Different pricing/fare buckets depending on billing country / point of sale
#211
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,297
Just buy the flight on Expedia.... Dont see a problem.
Or use your AC points - oh wait, there you will actually get SCAMMED, since they charge fake taxes on transborder award bookings.
Or use your AC points - oh wait, there you will actually get SCAMMED, since they charge fake taxes on transborder award bookings.
#213
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 144
there are other booking sites through which you can book where you will pay the US-Dollar price (and can use your Canadian credit card). On the airline's site, it will change your location, not based on your credit card bank, but based on the billing address of your credit card. There isn't much you can do about that...
I am surprised that the price would be so dramatically different for the same flight - usually I see major price differences only based on the point of origin, not the currency or billing address. It's possible (but unlikely) that there is a promotion going on that excludes Canadian residents.
It may be worth calling united actually to point this out -- call the US number, have them quote the US price, then ask to pay with your card (don't even say that it's Canadian), and see if they also switch the price to CAD, or if they stay at the USD price that they quoted you - I suspect they won't switch the price. I'd think for LAX-YVR it should be reasonable to request the US-Dollar price since it originates in the US.
I agree with the other posters -- it's not "SCAMMING", it's either a pricing glitch that's unintentional, or some kind of promotional fare that isn't available to Canadian residents. Using this kind of hyperbole is not helpful, when the point is just to figure out what's going on and find a way around the problem.
I am surprised that the price would be so dramatically different for the same flight - usually I see major price differences only based on the point of origin, not the currency or billing address. It's possible (but unlikely) that there is a promotion going on that excludes Canadian residents.
It may be worth calling united actually to point this out -- call the US number, have them quote the US price, then ask to pay with your card (don't even say that it's Canadian), and see if they also switch the price to CAD, or if they stay at the USD price that they quoted you - I suspect they won't switch the price. I'd think for LAX-YVR it should be reasonable to request the US-Dollar price since it originates in the US.
I agree with the other posters -- it's not "SCAMMING", it's either a pricing glitch that's unintentional, or some kind of promotional fare that isn't available to Canadian residents. Using this kind of hyperbole is not helpful, when the point is just to figure out what's going on and find a way around the problem.
#214
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Programs: United, Bonvoy, NEXUS/GE, Amex Plat
Posts: 125
Just as a data point, I have both Canadian and American credit cards and I find that ex-YUL, a lot of my flights to Asia are cheaper when paying in CAD. Most recently I booked a fare to Singapore a few months ago for $1100 CAD when the price on the US website was $1050 USD
#215
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Same for flights from Canada to Hawaii. Pricing differentials really are market specific. I like the fact that United offers pricing options - to those who have credit cards in multiple currencies, unlike Delta where it's all in USD.
#216
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AC E50K, MM, BA, Delta, PriorityClub Platinum, Marriott Gold.
Posts: 468
It’s a scam whatever you wanna call it. I never noticed it on Air Canada. Even if it is, the diff was so small I didn’t notice. To charge me 179 for 99 is ridiculous.
Thanks for Expedia suggestion. Will try that.
Thanks for Expedia suggestion. Will try that.
Follow up. If I go and cancel the ticket (within 24hrs). Do the cheap seat rates get allocated back so I can rebook on Expedia right after or it’s not worth the risk? Current rate for same seat is $180 USD.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 2, 2019 at 10:17 am Reason: discuss the issue, not the poster(s); merging consecitive post my same member
#217
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
1. It is not a scam. It simply shows a complete lack of understanding of how air tickets are priced. Different markets = different prices. You can circumvent the pricing system by making it appear that you are buying in the US. If it were a huge issue for UA, UA could work to end that too, but doesn't bother because few people do it.
2. As to where your seats go if cancelled, they go back into inventory as a seat and are reassigned to a fare bucket by UA's RM/IM software based on the its calculations at that moment. There is no way you or anyone can predict what will happen to your seats if cancelled. This includes whether the seats are sold at all, e.g., the flight is overbooked and UA now wishes to reduce the oversale risk.
It is not a scam and a bit of research will show that pretty much every major international carrier sells at different prices in different markets.
2. As to where your seats go if cancelled, they go back into inventory as a seat and are reassigned to a fare bucket by UA's RM/IM software based on the its calculations at that moment. There is no way you or anyone can predict what will happen to your seats if cancelled. This includes whether the seats are sold at all, e.g., the flight is overbooked and UA now wishes to reduce the oversale risk.
It is not a scam and a bit of research will show that pretty much every major international carrier sells at different prices in different markets.
#218
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AC E50K, MM, BA, Delta, PriorityClub Platinum, Marriott Gold.
Posts: 468
It’s a scam if price diff is 50% or so. I’ve seen it before with 10-15% diff, NOT this high. I call it a scam, you guys are all ok with it. Fine. Call it normal.
I might just cancel and book American instead. This really pissed me off. I’ve done exactly the same flight with them and booked with my CC they didn’t change the price on me, same as AC.
I might just cancel and book American instead. This really pissed me off. I’ve done exactly the same flight with them and booked with my CC they didn’t change the price on me, same as AC.
#219
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAS, ZQN
Programs: UA PP (2MM), BA gold
Posts: 2,198
No, not defending UA or anyone. It is a fact of many, many web sites POS decides the pricing (which has it's own logic). I maintain 2 Hertz accounts and usually I can rent a car in the USA for less using my NZ account. This is not a new arrangement (or your perceived scam) but around for years.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 2, 2019 at 10:18 am Reason: quote updated to reflect Moderator edit
#221
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K; *G and *A Top 1000; HHonors Diamond; *$ Gold; Global Entry
Posts: 2,272
It’s a scam if price diff is 50% or so. I’ve seen it before with 10-15% diff, NOT this high. I call it a scam, you guys are all ok with it. Fine. Call it normal.
I might just cancel and book American instead. This really pissed me off. I’ve done exactly the same flight with them and booked with my CC they didn’t change the price on me, same as AC.
I might just cancel and book American instead. This really pissed me off. I’ve done exactly the same flight with them and booked with my CC they didn’t change the price on me, same as AC.
#222
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AC E50K, MM, BA, Delta, PriorityClub Platinum, Marriott Gold.
Posts: 468
#223
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,884
I've noticed this twice and it's outragous... when booking a flight LAX-YVR, the quoted price one way was $99 USD including taxes, I picked and went to pay, AS SOON as your credit card is Canadian, it changed the entire price to CAD, at a MUCH higher exchange rate and taxes, resulting in $99 USD = $179 CAD! How is that possible? In the taxes, they doubled the US transportation fee, other ones remained the same, BUT the actual ticket price shoot up in CAD.
How the heck does this work and how do I get around it? Has anyone else noticed it? Do you have to have a USD Credit card with US billing to avoid this scam?!
Thanks!
How the heck does this work and how do I get around it? Has anyone else noticed it? Do you have to have a USD Credit card with US billing to avoid this scam?!
Thanks!
And you’re a bit behind...checked bags were raised several for months ago for both. $30 USD/CAD for the 1st bag, $50 for the second.
And I don’t see anyone defending the practice UA uses, just explaining it. There’s a huge difference.
It’s a scam if price diff is 50% or so. I’ve seen it before with 10-15% diff, NOT this high. I call it a scam, you guys are all ok with it. Fine. Call it normal.
I might just cancel and book American instead. This really pissed me off. I’ve done exactly the same flight with them and booked with my CC they didn’t change the price on me, same as AC.
I might just cancel and book American instead. This really pissed me off. I’ve done exactly the same flight with them and booked with my CC they didn’t change the price on me, same as AC.
Example, I’ve had several instances of needing to book India-Thailand (or beyond) fares on TG. The Indian point of sale (via TGs website, or Indian OTAs) is always much cheaper than booking through a US point of sale (Orbitz, Expedia, United, etc.). Often half as much through India or less. so guess how I book?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 2, 2019 at 10:22 am Reason: quote updated to reflect Moderator edit
#224
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AC E50K, MM, BA, Delta, PriorityClub Platinum, Marriott Gold.
Posts: 468
I understand the point of sale. If I booked on India’s site vs. US site but the fact that United does it based i your CC and no one else does is the problem. Plus the diff in fare is ridiculous.
#225
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: 4éme
Posts: 12,026