System error ? CLT-LAS First Class pricing at $3K through Feb.
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 14,305
Sounds more like the /WNUP fares were pulled, presumably by mistake since there is still plenty of low bucket Y inventory that would've made up the less expensive GAP fare basis. Its quite unlikely that all of that inventory got sold and dried up over the course of a few hours. Some flights I looked at are pulling wacky fares... for example I saw a PE07A0RA... yes a P basis?! and others are pulling YUP to book into P.
Would be nice if we had EF to check if the /WNUP fares vanished.
Would be nice if we had EF to check if the /WNUP fares vanished.
#18
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
Sounds more like the /WNUP fares were pulled, presumably by mistake since there is still plenty of low bucket Y inventory that would've made up the less expensive GAP fare basis. Its quite unlikely that all of that inventory got sold and dried up over the course of a few hours. Some flights I looked at are pulling wacky fares... for example I saw a PE07A0RA... yes a P basis?! and others are pulling YUP to book into P.
Would be nice if we had EF to check if the /WNUP fares vanished.
Would be nice if we had EF to check if the /WNUP fares vanished.
#20
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: LAXatives
Programs: Delta Cubic Zirconia, Marriott Diplomat, Hertz Chairman's Square, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 390
Election day? Gas prices went down so they had to compensate by increasing flight prices.. Gotta put pressure on those rich Republicans ya know? ;)
#21
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: BOS
Programs: DL SILVER AMEX MRHH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 185
System error ? CLT-LAS First Class pricing at $3K through Feb.
I agree, there are some crazy price changes in effect at present. I booked Boston to Las Vegas in First for $800 round-trip last week when coach was $450. Today coach is a little less and first class is north of $2000 when my friend tried to book today.
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 14,305
Even stranger is the fare rules state "first class OW excursion", then "These fares apply for coach class service" yet booking code is listed as only 'P'.
Last edited by rylan; Nov 4, 14 at 4:42 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, SPG Gold, MR Gold, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,063
Ok, had a chance to take a look. /WNUP fares are gone starting November 22 and on. This seems to be the case regardless of route.
Old fashioned UP fares i.e. YUP or QA00UPNA still exist.
Next few weeks:

In the new year:
Old fashioned UP fares i.e. YUP or QA00UPNA still exist.
Next few weeks:

In the new year:

Last edited by javabytes; Nov 4, 14 at 11:38 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: KATL
Programs: DL DM/2MM
Posts: 1,989
Google Flights is very useful for looking at patterns here. Discount FC is pretty much non-existent from the end of November through mid-Feb. Then, starting around Feb. 18, the heavily discounted FC inventory is back until early May when it again goes AWOL for the remainder of the schedule. As with all inventory availability, it could change back at any moment.
Here are the date restriction rules from those fares:
VALID FOR TRAVEL COMMENCING ON EACH TRIP ON/AFTER
22NOV 14. TRAVEL ON THIS FARE COMPONENT MUST COMMENCE BY
MIDNIGHT ON 17FEB 15.
TICKETS MUST BE ISSUED ON/BEFORE 03NOV 14
So all of those fares disappeared on Monday night as scheduled. 22NOV 14. TRAVEL ON THIS FARE COMPONENT MUST COMMENCE BY
MIDNIGHT ON 17FEB 15.
TICKETS MUST BE ISSUED ON/BEFORE 03NOV 14
As javabytes found, UP fares go up on Nov 22, which is the beginning of the travel period for this now expired sale. And from LBJ, fares drop on Feb 18, which is exactly the day after the travel period ends.
It all fits together. The questions are whether the expired sale will be replaced with another and at what prices.
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 14,305
Maybe a screwed up fare/data load in the DL system or they missed filing replacement fares after the last batch expired. I don't think they're going to see much FCM going on with $2k-3k prices.
#26
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,869
I immediately came here to take a look to see what was up as I looked at a few flights I had looked at just two days ago and the prices are just ridiculous. They had to have screwed something up because First Class on all flights from RIC & CHO to LGA have quadupled pretty much overnight for flights where there is barely any seats filled on the plane as a whole and none filled in first class. Considering how many RIC-LGA flights take place each day, there is NO WAY they can charge $2,000 to $2,400 for each of them.
#27
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: 100,080
#28
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Michigan
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 845
I really can't believe this isn't a mistake. Every route I look at Delta's competitors undercut them significantly on premium fares. Sometimes 50% less. Unless their plan is to move away from FCM in order to give elites more upgrades!
#29
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: ATW
Programs: Delta Skymiles Diamond Medallion, Delta Amex Reserve, Marriott Rewards Silver, HH Diamond, IHG Spire
Posts: 252
System error ? CLT-LAS First Class pricing at $3K through Feb.
Is it a mistake or revenue management strategy? On several routes I was watching many of the planes are fairly full including the first class cabin.
Pull the fares - including lower fare buckets in some markets - and make people scared into thinking things will only get worse. Siphon some extra dollars (or miles) then perhaps a week later when people jumped in to get holiday travel set up before prices rose further they have some nice margin seats locked in on non-refundable fares. For first class less of an issue as the fares I have all seen are refundable fares but coach prices on routes I was watching are in the H class and up so quite pricey. Just my 2 cents.
Pull the fares - including lower fare buckets in some markets - and make people scared into thinking things will only get worse. Siphon some extra dollars (or miles) then perhaps a week later when people jumped in to get holiday travel set up before prices rose further they have some nice margin seats locked in on non-refundable fares. For first class less of an issue as the fares I have all seen are refundable fares but coach prices on routes I was watching are in the H class and up so quite pricey. Just my 2 cents.