cowboyguy

So I've been tracking Delta & Southwest fares for similar destinations since past 2 years. Delta has always been 25% to 45% higher than Southwest. My city is not a Delta hub but does it matter so much? I mean come on man 45%...

Is Delta generally so much more expensive than Southwest or alternatively, is Southwest really such a cheap airline among all? Am I missing something here?

Brian716

I think it depends on the market. I commute between BUF-BWI weekly; advance fares on WN usually runs $79-90 non-stop. DL Y class runs $90-101 with connection in DTW or JFK. For business select fares on WN I usually pay $255 and on DL I can get G or A first fares for $161-240.

misterbean

If Delta is consistently more expensive, then there's a reason, and it's not a fluke.
People are paying more to fly DL on that route, so why should DL match WN's prices?

It seems like you prefer DL but maybe the price difference is a little too much for you. For others, I guess it's not.

I don't have any facts, but I will guess that overall, on average DL is more expensive than WN on shared routes. WN is a slightly different business model, different clientele - I would not be surprised if they priced cheaper.
The question for DL is how much more to price their tickets to attract pax and still make money.

SuperG1955

Our commute is MSY-LGA. I just priced the following:

DL non-stop for a 6 day midweek in FEB = $268.00
WN 1-stop only (no non-stops) same days = $463 for a 6 hour vs 3 hour.

Our UG's are over 90% on this route.

Why would I even think about WN.

Note: I have a 2/16 - 2/20 MSY-LGA (Sun- Thurs) booked at $276 vs $463.

dilbertsdaddy

The perception that WN is cheaper than any other carrier is BS; it is brilliant marketing but it is BS. It was true at one time but no longer.

No FC...no club...no International....multiple stops to get from A to B. WN has nothing to offer me.

us2

This is really hard to assess without details on the routes involved and data on how far out you're trying to book. In general, I find that Southwest has the enviable position of being perceived as a "low-fare" carrier without much in reality to back that up. Their marketing is pretty good.

Mr. Tickets

This, plus to the best of my knowledge you cannot book WN anywhere except their own web site. That would mean that the only way to get their fares and availability is to visit southwest.com. That also means fare comparison sites cannot include WN fares for shoppers. Many people just "assume" WN is the lowest fare. I also find quite often that WN is more expensive than DL.

pbarnette

If DL truly is that much more expensive, shouldn't the question be "what is DL doing so well that they command such a premium?" "What's wrong with Delta?" seems an odd question if they are commanding a premium.

tfc3rid

Here in ATL, thhe fabled 'Southwest Effect' is nonexistent. WN cut routes out of ATL's FL hub and is not really competing. Fares are basically equal between the two.

I used to fly FL almost exclusively but am now flying DL about 90% if the time. Can't be bothered with the WN nonsense.

MSPeconomist

Sometimes if one is looking for a relatively cheap destination for a weekend trip, searching well known airports with lots of Southwest or other LCC service can be a good starting point. Fares on these routes can often be generally low, even if DL doesn't match WN fares.

hazelrah

Think back to recent and not so recent events - Delta's Song failed experiment, Delta's Bankruptcy, Competitive battle royale in MKE, the purchase of Northwest airlines (consolidation), feed stuffing through the Atlanta hub.

They're all connected IMO; they are all related to Delta's struggle to compete against the LCCs, first Air Tran, now Southwest and to a lesser degree Jet Blue and to a small degree against Spirit.

My observation is that there is certain degree of myopia of those who are loyal to Delta. Folks know one thing about one thing, (for instance the ATL hub) and think they know it all. Delta and Southwest have fundamentally different approaches to air service i.e. hub and spoke and point-to-point.

Let's take the ATL hub for instance. If you expect WN to compete in the same manner as Air Tran, you will be sorely disappointed. Also, the days of WN coming into a new market with salutes, fireworks, and $50 promo. fares are largely over. Delta, to its credit, has realized the competitive threat from "red-bellies" in ATL well in advance of WN incursion, and has stuffed feed through ATL and adjusted its fares to match. Those who opine " well WN is not cheaper than Delta" - what a surprise that Delta matches fares at its mega-fortress home hub.

Yes, WN is not always the cheapest carrier anymore, and SHOCK, sometimes it may even be more expensive. WN's cost advantage has indeed been eroded by all the surviving legacies declaring bankruptcy and slimming down their costs, and WN pays industry leading wages.

Competition is a great thing and I say bring it and bring more. I'm not a loyalist, I'm a free agent. When planning a trip I always search multiple carriers (including Southwest) and book on the basis of price and convenience. Sometimes this is Southwest, Allegiant, United, sometime even Delta. I shop 'em all. BTW I l always book a premium economy seat/ early-bird, assigned seat,

I acknowledge that every market is different and one can't generalize what is true in ATL is true in DTW or MSP or MKE. Here in MKE the market is occasionally ultra- competitive. Maybe it's some last vestige of the NW taint petulantly defending a Midwest market.

Beckles

This statement is just wrong, all it means is that Delta charges more, which to me indicates they don't necessarily want to fly people on that route, not that they are successfully charging a significant number of people the higher fare.
Even if they were the same price, why would you choose WN if they don't offer non-stop service and any other airline does?
And the perception that it takes 'multiple stops' to get from A to B on Southwest is complete BS too. If you have service from WN out of your home airport at all that claim is obviously hyperbole (they offer non-stop service to somewhere from every city the serve).

There are many cities that Southwest serves where they provide service to the most destinations non-stop, even in cases where they may not be the largest carrier.

Even setting aside you can of course phone Southwest to book tickets, your knowledge is not quite correct, corporate booking systems have access to WN fares, though Southwest purposely limits their access (i.e., Web Only fares are not available through those corporate systems).

The fact that fares are equal does not disprove the Southwest effect. The reality is that on many routes where Southwest provides service Southwest is likely setting the fares and Delta is matching them.

MSPeconomist

I suspect that some of the fare differences people are reporting for certain routes simply reflect WN having a large capacity there (and thus selling many seats for low fares) while DL had decided to offer less capacity and sell those seats for higher prices. That sounds smart to me and it also gives consumers the choice of a full service legacy airline or a "budget" no-frills carrier, albeit at generally different price points.

hazelrah

You've got something in the Southeast U.S. I call the "Air Tran" effect.

It's when localities, businesses, and citizens get fed-up with high legacy fares. They beg and plead for LCC service, maybe even provide some incentives. LCC comes into market and legacies match fares. People book with legacies, LCC traffic does not materialize. LCC service discontinued, fares rise again. Rinse, repeat.

hazelrah

I find your terminology to be hyperbolic. WN is not a "budget" no frills carrier. If you do an apples to apples comparison WN has in some respects a superior coach product. The old lines of demarcation are blurring.

Delta has decided, I'd argue mainly as a marketing tool, to maintain a FC section. WN has decided, also as a marketing tool , that it makes more sense to not have an FC section and pack more coach seats in. They both have smart analysts crunching the numbers, and both derive some degree of revenue from their respective strategies. Pronouncing either strategy, or bags fly free for that matter a "bad" or "budget" strategy , IMO is hyperbole.