redwoman

Isn't it usually more expensive to fly hub to hub (or major city to major city)?

I am NOT dissing Boston, I love it, but it doesn't shock me that IAD-LHR is more expensive. This is the same reason that about 15 years ago or so I started to hear about airlines cancelling the remaining parts of a ticket if someone didn't fly one segment. People had been buying tickets such as Grand Junction, CO-Denver-New York-New York-Denver-Grand Junction, CO, and only flying the Denver-New York portions, because the Grand Junction-New York ticket was a fraction of the Denver-New York ticket. The airlines started to notice lots of no-shows on the small city-big city segments, took a look at their pricing, and figured out what was happening.

The same thing you've pointed out occurs on SFO-ORD compared to SFO-ORD-CVG, a route i used to do a lot over the course of 3 years. I can fly in First on a 3-cabin intnl plane SFO-ORD for about $2K if i continue on to Cincinnati. If I fly First on the same plane but just take it SFO-ORD, it is $5K! Obviously, more fuel is burned and more people work to get me from San Fran to Cinci but it is $3000 worth of activity and resources less to fly me to Chicago? Of course not.

linsj

I'm almost done booking a dozen flights for conference faculty members from all over the country to come to Chicago late May/early June. Yes, fares are high--compared with last year and before. But in every case, United was cheaper than all the other airlines, including the LCCs. I was surprised after reading posts here.

redwoman

I don't know if it was my post that surprised you, but I was just trying to make a point with an itinerary with an ORD segment, with which I had a lot of experience. There are other flight combos one can use to fly between SFO and ORD that aren't $5000 for first class. They are north of $2000, and they are still more expensive than SFO-ORD-Dayton, Ohio, for example.

I would bet that if you're traveling ORD-Grand Rapids nonstop for example, they are pretty cheap.

nova08

YMMV. I can provide examples that prove the opposite. Also you booked well in advance, things may be a little different when you get 1-3 weeks out.

BeautifulSky

Hi,

I am trying to book the UA ticket from Singapore to Denver. I found that now the price is increasing comparing to last week price. I regret that I didn't book it last weekend which the price was 200 sgd cheaper. Should I book the ticket as soon as possible or I still have a chance to get a cheap ticket if I am patient and keep my eyes on the online price. Have you ever found the cheaper ticket after buying your ticket?

Appreciate your advice.

Thanks a lot

Beautiful Sky

bevotex

Hello I am long time Continental airline and frequent business leisure/vacation traveler and now flying United. I usually pay for my flights or use flier miles.

Just returned from a wonderful trip to BKK and SGN. We booked 8 months ago on business from OKC -SFO-ICN-SGN-BKK rtn BKK-NRT-IAH-OKC. The flight included a combination of Asiana, Thai, and United airlines and we had no problems. Though the hard and soft products had some had definite variances, I have to say we had a great experience on all the airlines. We had no delays despite the 27+hour itinerary each way.

Asiana Airlines I would describe the service as exceptional and the flight attendants can only be described as extremely gracious. I have never seen flight attendants line up in the isles and bow before a flight. The new quadra smartium seats in Asiana were great. The United service I would describe as friendly and down to earth. We had first class seats on United on the BKK-NRT leg on an updated 777. These were by far the best seats with the Quadra close second. The NRT-IAH leg were a close third in the PMCO 777. I am an airline enthusiast and pilot myself. I usually enjoy the flights as much as the destination.

To continue my ramble I am trying to book a flight to London for 3. In the past I have taken advantage of Continental's summer business fares. They have ranged from $2200-2800 per ticket. Looking in July, I find the following fares from OKC to LHR 7/3-7/14 on business are:

United. : $5248
British air: $2649
Delta: $3965
Virgin: $2801 (from Chicago )

The fare from United does not seem competitive. Are they planning to offer business sale this summer? Has anyone found that United has had higher business fares?
Also I noticed that traveling through Houston vrs. Chicago to Europe is way higher on PMCO aircraft. Perhaps United is charging a premium for PMCO business first seats now?

mduell

Sounds like UA is offering discount D fares while everyone else has some deep discount Z. There is a UA summer european biz sale that started weeks ago and it sounds like Z has sold out on UA.

revigik

Well, this really has nothing to do with PMCO vs. PMUA aircraft, and more to do with the fact that UA has a much stronger market dominance at IAH than they do at ORD.

The fare that you are quoting is probably a C or D fare, and the one you want is Z. Revenue Management releases Z (Discount BusinessFirst with Restrictions) when they feel they can't sell a J, C, or D fare (and similarly they release award seats if they think a Z won't sell).

I would encourage you to play around with your dates and destinations, and on Flight Search on United.com, next to the flight number should have a hyperlinked "Fare Class". Click that and all the fares for that aircraft will show. Look for flights with Z >0. If you see that and the fare you are getting is not Z, find out what the rules are for getting a Z fare to price for your flight combination.

Conversely, if you don't find many discount Biz Fares on UA, go with a competitor and/or *A Partner. If you're in Business Class, your status or whatever won't matter too much. Also, if you get a European Airline, the soft product will probably be much better than on UA.

5khours

Looks like an across the board increase in W fare for TPAC of $500 and $300 for TATL. Another change I'll like?

username

I am not sure about TATL but for TPAC fares do go up around early/mid May since that is when all the Asian students in North America get out of school and head home for the summer.

So, this is really a season change. How you like it depends on whether you like the summer

FlyerChrisK

For a few TATL routes, it seems nothing has changed?

5khours

Except they are up at least through year end.

goodeats21

I noticed this as well. Huge jump in W fares TPAC. Lower econ fares went up as well, but I don't think by as much.

Played with dates and it extends well into the late fall.

I didn't have time to check into other carriers or details of the fares, so I don't know if this is a fuel thing or if it is being matched by others.

flyer215

Hi folks-- anyone know how this usually works?

Looking to go SFO to KOA and back in early December. (Note: early, not the crazy xmas season. This is a "dead" time, for both Kona and usually domestic air travel)

Currently, the non-stop is pricing at $884 (!)

That's crazy high. I'd expect something in the $5xx range.

Handling the booking for several people on this trip, so trying to get an idea of when lower fares might be rolled out for this period.

Even a 1-stop, which I really want to avoid, is coming in at $760 or so.

Found Hawaiian 1-stops (ugh) from OAK (again, not ideal) in the upper $500s.

Is it typical for these fares to remain high until a couple months out?

thx

edit: whoops, sorry didn't remember this thread for these things

jpsj

Wow, I do this flight often. Usually take the first flight out of PHL and then return on the first flight from MCI. All connecting through ORD. Not anymore. Now it is Cleveland or EWR and the equipment is all RJ. Going through ORD is now $100 more! Not only that but the base fare I get is $342--this is $60 more than AA or Airtran. I will pay for convenience but not not getting stuck in an RJ, flying half way across the country to connect 90 miles from PHL. That is painful to say the least!