Flexible fare is cheaper?
 

I've noticed this for a while...
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0a223c42f5.png

Not uncommon at all.

Believe there's a thread or two on this already.

Just yet another usual UA website screwup.

If you select the $1600 fare, on the next screen it'll change to $800. The only way to get the $1600 fare is to pick an ANA flight on the return.

But that $800 fare isn't really a flexible fare anyway - although obviously that depends on how you define flexible. It's a fairly standard condition ticket, with a $120 change fee (which as is being discussed in another thread around here somewhere, is what many Asian destinations have as the change fee now days).

"Flexible" in this context just means "refundable minus penalty".

UA's flight search is pretty broken, use Google Flights or ITA Software.

Wouldn't this kind of stuff (i.e displaying one fare, selling another - even though it is to the consumer's advantage) get UA fined by the DOT?

The "error" is corrected on the next screen where the actual fare is displayed. There's no deception.
Have to disagree with that. "Flexible" means refundable (typically with a penalty). There are lots of $120 change fee TPACs which are not refundable, and thus not flexible.

I agree it's a deceptive trade practice, but the DOT is pretty toothless about fare advertising since their "prosecutorial discretion" letter.

OP is doing a roundtrip search but only looking at outbound flight options. Until you go through and actually select outbound and return flight options, there is nothing to complain about. The price being displayed is a total roundtrip fare (not one-way) based on potential fares. It's not actually a full fare quote until you select all the flights. You will find that if you actually follow through and select the non-flexible fare outbound, you will still be given to select the cheaper flexible option for the cheaper price.

Would there actually be a legal issue with advertising 1600 and charging 800?

How is that different than advertising something for 100 and having a 20% discount applied at checkout? Is that deceptive?

Happens more often than you think and is not just a UA thing. I've seen AC several times sell a PY fare for less than one of their Tango Y (restrictive) fares.

From a fare basis perspective, it makes no sense to choose the Economy option, since the Economy (flex) is by definition more flexible than a restrictive S fare.

-James