Feb 28, 2021, 12:23 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Archive thread, active thread is
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.
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.
Consolidated "Why is this fare so expensive?" Thread [Archive]
Mar 20, 2014, 6:24 pm
#751
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4
Does anyone know why tickets from SFO to OGG for Feb 2015 start at $1741 round trip?
Why so expensive? Will the price go down?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Mar 20, 2014, 6:27 pm
#752
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,956
Sometimes when flights are first added to the schedule the full range of discount fares are not included. Usually they will be added in a few weeks usually although it can be a few months.
Mar 20, 2014, 6:30 pm
#753
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: UA PP, AA, DL, BA, CX, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 2,002
If u look at the flex calendar, the 3 leading days are always at B bucket near full fare ... something strange about how UA works
Mar 20, 2014, 6:47 pm
#754
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,242
UA hopes you will buy it at $1741 RT. If they have any sense, they will soon realize that nobody will, and will lower the price. At this point, they may desire to keep the cabin empty so that in case another airline starts a sale (or VX starts flying to OGG), they can lower prices and undercut the competitor and still have seats available to do so. If they never have a specific reason for discounting fares, they will usually start about ~7 months out and continue until about 4 weeks out so that the plane isn't empty.
Mar 20, 2014, 7:22 pm
#755
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,581
Yes they will go down.
Apr 3, 2014, 11:31 am
#756
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Francisco Penninsula
Programs: Bear Backers
Posts: 944
SFO-LHR
Been tracking this coach fare for a while. All airlines went up about $200 yesterday for July 31st travel. Looking at seat maps planes look empty, although I know that may not indicate true availabilty. interesting. Maybe increased fuel costs have finally factored in.
Apr 3, 2014, 11:41 am
#757
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PBI / FLL / YUL
Programs: UA 1K, Delta Plat, AA Plat, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Courtesy Card
Posts: 1,983
There are so many reasons why this singular flight/route could have had an overnight fluctuation in price due to the complex airline pricing model that it is frequently impossible to point to a unique factor which is causing the change. Could be day of the week, could be load, could be an error, who knows.
Apr 3, 2014, 11:49 am
#758
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,048
Been tracking this coach fare for a while. All airlines went up about $200 yesterday for July 31st travel. Looking at seat maps planes look empty, although I know that may not indicate true availabilty. interesting. Maybe increased fuel costs have finally factored in.
. Maui-Rome for $1486, all in, First/BF.
Apr 3, 2014, 1:09 pm
#759
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium.;UA 1.5MM; UA Lifetime Gold (whoppee); DL Plat
Posts: 2,124
Been tracking this coach fare for a while. All airlines went up about $200 yesterday for July 31st travel. Looking at seat maps planes look empty, although I know that may not indicate true availabilty. interesting. Maybe increased fuel costs have finally factored in.
Apr 3, 2014, 1:15 pm
#760
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,172
Apr 3, 2014, 4:49 pm
#761
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,229
This city pair fare structure has been weird this year. It's incredibly high in July then drops markedly in August (I've not checked in the last day). Strangely it drops during the peak rush and, as the OP noted, the bookings (judging by fare class availability as well as seat maps) seem higher in the cheaper period.
Apr 3, 2014, 4:53 pm
#762
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
It is depressing that I'm gonna end up paying $1,700 for LAX-BRU in Y in June when BUR/SNA-FCO is $1,500 in J in July.
Apr 20, 2014, 1:09 pm
#763
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Washington, DC: IAD/DCA/BWI
Programs: MileagePlus, HiltonHonors, AAdvantage, Starwood Prefered Guest, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 173
$700 More to fly N/S IAD-HNL?
I am looking at holiday travel from IAD to HNL, Christmas Eve with a New Year's Eve return. This is what comes up: Non-Stop: $1930, connections via LAX from $1230 (38 minute connection time!) through $1427 (via SFO, 1 hour 3 minute connection). Yes, this is a peak travel time, but having done n/s the past 2 years I did not pay such a premium for n/s service. Bah Humbug, UA! Is there any chance of the n/s fare coming down?
Apr 20, 2014, 1:12 pm
#764
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
I am looking at holiday travel from IAD to HNL, Christmas Eve with a New Year's Eve return. This is what comes up: Non-Stop: $1930, connections via LAX from $1230 (38 minute connection time!) through $1427 (via SFO, 1 hour 3 minute connection). Yes, this is a peak travel time, but having done n/s the past 2 years I did not pay such a premium for n/s service. Bah Humbug, UA! Is there any chance of the n/s fare coming down?
As for unfavorable connection times, you will often be able to engineer better connections by manually doing a multi-destination search for the same price.
Apr 20, 2014, 1:14 pm
#765
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,665
you can always book the cheaper connecting option and hope/wait for a schedule change then get them to put you on the direct IAD-HNL. depends how risk averse you are to that schedule change not coming, or not being large enough to result in a reroute option. FWIW, 38 minute connecting time in LAX is not a problem, i regularly connect UAX->UA and vv. in LAX in under 35 minutes and that's a much more difficult connection than UA->UA due to the terminal layout.