Does Delta always open up X, V classes?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: PRG, NYC, MOW
Programs: Delta DM, AA EXP, SPG PLT75, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 215
Does Delta always open up X, V classes?
Trying to purchase a ticket for a PRG-JFK route and got ~$1,000 on DL.com. Both legs are being offered on T fare.
So I'm also subscribed to ExpertFlyer and popped in Flight Availability to see what kind of fares are actually available for those dates and got the following:
0 Connections
DL 211 0 PRG
09/19/13 1:25 PM JFK
09/19/13 4:38 PM 76W
Daily
82% / 17m J9 C9 D9 I8 Z7 Y9 B9 M9 S9 H9 Q9 K9 L9 U9 T9 X9 V9 E0
0 Connections
DL 210 0 JFK
10/10/13 8:06 PM PRG
10/11/13 10:35 AM 767
Daily
57% / 27m J9 C9 D9 I8 Z6 Y9 B9 M9 S9 H9 Q9 K9 L9 U9 T9 X9 V9 E0
I've been waiting for about 2 weeks already for them to drop to an X or V fare on those dates and nothing has happened. They are stubbornly waiting it out on the T.
My question is this... Does anyone know if Delta drops their fare classes closer to departure date if those class fares are still available?
P.S. I looked at the seat map for those dates and it doesn't look particularly empty. I wonder why they are both showing X & V fares at 9 availability.
Thank you for any advice
So I'm also subscribed to ExpertFlyer and popped in Flight Availability to see what kind of fares are actually available for those dates and got the following:
0 Connections
DL 211 0 PRG
09/19/13 1:25 PM JFK
09/19/13 4:38 PM 76W
Daily
82% / 17m J9 C9 D9 I8 Z7 Y9 B9 M9 S9 H9 Q9 K9 L9 U9 T9 X9 V9 E0
0 Connections
DL 210 0 JFK
10/10/13 8:06 PM PRG
10/11/13 10:35 AM 767
Daily
57% / 27m J9 C9 D9 I8 Z6 Y9 B9 M9 S9 H9 Q9 K9 L9 U9 T9 X9 V9 E0
I've been waiting for about 2 weeks already for them to drop to an X or V fare on those dates and nothing has happened. They are stubbornly waiting it out on the T.
My question is this... Does anyone know if Delta drops their fare classes closer to departure date if those class fares are still available?
P.S. I looked at the seat map for those dates and it doesn't look particularly empty. I wonder why they are both showing X & V fares at 9 availability.
Thank you for any advice
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA, AsiaMiles, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 7,982
Does Delta always open up X, V classes?
To be able to buy a ticket in a particular fare bucket, 3 things have to happen:
1. The fare bucket must be available.
2. There must be a fare published for that fare bucket. you can check this on EF.
3. The trip you are attempting to book must fit the requirements for that published fare, such as advance purchase, minimum/maximum length of stay, Saturday night stay, etc. you can also check fare rules on EF.
Whether DL will open up lower buckets closer to departure is up to RM and is unpredictable. Barely 2 weeks out from departure, a T fare is not bad at all. I'd buy it.
1. The fare bucket must be available.
2. There must be a fare published for that fare bucket. you can check this on EF.
3. The trip you are attempting to book must fit the requirements for that published fare, such as advance purchase, minimum/maximum length of stay, Saturday night stay, etc. you can also check fare rules on EF.
Whether DL will open up lower buckets closer to departure is up to RM and is unpredictable. Barely 2 weeks out from departure, a T fare is not bad at all. I'd buy it.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: PRG, NYC, MOW
Programs: Delta DM, AA EXP, SPG PLT75, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 215
To be able to buy a ticket in a particular fare bucket, 3 things have to happen:
1. The fare bucket must be available.
2. There must be a fare published for that fare bucket. you can check this on EF.
3. The trip you are attempting to book must fit the requirements for that published fare, such as advance purchase, minimum/maximum length of stay, Saturday night stay, etc. you can also check fare rules on EF.
Whether DL will open up lower buckets closer to departure is up to RM and is unpredictable. Barely 2 weeks out from departure, a T fare is not bad at all. I'd buy it.
1. The fare bucket must be available.
2. There must be a fare published for that fare bucket. you can check this on EF.
3. The trip you are attempting to book must fit the requirements for that published fare, such as advance purchase, minimum/maximum length of stay, Saturday night stay, etc. you can also check fare rules on EF.
Whether DL will open up lower buckets closer to departure is up to RM and is unpredictable. Barely 2 weeks out from departure, a T fare is not bad at all. I'd buy it.
I'm probably going to book it anyway, although $1,000 for a September fare between Prague and JFK is pretty high. I've usually traveled that route for about $650-800 in previous Septembers.
#4
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: NYC, CDG, NCE
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 2,617
This is the key for you:
Whether they open the bucket or not, your timing must fit the fare rules.
Often I've seen fare buckets available for a flight in, say, 3 days, but any published fare would require a longer advance purchase, so it's sort of useless for buying a new ticket.
It is useful, however, for SDC, making changes to already purchased tix, etc.
You can see fare rules on EF.
Edit:Oops - I was writing just as you were.
I also agree that $1000 isn't bad for a Sept. TATL these days.
Often I've seen fare buckets available for a flight in, say, 3 days, but any published fare would require a longer advance purchase, so it's sort of useless for buying a new ticket.
It is useful, however, for SDC, making changes to already purchased tix, etc.
You can see fare rules on EF.
Edit:Oops - I was writing just as you were.
I also agree that $1000 isn't bad for a Sept. TATL these days.
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA, AsiaMiles, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 7,982
Quote:
Originally Posted by HongKonger
To be able to buy a ticket in a particular fare bucket, 3 things have to happen:
1. The fare bucket must be available.
2. There must be a fare published for that fare bucket. you can check this on EF.
3. The trip you are attempting to book must fit the requirements for that published fare, such as advance purchase, minimum/maximum length of stay, Saturday night stay, etc. you can also check fare rules on EF.
Whether DL will open up lower buckets closer to departure is up to RM and is unpredictable. Barely 2 weeks out from departure, a T fare is not bad at all. I'd buy it.
You are probably correct about Point 3. I bet they had X or V available earlier, when there was an advance purchase clause that was open. Otherwise, based on the info I got from EF, it would seem that Point 1 and 2 are OK.
I'm probably going to book it anyway, although $1,000 for a September fare between Prague and JFK is pretty high. I've usually traveled that route for about $650-800 in previous Septembers.
Originally Posted by HongKonger
To be able to buy a ticket in a particular fare bucket, 3 things have to happen:
1. The fare bucket must be available.
2. There must be a fare published for that fare bucket. you can check this on EF.
3. The trip you are attempting to book must fit the requirements for that published fare, such as advance purchase, minimum/maximum length of stay, Saturday night stay, etc. you can also check fare rules on EF.
Whether DL will open up lower buckets closer to departure is up to RM and is unpredictable. Barely 2 weeks out from departure, a T fare is not bad at all. I'd buy it.
You are probably correct about Point 3. I bet they had X or V available earlier, when there was an advance purchase clause that was open. Otherwise, based on the info I got from EF, it would seem that Point 1 and 2 are OK.
I'm probably going to book it anyway, although $1,000 for a September fare between Prague and JFK is pretty high. I've usually traveled that route for about $650-800 in previous Septembers.
#7
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: LAX
Programs: DL DM, 2 MM; OW Emerald; MVP Gold 100k;Marriott/SPG LTPlat; HH Diamond
Posts: 963
I had set an alert about 3 weeks ago for V/X fare for a flight I thought I might take on 8/31 which showed 0 at the time. I got the EF alert that it opened up on 8/30! I did not take that flight, but wanted to say it does sometimes get released late.
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 22,929
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...alignment.html
#10
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ireland, UnderH20, AUA, Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Charter KM, DM180, RW, DM, SC, SkyBonus; HH Diamond, IHG Plt Amb, Global Ent, TWIC
Posts: 2,191
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,334
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA, AsiaMiles, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 7,982
#13
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,334
Sometimes you can find the fare rules latere by trying a dummy booking on delta.dumb and finding the same price (not conclusive proof) for your route.
Has anyone ever called DL and insisted that the complete fare rules be sent?
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: PRG, NYC, MOW
Programs: Delta DM, AA EXP, SPG PLT75, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 215