Domestic RT cheaper than 2xOW
Dec 7, 2021, 10:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA Gold, SPG Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 991
Domestic RT cheaper than 2xOW
I thought that domestic tickets priced out the same 2 x one way versus roundtrip. Has this changed?
SAN-SFO $69 each way or $138 purchased as two one waysSAN-SFO $114 round trip
Economy (not basic economy).
SAN-SFO $69 each way or $138 purchased as two one waysSAN-SFO $114 round trip
Economy (not basic economy).
Dec 7, 2021, 10:45 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,043
The old becomes new again.
Dec 7, 2021, 10:47 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Posts: 4,914
Dec 7, 2021, 11:49 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Total Wine & More Reserve
Posts: 4,502
Found this searching around on ITA, although it expired today.
United (UA) GRK2AQEX SFO to SAN
General notes
2ND LEVEL ECONOMY RESTRICTED FARES G
APPLIES FOR ROUND TRIP FARES
FOR ADULT
Category 2: Day/Time restrictions
PERMITTED TUE/WED/SAT.
Category 11: Blackout Dates
TRAVEL IS NOT PERMITTED 18FEB 22 THROUGH 28FEB 22.
Category 14: Travel restrictions
VALID FOR TRAVEL COMMENCING ON EACH TRIP ON/AFTER
05JAN 22. TRAVEL ON THIS FARE COMPONENT MUST COMMENCE BY
1158PM ON 09MAR 22.
Category 15: Sales restrictions
TICKETS MUST BE ISSUED ON/BEFORE 07DEC 21.
United (UA) GRK2AQEX SFO to SAN
General notes
2ND LEVEL ECONOMY RESTRICTED FARES G
APPLIES FOR ROUND TRIP FARES
FOR ADULT
Category 2: Day/Time restrictions
PERMITTED TUE/WED/SAT.
Category 11: Blackout Dates
TRAVEL IS NOT PERMITTED 18FEB 22 THROUGH 28FEB 22.
Category 14: Travel restrictions
VALID FOR TRAVEL COMMENCING ON EACH TRIP ON/AFTER
05JAN 22. TRAVEL ON THIS FARE COMPONENT MUST COMMENCE BY
1158PM ON 09MAR 22.
Category 15: Sales restrictions
TICKETS MUST BE ISSUED ON/BEFORE 07DEC 21.
Dec 8, 2021, 2:49 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,052
I found that with a backdated search on EF (it was created on 12/6 and pulled on 12/7). But there was actually a duplicate one-way fare with same price -- GAK2AQBS. Note the "OW-ECONOMY" designation.
This is what a fare with a roundtrip booking requirement will look like (SFO-SGU example). There is no matching one-way for this. In short, the legacies all still have domestic roundtrip fares out there. But they are basically limited to routes where there is little or no LCC competition. If you live in a metro area with a lot Southwest/Alaska/JetBlue service (who only have one-ways), you will rarely encounter them as the legacies will match their fares. A counter-example is DTW (with limited LCC non-stop service), which has numerous domestic roundtrip fares on DL due to lack of compeition. The fare differentials are generally not all that great these days so they are not that noticeable when pricing out fares.
V FARE BASIS BK FARE TRAVEL-TICKET AP MINMAX RTG
1 GAK2AQBS N‡X 34.00 E05JA T07DE 21/1 -/ - 595
R09MR
PASSENGER TYPE-ADT AUTO PRICE-YES
FROM-SFO TO-SAN CXR-UA TVL-02FEB22 RULE-BSQ1 DFR/11
FARE BASIS-GAK2AQBS SPECIAL FARE DIS-N VENDOR-ATP
FARE TYPE-EOU OW-ECONOMY OW UNBUNDLED
USD 31.63 0595 E05JAN22 D09MAR22 FC-GAK2AQBS FN-GB
SYSTEM DATES - CREATED 06DEC21/1913 EXPIRES INFINITY
PUBLISHED RTG SFO-SAN/UA595 /TAR-DRG1 EF-06DEC21 DIS-INDEF
MAP CONSTRUCTED LEFT TO RIGHT AND RIGHT TO LEFT
1. SFO-LAX-SAN
.
1 GAK2AQBS N‡X 34.00 E05JA T07DE 21/1 -/ - 595
R09MR
PASSENGER TYPE-ADT AUTO PRICE-YES
FROM-SFO TO-SAN CXR-UA TVL-02FEB22 RULE-BSQ1 DFR/11
FARE BASIS-GAK2AQBS SPECIAL FARE DIS-N VENDOR-ATP
FARE TYPE-EOU OW-ECONOMY OW UNBUNDLED
USD 31.63 0595 E05JAN22 D09MAR22 FC-GAK2AQBS FN-GB
SYSTEM DATES - CREATED 06DEC21/1913 EXPIRES INFINITY
PUBLISHED RTG SFO-SAN/UA595 /TAR-DRG1 EF-06DEC21 DIS-INDEF
MAP CONSTRUCTED LEFT TO RIGHT AND RIGHT TO LEFT
1. SFO-LAX-SAN
.
V FARE BASIS BK FARE TRAVEL-TICKET AP MINMAX RTG
1 TRK2AFEN T R 172.00 ---- 21/1 -/ - 578
PASSENGER TYPE-ADT AUTO PRICE-YES
FROM-SFO TO-SGU CXR-UA TVL-02FEB22 RULE-ECF2 DFR/11
FARE BASIS-TRK2AFEN SPECIAL FARE DIS-E VENDOR-ATP
FARE TYPE-XRN RT-RT INSTANT PURCHASE NONREF
USD 160.00 0578 E23JUL18 D-INFINITY FC-TRK2AFEN FN-L
SYSTEM DATES - CREATED 07OCT21/0958 EXPIRES INFINITY
PUBLISHED RTG SFO-SGU/UA578 /TAR-DRG1 EF-07OCT21 DIS-INDEF
MAP CONSTRUCTED LEFT TO RIGHT AND RIGHT TO LEFT
1. SFO-DEN-SGU
.
1 TRK2AFEN T R 172.00 ---- 21/1 -/ - 578
PASSENGER TYPE-ADT AUTO PRICE-YES
FROM-SFO TO-SGU CXR-UA TVL-02FEB22 RULE-ECF2 DFR/11
FARE BASIS-TRK2AFEN SPECIAL FARE DIS-E VENDOR-ATP
FARE TYPE-XRN RT-RT INSTANT PURCHASE NONREF
USD 160.00 0578 E23JUL18 D-INFINITY FC-TRK2AFEN FN-L
SYSTEM DATES - CREATED 07OCT21/0958 EXPIRES INFINITY
PUBLISHED RTG SFO-SGU/UA578 /TAR-DRG1 EF-07OCT21 DIS-INDEF
MAP CONSTRUCTED LEFT TO RIGHT AND RIGHT TO LEFT
1. SFO-DEN-SGU
.
Last edited by xliioper; Dec 8, 2021 at 3:11 am
Dec 8, 2021, 3:01 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,115
GRK2AQEX is a United Economy RT fare with zero differential to the lowest Basic Economy RT fare. The difference is that the Basic Economy RT fare is based on a Basic Economy OW fare - GAK2AQBS - that is used to create an RT journey aka "2xOW," while the United Economy RT fare is a true RT fare that is not based on an OW fare.
As a result, Basic Economy can also use their OW fare for an OW journey, while United Economy cannot use their true RT fare for an OW journey, although it can be used on a half round trip basis. The lowest United Economy OW fare is only filed in the next higher fare class and is priced at a differential to another Basic Economy OW fare in the same fare class.
It's not a duplicate - it's the same OW fare, but used to create an RT journey.
As a result, Basic Economy can also use their OW fare for an OW journey, while United Economy cannot use their true RT fare for an OW journey, although it can be used on a half round trip basis. The lowest United Economy OW fare is only filed in the next higher fare class and is priced at a differential to another Basic Economy OW fare in the same fare class.
It's not a duplicate - it's the same OW fare, but used to create an RT journey.
Last edited by mozilla; Dec 8, 2021 at 4:37 am
Dec 8, 2021, 8:58 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,410
The -EX/-ER fare type is a half-round-trip in normal Economy priced the same as Basic which must be used in combination with a non-differentialed Economy class fare (-EN/-EM/-ES/-EZ/ etc. type) and can't be used with a Basic or matched Economy (-DN/-DM/-DS/-DZ type) fare. It rewards you with a lower fare basis if you have to pay more on the other direction.
The base answer to the OP, however, is that nothing has changed. UA has never used exclusively one-way fares in all domestic markets.
The base answer to the OP, however, is that nothing has changed. UA has never used exclusively one-way fares in all domestic markets.
Dec 8, 2021, 9:36 am
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,452