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Consolidated "Why is this fare so expensive?" Thread [Archive]

Old Feb 28, 2021, 12:23 pm
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Consolidated "Why is this UA fare so expensive?" thread

Potential reasons for high fares
-- the lower fare classes are sold out
-- the lower fare classes are not available due to fare rule restrictions
..... day of the week travel restrictions, Saturday night stay requirement, minimum stay requirement, advance purchase requirements, ...
-- desired fares are not combinable
-- discount fares not available for one-ways, only roundtrips Why are international OWs so expensive, such high fare classes?
-- discount inventory for codeshare marketing airline is gone, but flight operator may have discount fare (or the reverse)
-- Plating -- airlines restrict the best fare to their ticket stock, meaning ticketing that flight on another ticket stock will be more expensive
-- Airline is figuring it will still sell (due to last minute purchases0 even if the competition is lower earlier. Such as peak leisure periods or special events.
-- Airline is placing a premium on non-stop (monopoly?) versus alternative connecting routings

If you find an expensive flight, start by checking the fare class and compare to the less expensive option -- that generally will explain a lot.
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Consolidated "Why is this fare so expensive?" Thread [Archive]

Old Mar 6, 2012, 12:02 pm
  #151  
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 9,650
Originally Posted by dimramon
I know there have been threads about PMUA being more expensive than other carriers on certain routes. I also know that my example is merely a snapshot at a given point in time, on a specific route under specific circumstances, but still...

..But still what?

You are swayed by a single random data point because of ..?
izzik is offline  
Old Mar 6, 2012, 12:17 pm
  #152  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DEN, or so it says...
Programs: UA1K/RCC, Avis CHM, NWA Plat, SPG Plat
Posts: 2,876
Originally Posted by izzik
..But still what?

You are swayed by a single random data point because of ..?
This is not the first time I've seen this. Overall, UA still tends to be more expensive than anyone else on my routes.
It just baffled me that UA was at least 3 times as much on this route for a fare in a lower cabin compared to another airline on the same route.
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Old Mar 6, 2012, 12:34 pm
  #153  
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What exactly did you think "merger synergies" meant?
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Old Mar 6, 2012, 4:49 pm
  #154  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
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Posts: 1,330
Originally Posted by exerda
Looks like UA is only offering Y or B inventory on a lot of the flights now from the east coast to DEN or PHX (where one connects on Great Lakes to PGA).
I know this post's a few days old, but it could also be a fare combining rules issue where the fares will only combine in Y or B and not lower fare categories. In that case, check two round-trips.
deirdre is offline  
Old Mar 6, 2012, 5:12 pm
  #155  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Nothern NJ
Programs: UA GS, AC Elite, Global Entry
Posts: 204
Arbritrage and airfares

Last week - before integration day I was looking to book travel three weeks out NYC - MSP - I'm inpartial EWR or LGA

CO.com quoted me approx $1,100, nuts, so I went to .bomb...same planes 1/2 the price...unfortunately those days are gone

Good news is NY can be a competitive market, so last minute trip to RDU today, United again >$1,100 same day return, this time US Air half the price on a jet rather than a turbo-prop and more flight options. Only question in my mind...who is paying these crazy rates to UA?
rwsteelers is offline  
Old Mar 6, 2012, 5:28 pm
  #156  
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: LAX
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Posts: 2,777
Originally Posted by rwsteelers
Last week - before integration day I was looking to book travel three weeks out NYC - MSP - I'm inpartial EWR or LGA

CO.com quoted me approx $1,100, nuts, so I went to .bomb...same planes 1/2 the price...unfortunately those days are gone

Good news is NY can be a competitive market, so last minute trip to RDU today, United again >$1,100 same day return, this time US Air half the price on a jet rather than a turbo-prop and more flight options. Only question in my mind...who is paying these crazy rates to UA?
Soon there will be no body considering how screw up they are on the CPU!
lax2010 is offline  
Old Mar 6, 2012, 6:01 pm
  #157  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Houston
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, UA 1.56MM (fmr UA1K)
Posts: 5,770
Originally Posted by mduell
What exactly did you think "merger synergies" meant?
Very good.

We're feeling the pain big time in Houston. Some fares I track have nearly doubled since the merger. (A lot of that has to do with SWA not keeping CO fares in check like they used to.)
Renard is offline  
Old Mar 8, 2012, 7:40 am
  #158  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Houston, Texas area
Programs: MileagePlus 1K lifetime
Posts: 25
$78 Roundtrip !! ??

In Jan. 2012, Southwest offered $78 roundtrips to DEN from several cities. There were similiar low fares between other city pairs.

CO and UA matched these fares.

Does anyone have insight into when these fares may drop again this Spring to lock in summer travel seats based upon past years experience with Southwest fare drops matched by CO or UA?

Hopefully the new UA will match Southwest fare drops.

Last year, I bought a $99 fare IAH-DEN for July travel on CO for a personal trip.
IHAVETOFLY is offline  
Old Mar 8, 2012, 8:00 am
  #159  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 529
Spirit will start flights to Denver, so you might see some decent deals. However, with oil prices at $100+ a barrel, $78 RT maybe a distant memory.
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Old Mar 9, 2012, 11:53 am
  #160  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: USA
Programs: UA Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 124
Fares went up today?

I have been using ita matrix to look for fares to "anywhere" (really about 20 different cities) for the last couple of weeks, and today all of those cities seem to have gone up at least $100. During my search today, I couldn't find many of the flights shown on ita matrix at all - sometimes they would appear on ual, then disappear the next time I searched. In fact, once I did this and the same flights increased in price by $60 just by a new search! I am not sure if this is simply due to the day of the (searching Friday/weekend) or just a strange glitch in the united search engine? Surely there is not that much fluctuation that flights disappear this quickly or are repriced this quickly. And why aren't they showing all possible flights? I'm finding this frustrating - anyone know of a setting in profile that makes it so more flights appear? While I like the new feature showing fare bucket, I miss having more flights appear.
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Old Mar 9, 2012, 12:15 pm
  #161  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: BWI, MNL
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This is United. The home of the most expensive fares in the skies. Welcome.
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Old Mar 9, 2012, 12:17 pm
  #162  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA Mileage+
Posts: 44
... nm that, I need to learn to read more thoroughly
earendil31 is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2012, 12:20 pm
  #163  
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fares often go up on Fri/Sat/Sun, then go down on Tue/Wed/Thu.
kb1992 is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2012, 12:23 pm
  #164  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
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Originally Posted by kb1992
fares often go up on Fri/Sat/Sun, then go down on Tue/Wed/Thu.
Agree that this recently has become a recurring phenomenon.
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Old Mar 9, 2012, 12:50 pm
  #165  
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Originally Posted by kb1992
fares often go up on Fri/Sat/Sun, then go down on Tue/Wed/Thu.
Yup....plus the lower fare buckets are often reduced on the weekends. I've been having some fun charting fare changes day-to-day lately and there are about 100 that dropped between yesterday and today that I can see, but that doesn't always mean they can be purchased at the lowest fare.

And the day before there were a lot more than 100 which dropped. I also see about 300 that increased today versus yesterday.

(n.b.- If you have an account and are logged in on the link above you can filter by carrier. )
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