Hillhouse

Hey all, it's been a VERY long time since I visited this forum and even longer since I posted anything. So I apologize if this has been mentioned before on a different thread, and I'm too lazy to check countless pages to see if my question is already a topic. But, when did Delta become soooooo expensive? I've been pricing tickets from OMA-CPH, both on random weeks and during Xmas season and the pricing is OUTRAGEOUS. My most recent trip I flew United/SAS because it was literally $1000 cheaper. Sometimes even more. I have flown from very small US airports (XXX-DTW-AMS-CPH) for over 1/2 of what it is from Omaha. Kansas City is pricing out the same, $900+ for the same flights. Am I missing something or has DL gone way up on everyone? I have not been flying much over the last year so these prices are sticker shock to me.

Weekend Away

Last New Years I flew Delta non-stop to Paris and bank for $450 from Atlanta. A few weeks ago, saw the same sale for similar dates for this New Years. I've flown United to Paris for the same price, but one stop. I constantly see these prices from Atlanta on all three airlines/their partners. However, those ticket prices are random. You've likely waited too long to see the cheap prices to Europe for NYE.

At least from the big hubs, the incumbent is usually more expensive, but almost always throws up a sale.

I suggest either waiting, or doing a positioning flight. From Atlanta, I pick the cities cheapest to get to on Delta, MCO, BOS, JFK, IAH, FLL. From there, I can often save hundreds. For you, maybe look at ORD, DEN, DFW?

At the end of the day, they're all the same to me, even though I'm loyal to DL.

Often1

Your one data point is just that. One data point.

There are similar UA and AA threads which make the same assertion about those carriers on other routes on other days.

If there is a takeaway, it is that you should be looking at pricing on other carriers and other routings. Once you are captive to a carrier and are willing to pay more for the same product, you have the answer to your question.

xliioper

Are these coach or business fares? Could you some sample dates you are looking at? I see roundtrip DL fares on OMA-CPH for $916 in BE and $1036 in MC. These are good from Jan 12th through Mar 14th. There are fares in early December for $996 in BE and $1116 in MC. These are 50 day advance purchase fares which are good up until Dec 12th, and then from Dec 24th onward (so there's a hole in availability between 12/12 and 12/24). They require either a Saturday night stay (from arrival, so you must leave on a Friday or earlier in week to meet it) or a 7-day minimum stay.

Just a guess, but if you are looking at Sat - Fri trips, you meet neither the Saturday night stay, nor the 7-day min stay requirement and will only have pricey L or higher fares available ($2200+) on DL. SAS has a fare (LLWUSSCE) for around $1100 that permits Saturday departures with Friday returns.

TomMM

I primarily fly UA but still check prices on other airlines and I encounter this price difference often. I am currently pricing an itinerary to LHR for December. D1 is pricing at $3700 while UA Polaris is $2900. I have found better DL prices from AF. For example: AF is pricing the LHR trip on the same flights at $3300.

ATLflyer2017

I have never seen Delta charge less than $800 round trip to get anywhere in Europe from Atlanta. Obviously because we are completely captive in Atlanta. Usually I find great deals from JFK instead.

BIMMERKID2

I paid like 1100 a person for CWA-MSP-SEA-CVG-MSP-CWA in Y/F,, Now if i had booked just MSP-SEA-CVG-MSP leaving out the CWA-MSP-CWA tag on.. the price would have been like 696 a person when I booked. maybe 700 something? It is what it is. Why the huge price add on for a CRJ flight with it ?This is for the end of October

jrl767

supply and demand ... 48 other seats on that CRJ, most of which will likely be occupied by pax going to destinations other than SEA, and many of those pax probably booked earlier, which left fewer seats on a flight at a desirable time

Hillhouse

First of all, thanks for not blasting me with the "then fly another airline" replies or some other nonsense. When I look for fares, I look on Orbitz and other sites so I do see a lot of other prices. That's how I see the comparison in ticket pricing. I just looked OMA-CPH from Dec 21-Jan 2.. Delta is over $2500 (economy!!!) United/SAS is $1900. And this is the closest gap I've seen lately!! Normally the difference is $1000-1500. And yes.. I do realize I picked peak times for travel. Even the United/SAS fare has jumped $500 in 2 days since I last looked!! I just don't understand how or why the prices seem to have exploded so much. I'm at a new job, I don't travel as much as I used to so I'm not needing to be loyal to just Delta the way I used to be (free baggage, priority on cancellations, upgrades, etc.) But the inconvenience of the UA/SAS through ORD was a nightmare... changing terminals, etc. I'd much rather do my normal Delta through AMS connection but not at that price. Anyway, I was just wondering if I missed a memo from DL saying they're only catering to corporate spenders and billionaires who will pay so much extra.

findark

Seems like neither OW nor ST have bothered to file deep discount fares for that city pair and those dates.. as mentioned upthread though, one data point sheds almost no light on a corporate direction or pricing strategy.

xliioper

It's not unusual to see a lot of variability when you are searching during peak demand times and I don't think you can really draw any conclusions from it. The weekend before Christmas, in particular, is one of the most heavy demand and priciest times to travel as most people take the whole week off and want to maximize their vacation days. As you can see from the Google Flights shot below of a 1-week trip search for Skyteam flights, the pricing gets a lot more reasonable and predictable once you get into January and past the peak holiday demand period. Star pricing is a few 10's of dollar cheaper than Skyteam, but I'd hardly call that a huge difference.

https://www.google.com/flights#flt=O...m:c.0;sd:1;t:f

EAJuggalo

Captive market. Flights from CWA only go to MSP, DTW or ORD. And on DL they only go to MSP or DTW. I found the same thing looking at flying out of ATW, GRB or MKE to get to MCO, By far the cheapest option for me was to drive to MSP. Total drive time for me from OSH is 4.5, from CWA it should only be 3.

MSPeconomist

For those of us who don't memorize airport codes, CWA = Wausau, WI, about 2/3 of the way from Minneapolis to Green Bay and ATW = Appleton, WI, about an hour southwest of Green Bay. I assume OSH = Oshkosh, WI (by gosh), which I think is about halfway between Green Bay and Milwaukee along the lake.

EAJuggalo

Appleton is 30 miles south of Green Bay, Oshkosh is 20 miles south of Appleton and 70 miles north of Milwaukee, all along I-41. Along Lake Winnebago, not Lake Michigan.

MSPeconomist

Yes, but IME road construction and traffic jams have made Green Bay to Appleton or vv an hour's drive.

I had thought that Oshkosh was a bit further south, at the bottom tip of the lake (Winnebago, not Michigan, although at least it's not Lke Woebegone).