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]
#1306
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: In between IAD and DCA
Programs: UA Plat 1.1MM , Marriott Gold Elite, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,262
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear..._ALLIANCE;eo=c
Can someone tell me why the price difference is so big between booking with UA and LH? Can I call UA and tell them I see LH offering same flights at half the price and they'll book it for me at that price? This is ridiculous.
Can someone tell me why the price difference is so big between booking with UA and LH? Can I call UA and tell them I see LH offering same flights at half the price and they'll book it for me at that price? This is ridiculous.
#1307
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,351
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear..._ALLIANCE;eo=c
Can someone tell me why the price difference is so big between booking with UA and LH? Can I call UA and tell them I see LH offering same flights at half the price and they'll book it for me at that price? This is ridiculous.
Can someone tell me why the price difference is so big between booking with UA and LH? Can I call UA and tell them I see LH offering same flights at half the price and they'll book it for me at that price? This is ridiculous.
#1308
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,296
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear..._ALLIANCE;eo=c
Can someone tell me why the price difference is so big between booking with UA and LH? Can I call UA and tell them I see LH offering same flights at half the price and they'll book it for me at that price? This is ridiculous.
Can someone tell me why the price difference is so big between booking with UA and LH? Can I call UA and tell them I see LH offering same flights at half the price and they'll book it for me at that price? This is ridiculous.
You can try calling UA and feeding them the specific flight numbers from the LH itinerary, but if Google Flights doesn't show it booking at the cheaper price through UA, you probably can't get it.
#1309
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,324
Because LH1035 has K space but UA9323 does not (in this combination). This is basically LH messing with you, and UA can't do anything about it.
#1310
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Gold, DL GM, AS; Marriott and SPG Gold, Hyatt
Posts: 51
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear..._ALLIANCE;eo=c
Can someone tell me why the price difference is so big between booking with UA and LH? Can I call UA and tell them I see LH offering same flights at half the price and they'll book it for me at that price? This is ridiculous.
Can someone tell me why the price difference is so big between booking with UA and LH? Can I call UA and tell them I see LH offering same flights at half the price and they'll book it for me at that price? This is ridiculous.
#1311
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,296
The ticket UA is offering is a round-trip to CDG. I imagine what you're seeing with the LH fare is the doing the open jaw IAD-LHR and CDG-IAD plus a short segment in the middle from LHR to CDG. The short hop from LHR to CDG can only be plated on LH stock now (as an intra-Europe flight) so it's the only way to get this on a single ticket. UA will gladly sell you the IAD-LHR / CDG-IAD portion for just $673, however, if you really wanted to get that part on 016 stock.
UA is happy to sell the complete itinerary on 016 stock. It just costs more than ticketing through LH because the inventory for CDG-FRA is different native flight number vs. codeshare (S on the UA codeshare vs. K on the native LH flight).
#1312
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Gold, DL GM, AS; Marriott and SPG Gold, Hyatt
Posts: 51
Huh? You can't have a single ticket on more than one carrier's stock.
UA is happy to sell the complete itinerary on 016 stock. It just costs more than ticketing through LH because the inventory for CDG-FRA is different native flight number vs. codeshare (S on the UA codeshare vs. K on the native LH flight).
UA is happy to sell the complete itinerary on 016 stock. It just costs more than ticketing through LH because the inventory for CDG-FRA is different native flight number vs. codeshare (S on the UA codeshare vs. K on the native LH flight).
#1313
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,924
#1315
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,351
If I recall there were still fare class nuances to attend, although I don't remember ever being bitten by them as they can do now.
#1316
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,178
True, but at least they didn't depend upon ticket stock (except to the extent that codeshares make it difficult to figure out the prime booking class). Prior to the introduction of PQDs, nobody bothered trying to figure out how to get UA to ticket some complicated multi-carrier itinerary; they'd just book it wherever they could find it.
#1317
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,296
#1318
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: United MP 1K, SPG Gold
Posts: 186
I am looking for 2018 at a one way fare out of NRT to any of UA's hubs and the cheapest I find is around $ 5,000.00 in Y. DL and AA are between 750.00 and 1,000.00. Even DL PE fares are under 1,000.00. That's a big chunk of money. But compare that to a LAX-NRT one-way W fare for just
$ 500.00.
Go figure.
$ 500.00.
Go figure.
#1319
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Boston MA
Programs: UA 1K/1.5 million miler, SU Gold, JL Sapphire
Posts: 529
Just booked a ticket on united.com in J. BOS->PVG, then TYO->BOS.
Two low fares available, about $1,500 with United and Air China (via PEK), with TPAC on UA. Choose this fare, and return flight in J priced at $721!
Need Y instead on that itinerary? I saw $3K to PEK. And $1,500 out of TYO.
Now, I wanted to be smart and avoid PEK. I was willing to pay more ($1,800) to fly direct to PVG. But then, somehow, the $721 out of TYO disappeared. So, went back and booked through PEK (with 4 hours to transfer it should be OK).
The mysteries of ticket pricing are wonderous. I was willing to spend $300 more but United somehow preferred me to spend less.
Anyway, the finance folks at my company will be very happy.
#1320
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,178
Here is something I found really insane, even if it is the opposite situation.
Just booked a ticket on united.com in J. BOS->PVG, then TYO->BOS.
Two low fares available, about $1,500 with United and Air China (via PEK), with TPAC on UA. Choose this fare, and return flight in J priced at $721!
Need Y instead on that itinerary? I saw $3K to PEK. And $1,500 out of TYO.
Now, I wanted to be smart and avoid PEK. I was willing to pay more ($1,800) to fly direct to PVG. But then, somehow, the $721 out of TYO disappeared. So, went back and booked through PEK (with 4 hours to transfer it should be OK).
The mysteries of ticket pricing are wonderous. I was willing to spend $300 more but United somehow preferred me to spend less.
Anyway, the finance folks at my company will be very happy.
Just booked a ticket on united.com in J. BOS->PVG, then TYO->BOS.
Two low fares available, about $1,500 with United and Air China (via PEK), with TPAC on UA. Choose this fare, and return flight in J priced at $721!
Need Y instead on that itinerary? I saw $3K to PEK. And $1,500 out of TYO.
Now, I wanted to be smart and avoid PEK. I was willing to pay more ($1,800) to fly direct to PVG. But then, somehow, the $721 out of TYO disappeared. So, went back and booked through PEK (with 4 hours to transfer it should be OK).
The mysteries of ticket pricing are wonderous. I was willing to spend $300 more but United somehow preferred me to spend less.
Anyway, the finance folks at my company will be very happy.
That's why you can't book the PVG nonstop on the outbound and avoid PEK -- they haven't filed a sale fare to PVG. It's also why you would have to pay much more for Y; as soon as you flew Y in either direction, you'd need a J ticket to PVG instead of PEK, which bumped up the price.
That's a great price for that route, though. ^