Jun 12, 2019, 9:11 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
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.
Archive thread
-- 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.
Archive thread
Consolidated "Why is this UA fare so expensive?" thread
Jun 12, 2023, 4:42 pm
#436
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They aren't interested in low-yielding one-way traffic from Japan.
They'd rather fill that seat with a round-trip traveler, but they're willing to sell it to someone who needs a one-way seat if push comes to shove. (I mean, sure, they'd rather sell only high-yielding, one-way fares, but they know that's not realistic).
They'd rather fill that seat with a round-trip traveler, but they're willing to sell it to someone who needs a one-way seat if push comes to shove. (I mean, sure, they'd rather sell only high-yielding, one-way fares, but they know that's not realistic).
I was on a one-way BKK-TYO-SFO (with a 2 day stopover in TYO) that cost $727. The same flight TYO-SFO without starting in BKK was over double that price.
Jun 12, 2023, 4:51 pm
#437
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That logic only works if they can actually fill it. My NRT-SFO yesterday had 14 people upgraded to business and 1 to PP on the day of flight (and how knows how many beforehand), plus at least 2 op-ups to PP (yay me!). And that's not including anyone that paid to upgrade on the day ($1200 to business, $300 to PP, and I know at least one person paid for a PP upgrade). That's a lot of premium cabin seats gone wanting that they could have sold to one-way travelers!
Jun 12, 2023, 9:20 pm
#438
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,115
Barring an extreme event that cannot be envisioned, structurally cheaper fares will only come back when the half-baked market deregulation is finally completed. Until then, Americans will continue to pay more than Asians or Europeans for air travel, and I'm taking the different income levels into account. The best way to achieve internal peace with this is to become a shareholder so you're no longer perpetually drawing the short straws.
Jun 13, 2023, 7:44 am
#439
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And as a result of these factors, every one of these big domestic airlines has become so big and so indispensable that they can count on us, the taxpayers, to bail them out when anything goes wrong, meaning there is room for risks and experiments (with fares, not implying safety here). But by now, they have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't.
Jun 13, 2023, 7:56 am
#440
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That logic only works if they can actually fill it. My NRT-SFO yesterday had 14 people upgraded to business and 1 to PP on the day of flight (and how knows how many beforehand), plus at least 2 op-ups to PP (yay me!). And that's not including anyone that paid to upgrade on the day ($1200 to business, $300 to PP, and I know at least one person paid for a PP upgrade). That's a lot of premium cabin seats gone wanting that they could have sold to one-way travelers!
I was on a one-way BKK-TYO-SFO (with a 2 day stopover in TYO) that cost $727. The same flight TYO-SFO without starting in BKK was over double that price.
I was on a one-way BKK-TYO-SFO (with a 2 day stopover in TYO) that cost $727. The same flight TYO-SFO without starting in BKK was over double that price.
Jun 13, 2023, 8:27 am
#441
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: UA Platinum
Posts: 76
NYTimes: Revenge Spending Helped Push Prices Higher. The Trend Is Turning.
After two years of spending heavily on vacations and other experiences that they were deprived of during pandemic lockdowns, Americans may be on the brink of pulling back — a cool-down that could help slow inflation.
The nation witnessed two years of red-hot “revenge spending,” the name economists and corporate executives gave to a spike in recreational spending and vacation splurging that followed coronavirus lockdowns. As demand rose, so did prices for airfares, hotels and other sought-after services.
But many of those price categories are now cooling. Hotel prices have recently climbed much more slowly on a year-over-year basis, and airfares fell in May, a report on Tuesday showed. If that trend continues this summer, it could contribute to a continuing slowdown in overall services inflation, something the Fed has been watching and waiting for.
The nation witnessed two years of red-hot “revenge spending,” the name economists and corporate executives gave to a spike in recreational spending and vacation splurging that followed coronavirus lockdowns. As demand rose, so did prices for airfares, hotels and other sought-after services.
But many of those price categories are now cooling. Hotel prices have recently climbed much more slowly on a year-over-year basis, and airfares fell in May, a report on Tuesday showed. If that trend continues this summer, it could contribute to a continuing slowdown in overall services inflation, something the Fed has been watching and waiting for.
Jun 13, 2023, 9:45 am
#443
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BOS seems to be a nice home of good TATL fares these days.. biggest issue is if you don't live there it seems like it's a pretty expensive domestic market to split through 
Jun 13, 2023, 10:17 am
#444
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Would appreciate it if someone could explain this.
Booking a SEA-BEY round trip 7/7, 7/18 in coach on UA.com - cheapest fare is Y at $6234,
Booking same flight same days through Google flights, it gives you the option to book at UA and get a B fare for $3703.
Booking a SEA-BEY round trip 7/7, 7/18 in coach on UA.com - cheapest fare is Y at $6234,
Booking same flight same days through Google flights, it gives you the option to book at UA and get a B fare for $3703.
Jun 13, 2023, 11:52 am
#445
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There's actually a cheaper option with Economy outbound and PE on return found on LH site.
Jun 13, 2023, 12:12 pm
#446
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Jun 13, 2023, 12:53 pm
#447
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I agree, and I will likely book on LH.com, but it doesn't explain why a flight search directly on UA.com won't show the LH fare, but the Google search that sends me to book on UA.com shows the lower LH fare. That is what puzzles me.
Jun 13, 2023, 12:58 pm
#448
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Not unusual for airlines to not show cheaper partner fare option when searching on their websites. Delta website does the same thing.
Jun 13, 2023, 12:59 pm
#449
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Yes, I have taken advantage of this frequently. Helps to have an office nearby that negates some of the risk of ticket splitting.
Jun 13, 2023, 1:41 pm
#450
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I understand why, when I do an original search on UA.com, that UA currently blocks the cheaper LH fare. What I don't understand is why, when I use Google flights and find the cheaper LH fare, and I click on the "book with United" link, it sends me back to UA.com and I now see the cheaper LH fare.