Messed up pricing!
Oct 12, 2018, 9:41 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HSV
Programs: Bellevue Lifetime Premiere Mega Elite Supreme
Posts: 1,510
Ive seen, and booked, R/T international D1 fares that were cheaper than main cabin. In fact, I posted about one last December, with screenshots.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-air-lines-skymiles/1882895-delta-one-cheaper-than-main-cabin-again.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-air-lines-skymiles/1882895-delta-one-cheaper-than-main-cabin-again.html
Last edited by TheHorta; Oct 12, 2018 at 10:14 pm
Oct 13, 2018, 2:16 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,273
This has covered here a number of times in the past. E fares generally have more restrictive fare combination rules (A-B-A routings only) than main cabin fares which means there can be times that main cabin broken fare combinations are cheaper than E fares which do not permit the fare combinations. The routings will be different between the the two options in these cases (often the E fare will be a non-stop, while the cheaper broken fare main cabin option will involve a connection). Other times there can just be gaps in the E fare filings and they don't cover all the main cabin fares (there can be times they match a competitor fare with a main cabin fare, but neglect to file an E fare to go with it). The screenshot above shows you are doing a roundtrip search. You need to show the complete itin (both outbound and return flights) upon which the price quotes are based to figure out which of the two cases is going on here.
Looking at this a little more, I think it's the latter case. UA has a cheap main cabin fare on this route for $126 base (KNX7A0EN). DL has a nearly identical main cabin V fare with a $123 base fare (VNXF0PMZ designator WNGZ). Both are only good for Mon-Thu travel and have a 7 day advance purchase requirement. DL doesn't have a corresponding E fare to go with this main cabin V fare filing. DL generally doesn't bother to chase after NK fares, but when it's another legacy (or WN), that's a different story.
Looking at this a little more, I think it's the latter case. UA has a cheap main cabin fare on this route for $126 base (KNX7A0EN). DL has a nearly identical main cabin V fare with a $123 base fare (VNXF0PMZ designator WNGZ). Both are only good for Mon-Thu travel and have a 7 day advance purchase requirement. DL doesn't have a corresponding E fare to go with this main cabin V fare filing. DL generally doesn't bother to chase after NK fares, but when it's another legacy (or WN), that's a different story.
Last edited by xliioper; Oct 13, 2018 at 3:18 am