

The other option -- don't buy DL. FWIW, on various route combos, I do not find DL's own site to be the cheapest.

Dave

Dieuwer

Drive.