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]
Jul 5, 2017, 4:32 am
#1246
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NBO/ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 188
They do templates a lot, and it's a great source of mistakes although they're usually not in our favor (just make nice looking fares impossible to use). Q schedules are the absolute worst, especially when the differential F fares on a domestic route just have e.g. Q46.51 every day for no apparent reason whatsoever.
Jul 5, 2017, 6:36 am
#1247
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
Hope so! Pretty much any NYC-Southern Hemisphere (and Hawaii) destination seems a bit outrageous right now.
Jul 5, 2017, 12:13 pm
#1248
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,423
Jul 12, 2017, 7:56 pm
#1250
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: IAH & PHL
Programs: United Premier Silver
Posts: 326
Another quick question for you all;
Have fares from IAH to NAS always been astronomical?
I'm looking at 07 Dec - 11 Dec and it's $1100 for economy and $1500 for first (econ on Silver Airways from FLL since since it's a Saab). I can save a few bucks by connecting in EWR (no thank you).
It appears SWA doesn't fly to NAS from HOU. AA and DL are $900ish for first with a connection in ATL or CLT.
My tripmates are paying $400-500ish from TOR, IAD and JFK respectively. All on various airlines.
Have fares from IAH to NAS always been astronomical?
I'm looking at 07 Dec - 11 Dec and it's $1100 for economy and $1500 for first (econ on Silver Airways from FLL since since it's a Saab). I can save a few bucks by connecting in EWR (no thank you).
It appears SWA doesn't fly to NAS from HOU. AA and DL are $900ish for first with a connection in ATL or CLT.
My tripmates are paying $400-500ish from TOR, IAD and JFK respectively. All on various airlines.
Jul 12, 2017, 10:41 pm
#1251
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
Another quick question for you all;
Have fares from IAH to NAS always been astronomical?
I'm looking at 07 Dec - 11 Dec and it's $1100 for economy and $1500 for first (econ on Silver Airways from FLL since since it's a Saab). I can save a few bucks by connecting in EWR (no thank you).
It appears SWA doesn't fly to NAS from HOU. AA and DL are $900ish for first with a connection in ATL or CLT.
My tripmates are paying $400-500ish from TOR, IAD and JFK respectively. All on various airlines.
Have fares from IAH to NAS always been astronomical?
I'm looking at 07 Dec - 11 Dec and it's $1100 for economy and $1500 for first (econ on Silver Airways from FLL since since it's a Saab). I can save a few bucks by connecting in EWR (no thank you).
It appears SWA doesn't fly to NAS from HOU. AA and DL are $900ish for first with a connection in ATL or CLT.
My tripmates are paying $400-500ish from TOR, IAD and JFK respectively. All on various airlines.
Example IAH UA01 -----> DEN UA02 ------>EWR (As marketed)
Then take IAH UA01 ------> DEN UA03 ------>LGA (Not Marketed together)
If you check in you bag, it will end up in EWR
Jul 13, 2017, 8:18 pm
#1252
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: IAH & PHL
Programs: United Premier Silver
Posts: 326
Thanks for the response!
Yeah I live in Houston now so I've seen some of the hub pricing craziness. I've never been to the Bahamas so I was shocked when I saw how expensive and restrictive the routings were.
What I'll probably end up doing is booking two itins on SWA (HOU-FLL and then FLL-NAS since SWA won't book a HOU-NAS). That'll allow me to catch the same flight as some friends going IAD-NAS
Yeah I live in Houston now so I've seen some of the hub pricing craziness. I've never been to the Bahamas so I was shocked when I saw how expensive and restrictive the routings were.
What I'll probably end up doing is booking two itins on SWA (HOU-FLL and then FLL-NAS since SWA won't book a HOU-NAS). That'll allow me to catch the same flight as some friends going IAD-NAS
Jul 26, 2017, 6:26 pm
#1253
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: San Fransisco, CA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 172
Round trips ORD-NYC/HPN for Thanksgiving look ridiculous. At least $150 more than on AA, so I'm trying to decide whether to bite the bullet now so I don't get stuck with something even worse, or whether I should wait. (Alternative is to spend the same amount to do an ORD-PEK turn, but I have a feeling the family might not like that)
Jul 26, 2017, 6:42 pm
#1254
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,423
I'm confused.. I see $5xx for Wednesday out and Sunday home in Y. It's not dirt cheap but it's hardly crazy for being the busiest travel time of the year.
Jul 28, 2017, 2:03 am
#1255
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
Round trips ORD-NYC/HPN for Thanksgiving look ridiculous. At least $150 more than on AA, so I'm trying to decide whether to bite the bullet now so I don't get stuck with something even worse, or whether I should wait. (Alternative is to spend the same amount to do an ORD-PEK turn, but I have a feeling the family might not like that)
Jul 28, 2017, 2:04 pm
#1256
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,621
Probably worth biting the bullet now vs. wait. These travel dates rarely see discounts, and fill up anyway. I have seen a couple anomaly years where prices drop within the week prior to departure if several seats go unsold... but that's certainly not worth holding out for. My DEN-STL for Thanksgiving is rarely less than $500 r.t.... many times, I will just spill out some miles and save the $$, especially if it's over $600. Save the ORD-PEK for another time... besides, that bit of information belongs in the mileage run forums... I'm considering doing one of those on a quick turn (maybe with 3 days to check out the place) this fall.
On routes that I know the pricing on well I will often hang out and watch when the pricing is way out of line. I booked earlier this year a SFO-OGG that dropped over $400 from its initial early crazy price listing. The flight wasn't filling up and prices dropped, no surprise.
Jul 28, 2017, 6:33 pm
#1257
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Posts: 337
SFO-IAD over Thanksgiving is $280 outbound on Wednesday but $480 for the return on Monday. Drops down to $280 again on Tuesday. That's a hefty premium.
Aug 6, 2017, 8:21 pm
#1258
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,754
I have to fly from SFO to IAH, pick up the mother in law and continue to ELP.
Choosing SFO-ELP and forcing a layover in IAH is $1700. Ouch.
Booking it as one itinerary with four legs come in at a more reasonable $630 or so, but there is always a stop between SFO/IAH. Weird stops as well such as DFW,LAS,AUS and of course DEN. Without a layover on the first and fourth legs its back to $1700.
IAH to ELP is $290. Not good, not bad.
This is for flights on Sept 9 and return on the 13th.
For $300 United wants me to go to ELP stopping in first at LAX and then in DEN. 2 stops on each leg.
Choosing SFO-ELP and forcing a layover in IAH is $1700. Ouch.
Booking it as one itinerary with four legs come in at a more reasonable $630 or so, but there is always a stop between SFO/IAH. Weird stops as well such as DFW,LAS,AUS and of course DEN. Without a layover on the first and fourth legs its back to $1700.
IAH to ELP is $290. Not good, not bad.
This is for flights on Sept 9 and return on the 13th.
For $300 United wants me to go to ELP stopping in first at LAX and then in DEN. 2 stops on each leg.
Aug 6, 2017, 8:29 pm
#1259
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,423
Are you trying to price as two one-ways? A lot of the problem here is that any fare you're interested in paying on SFO-IAH requires a Saturday night stay (and round-trip). The cheapest one-way fare is an M fare over $600. UA likes their monopoly.
The connections are showing up with fare breaks in the connecting cities, but without more detail it's hard to guess exactly what you're trying to do.
The connections are showing up with fare breaks in the connecting cities, but without more detail it's hard to guess exactly what you're trying to do.
Aug 6, 2017, 8:55 pm
#1260
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,415
Having said that, where do you get four legs? Are you bringing your mother-in-law back to Houston? So, SFO-IAH-ELP-IAH-SFO? I'm not able to reproduce the fare that you're seeing. Which specific flights are you trying to book? Maybe there's an availability issue.