A-Fares / Rates double?
Mar 30, 2009, 9:28 pm
#1
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A-Fares / Rates double?
I used to be able to book A fares for a great price. I've booked them out of ORF or DCA with good luck... usually the a/i price each way was around 420 or so, even to the west coast (pdx, phx, san, and slc in the past year).
I just went to book a couple and it seems in each of those markets, on various dates there are NO A fares under 600 one-way, with most near 850. Anyone else see this? Any idea if there is hope it will go back down? I loved those fares!
I just went to book a couple and it seems in each of those markets, on various dates there are NO A fares under 600 one-way, with most near 850. Anyone else see this? Any idea if there is hope it will go back down? I loved those fares!
Mar 30, 2009, 9:32 pm
#2
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I would be thrilled to see an A fare in the 600 range.
To answer your question, will it go back down? It depends upon the market forces and no one can really predict those.
To answer your question, will it go back down? It depends upon the market forces and no one can really predict those.
Mar 30, 2009, 9:36 pm
#3
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Its been a couple of years now that I've been able to book them to many cities out of DCA or ORF often as low as 380 each way. Plus they're easy to combine with LUT fares if I am flying one leg on a weekend and want to risk the upgrade...
Mar 30, 2009, 9:41 pm
#4
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I've found that fares in ORF have creeped up the past few years. I've found PHF with better fares sometimes and RIC with the lowest.
Mar 30, 2009, 9:44 pm
#5
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Interesting, Andy. I've almost never found fares cheaper out of RIC... very rarely on a LUT maybe, but even that is rare. I did have to go to PHF recently for one flight. But A has always been out of ORF... I just looked at over 15 A fares in my history out of ORF, none of them over 425 one-way. Ugh.
Mar 30, 2009, 9:53 pm
#6
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Having grown up in the area, I fly ORF often and have never had issues with upgrades. There has been a downsizing of aircraft. The 757 is gone replaced by more RJs to ATL. That means less mainline aircraft and less F seats.
Mar 31, 2009, 2:01 pm
#7
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Im glad I found this thread, becuase I too have seen all the A fares double in the last week or so. Flying out of FLL, I thankfully booked upcoming flights this year in (A) and (D) classed to LAS, SLC and PDX all in the 420-460 range each way. I was just checking the flights and now all of these transcontinental flights are all in the high 700's -800's range for each one way. I guess this is good news for Medallion members looking for upgrades, but bad for Delta's revenue stream. I usually had no problem spending $420 for a first class ticket when compared to a coach ticket on the same route going for $280. However, paying $800 for first class is way out of my budget. I do hope they drop the prices back.
Mar 31, 2009, 2:37 pm
#8
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I was just about to post a thread saying the exact same thing. The trips that I book regularly have doubled (all A fares).
Mar 31, 2009, 3:10 pm
#9
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Same situation in BDL...
Mar 31, 2009, 3:29 pm
#10
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Im glad I found this thread, becuase I too have seen all the A fares double in the last week or so. Flying out of FLL, I thankfully booked upcoming flights this year in (A) and (D) classed to LAS, SLC and PDX all in the 420-460 range each way. I was just checking the flights and now all of these transcontinental flights are all in the high 700's -800's range for each one way. I guess this is good news for Medallion members looking for upgrades, but bad for Delta's revenue stream. I usually had no problem spending $420 for a first class ticket when compared to a coach ticket on the same route going for $280. However, paying $800 for first class is way out of my budget. I do hope they drop the prices back.$800 for FIRST CLASS to the west coast from FLL is not expensive at all. It's ~ $.10 per EQM at $800.
With your budget, and mine as well, coach flying with the occasional upgrade is within my personal budget.
Mar 31, 2009, 8:50 pm
#11
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Anyone think this has more than a little bit to do with the recent "triple" (aka double) MQM promotion for front cabin fares?
Mar 31, 2009, 9:37 pm
#12
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Robert, I wondered the same thing for the MQM promotion. But the fares are changed well into the future, not just during the promo period.
I emailed Delta to raise the concern. I switched over to Delta from United because of the A fares-- and like Delta. But I count on the A fares to get the guaranteed F seats on cross-country legs.
Hopefully Delta will see a drop in revenue and lower them again.
I emailed Delta to raise the concern. I switched over to Delta from United because of the A fares-- and like Delta. But I count on the A fares to get the guaranteed F seats on cross-country legs.
Hopefully Delta will see a drop in revenue and lower them again.
Apr 1, 2009, 8:13 am
#13
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Please don't take this the wrong way but, for the airline's sake, I hope they do NOT go down.
$800 for FIRST CLASS to the west coast from FLL is not expensive at all. It's ~ $.10 per EQM at $800.
With your budget, and mine as well, coach flying with the occasional upgrade is within my personal budget.
$800 for FIRST CLASS to the west coast from FLL is not expensive at all. It's ~ $.10 per EQM at $800.
With your budget, and mine as well, coach flying with the occasional upgrade is within my personal budget.
Apr 1, 2009, 8:21 am
#14
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$800 is perfectly normal if your flying first class on AA or UA and/or other Legacy airlines, hence why I don’t fly them and choose Delta. I'm no expert in airline pricing strategies, but wouldn’t they rather get a confirmed $450 dollars for a first class ticket, then overpricing all first class tickets selling less, and allow someone who paid $99 (T) fare for a coach seat to get upgraded into first? Whether $800 dollars sounds reasonable to you or not, I could never justify paying that much knowing that there is a good chance the person sitting next to you in First only paid $99-$199 dollars for a coach seat and was upgraded. At $450, I can part with this fact and except, not $800+. We all know the A fare bucket is limited, so they don’t sell that many seats at that price anyway. Honestly, at this point I have 8 one way transcontinental tickets confirmed in (A) and (D) and don’t plan on buying more anytime soon, but I’m very curious to see what happens with the pricing.
Apr 1, 2009, 8:43 am
#15
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$800 is perfectly normal if your flying first class on AA or UA and/or other Legacy airlines, hence why I dont fly them and choose Delta. I'm no expert in airline pricing strategies, but wouldnt they rather get a confirmed $450 dollars for a first class ticket, then overpricing all first class tickets selling less, and allow someone who paid $99 (T) fare for a coach seat to get upgraded into first? Whether $800 dollars sounds reasonable to you or not, I could never justify paying that much knowing that there is a good chance the person sitting next to you in First only paid $99-$199 dollars for a coach seat and was upgraded. At $450, I can part with this fact and except, not $800+. We all know the A fare bucket is limited, so they dont sell that many seats at that price anyway. Honestly, at this point I have 8 one way transcontinental tickets confirmed in (A) and (D) and dont plan on buying more anytime soon, but Im very curious to see what happens with the pricing.