United's May 2014 Price Hike
May 10, 2014, 10:45 am
#46
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Programs: Hyatt LT Globalist, Marriot LT Titanium, UA 2.4MM, HH Gold, AS MVPG
Posts: 3,400
The SFO to Hawaii pricing on UA is one of my biggest annoyances and probably the most consistent market where I purchase non-UA flights.
May 10, 2014, 11:04 am
#47
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
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Posts: 3,400
Ok May have to quote and correct myself. Looks like UA has loaded some cheap one ways and even reasonable F on the non stops. Currently only out to early August. If that sticks I may buy UA on these routes again.
May 10, 2014, 1:01 pm
#48
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: UA MileagePlus 2MM
Posts: 1,567
Definitely some high fares out there. Glad I got a combo W/V fare to Singapore in July all in for $1750 - and 22000 PQM's! Then I need a ticket to go to Montreal and it will cost $700 for 1,000 PQM's lol…airfares have always had a logic all their own 
May 10, 2014, 1:09 pm
#49
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: HA Pualani Platinum, FPC Premier, HHonors Gold, BA Bronze
Posts: 85
In my other thread, I mentioned UA price hiking a fare I was looking into. It went from a P BF fare to a Z BF fare - $3155 to $5555. I found on OTA and *A sites pricing the P-fare for the same flight. So I called united reservations and was quoted the P-fare. They seem to be doing this to their website only. If you can find other available fairs on OTA or *A sites, give UA a call or book on the *A sites as codeshares
May 10, 2014, 5:08 pm
#50
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: PDX/HIO
Programs: AS MVPG; Hertz Pres; Tanquery Million Minier
Posts: 375
I've noticed that on some of the routes I'm looking at for the summer it's not just a matter of no availability in the cheaper buckets. PDX-xxx-CLE in early Aug is pricing out at $602 r/t in K fares. ~$260+tax each way seems pretty steep for a K fare. Of course this also does a great job defeating the multi-destination pricing, which might or might not be intentional.
May 10, 2014, 11:33 pm
#51
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 5,001
IAD and Other East Coast Hubs to NRT
I fly to NRT, in the exact same weeks, for trade shows 2-3 times per year and have been doing so for 22+ years.
The fares (W+) for the same weeks (in and out on the same days of the week) for 2014 are up 15-20% over 2013.
My flights to SNA on the same dates as last year are up around 25% from 2013 (cheapest fare available).
The fares (W+) for the same weeks (in and out on the same days of the week) for 2014 are up 15-20% over 2013.
My flights to SNA on the same dates as last year are up around 25% from 2013 (cheapest fare available).
Last edited by zombietooth; May 21, 2014 at 7:38 pm
May 10, 2014, 11:55 pm
#52
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
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I fly to NRT, in the exact same weeks, for trade shows 2-3 times per year and have been doing so for 22+ years.
The fares (W+) for the same weeks (in and out on the same days of the week) for 2014 are up 15-20% over 2013.
My flights to SNA on the same dates as last year are up around 25% from 2013 (cheapest fare available).
The fares (W+) for the same weeks (in and out on the same days of the week) for 2014 are up 15-20% over 2013.
My flights to SNA on the same dates as last year are up around 25% from 2013 (cheapest fare available).
Interestingly, routed as an OJ SFO-HKG/NRT-SFO, it drops to $1440.
May 11, 2014, 12:05 am
#53
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
I tried to get BOS-ORD-PVG-ORD-BOS W fare.
It doesn't exist: for 90%+ of days during 11 month period.
When all buckets showing 9's, UA is willing to offer S,T,L,K,V,Q, but not W.
The best I can find is V.
May 11, 2014, 12:22 am
#54
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
It's all arbitrary - the fact that it was a V fare doesn't mean that you "paid more" than in the alternative thought-world where UA was offering a W fare.
May 11, 2014, 1:09 am
#55
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May 11, 2014, 4:24 am
#56
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It has been discussed in a number of places, United said on the 4Q 2013 and the 1Q 2014 call that they had changed their RM approach and were going to "hold back" more seats for later sale, hoping to get a premium. They do this by selling less up front for discounted prices. So the decission in intentional.
This has been widely announced (see e.g. today's presentation at the B of A conference): http://ir.unitedcontinentalholdings....&p=irol-IRHome (under presentations tab).
As I have noted before Delta tried this strategy in 1Q 2013 and fell on their face, said they got "too aggressive" and it cut yields. Delta underperformed in 2Q 2013 (compared to what is has done the last few years) when the bad results of this strategy were felt.
I think its a real mistake, given United's reputation, to be doing this as I think they will end up with many unsold seats and no new HVF traffic will show up. Time will tell.
But it is informative that the first quarter where this stratagy was partially in play (1Q 2014) United got killed, and for 2Q they are only projecting PRASM of +1-3%, while DAL is saying they will hit PRASM of more like +6-7% in May/June.
This has been widely announced (see e.g. today's presentation at the B of A conference): http://ir.unitedcontinentalholdings....&p=irol-IRHome (under presentations tab).
As I have noted before Delta tried this strategy in 1Q 2013 and fell on their face, said they got "too aggressive" and it cut yields. Delta underperformed in 2Q 2013 (compared to what is has done the last few years) when the bad results of this strategy were felt.
I think its a real mistake, given United's reputation, to be doing this as I think they will end up with many unsold seats and no new HVF traffic will show up. Time will tell.
But it is informative that the first quarter where this stratagy was partially in play (1Q 2014) United got killed, and for 2Q they are only projecting PRASM of +1-3%, while DAL is saying they will hit PRASM of more like +6-7% in May/June.
May 11, 2014, 4:41 am
#57
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,616
I fly to NRT, in the exact same weeks, for trade shows 2-3 times per year and have been doing so for 22+ years.
The fares (W+) for the same weeks (in and out on the same days of the week) for 2014 are up 15-20% over 2013.
My flights to SNA on the same dates as last year are up around 25% from 2013 (cheapest fare available).
The fares (W+) for the same weeks (in and out on the same days of the week) for 2014 are up 15-20% over 2013.
My flights to SNA on the same dates as last year are up around 25% from 2013 (cheapest fare available).
To be fair to UA, all of the airlines seem to be gouging this summer.
May 11, 2014, 5:01 am
#58
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: UA PP, AA, DL, BA, CX, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 2,002
I can't speak to the other routes, but for NYC-LAS, it seems the price hike has been rolled back, at least for the march/April 2015 dates I've been searching
Before UA was quoting insanely high $400 one way. Now a much more reasonable $261 in T.
ps : I chose a $477 T-UP fare that books into P instead .... jeffy wins again
Before UA was quoting insanely high $400 one way. Now a much more reasonable $261 in T.
ps : I chose a $477 T-UP fare that books into P instead .... jeffy wins again
Last edited by 787fan; May 11, 2014 at 6:57 am
May 11, 2014, 8:09 am
#59
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: ROC/NYC/MSP/LAX/HKG/SIN
Posts: 3,214
United's May 2014 Price Hike
Good thread. Been watching a couple of trips for myself. Very fortunately fares are still reasonable:
Pulled the trigger for BUF-SEA late afternoon on Jun 27 two weeks ago, $233 T fare per person. No N, G, even if the flights aren't that full...ROC-SEA was awfully expensive($350 one-way W/V fare, lowest seen at $329 in UA). P is $550, which is very reasonable but with my SO traveling, we are shooting for the CPU.
Looking at SEA-ROC on Jun 28/29, ROC-SEA-MSP on July 11-13, awfully expensive!
LHR/FRA-LAX-
BA/AA/US: $1300-$2k
DL: $2k
UA: $4k @@"
NYC-HKG/SIN RT late Aug-Early Sept
So competitive that UA has to match all the Asian Carriers
HKG-SIN RT at all times
They even have to match JetStar's fare to fill up the 777...
Fares out of ROC/BUF have been pretty reasonable lately, except a couple of weekends that just didn't make sense at all. I will slow down a bit after mid July, so it helps to avoid ridiculous peak fares...
Pulled the trigger for BUF-SEA late afternoon on Jun 27 two weeks ago, $233 T fare per person. No N, G, even if the flights aren't that full...ROC-SEA was awfully expensive($350 one-way W/V fare, lowest seen at $329 in UA). P is $550, which is very reasonable but with my SO traveling, we are shooting for the CPU.
Looking at SEA-ROC on Jun 28/29, ROC-SEA-MSP on July 11-13, awfully expensive!
LHR/FRA-LAX-
BA/AA/US: $1300-$2k
DL: $2k
UA: $4k @@"
NYC-HKG/SIN RT late Aug-Early Sept
So competitive that UA has to match all the Asian Carriers
HKG-SIN RT at all times
They even have to match JetStar's fare to fill up the 777...
Fares out of ROC/BUF have been pretty reasonable lately, except a couple of weekends that just didn't make sense at all. I will slow down a bit after mid July, so it helps to avoid ridiculous peak fares...
Last edited by PaulInTheSky; May 11, 2014 at 8:27 am
May 11, 2014, 9:24 am
#60
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 5,001
I fly IAD-SFO 4 times a year, and have done so every year for the past 10 years. I always purchase at least 30 days out, and I was always able to find sub $500 fares. Now? A W fare for $665 is the cheapest.
To be fair to UA, all of the airlines seem to be gouging this summer.
To be fair to UA, all of the airlines seem to be gouging this summer.