Why are fares so freakin' high??????
Mar 22, 2007, 4:27 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 81
how about these prices, while not completely outrageous for this time of the year i seriously don't understand it.
Yesterday at about 6pm i looked for a roundtrip flt PHL-SJU for mid April, it was $320 at the time. I had some things to do so i came back to it at about 9-10pm and for the same dates and flts it was now $400, i then checked this morning at about 8am and it was up to $500, i then proceeded to check this afternoon at about noon and it was back down to $390.
Yesterday at about 6pm i looked for a roundtrip flt PHL-SJU for mid April, it was $320 at the time. I had some things to do so i came back to it at about 9-10pm and for the same dates and flts it was now $400, i then checked this morning at about 8am and it was up to $500, i then proceeded to check this afternoon at about noon and it was back down to $390.
Mar 22, 2007, 6:10 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Live: HVN -- Work: The World
Programs: DL - exPlat (now Gold) ; AB - Gold ; TK - Gold; BMI - exGold; US - exChairman ; UA-ex1K; NW-exGold
Posts: 1,248
This week, Friday: JFK-SFO & Sunday SJC-PVD = $796.21 on UA
Next week, Friday: BOS-SFO & Sunday OAK-PVD = $301.17 on UA
There is a sharp difference in pricing on these routes. I never thought about it until I read this thread and checked my receipts for both these flights.
Yikes!
Next week, Friday: BOS-SFO & Sunday OAK-PVD = $301.17 on UA
There is a sharp difference in pricing on these routes. I never thought about it until I read this thread and checked my receipts for both these flights.
Yikes!
Mar 22, 2007, 6:24 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 6,956
I checked PHX-AVP for that time period, and all pairs are pricing out at $600. But thanks for the suggestion.
Mar 22, 2007, 7:16 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: From: PWM
Programs: United GS, Fairmont Platinum,SPG LTPlat, Hilton Diamond, MarriottGold..like the rest of the world
Posts: 4,401
The dramatic uptick in route pricings on the US network hasn't been in transcons and SJU service ... it's been on the short haul legacy routes on the US East side.
Routes into cities like ROA, ILM, and TRI are through the roof with price increases over same time LY. A $400 transcon is priced correctly, a roundtrip flight on the east side of 500 miles r/t that prices out in the $500 range is priced incorrectly and makes it terribly difficult for most to believe that US is a newly incarnated LCC. Right.
Routes into cities like ROA, ILM, and TRI are through the roof with price increases over same time LY. A $400 transcon is priced correctly, a roundtrip flight on the east side of 500 miles r/t that prices out in the $500 range is priced incorrectly and makes it terribly difficult for most to believe that US is a newly incarnated LCC. Right.
Mar 22, 2007, 7:22 pm
#20
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: AA Platinum; US Gold; DL Silver
Posts: 941
I priced routes to and from Europe from San Francisco.
US wanted $1,000 for an LGW originating roundtrip -- versus about $800 for the UAL nonstop (coach).
They were also charging more for Domestic First --> Envoy connections to London roundtrip from SFO than Delta wanted for First --> BusinessElite connections through New York, ATL and CVG.
Nuts.
Are people actually paying more for Envoy than Delta BizElite? If so, who are these strange folks?
US wanted $1,000 for an LGW originating roundtrip -- versus about $800 for the UAL nonstop (coach).
They were also charging more for Domestic First --> Envoy connections to London roundtrip from SFO than Delta wanted for First --> BusinessElite connections through New York, ATL and CVG.
Nuts.
Are people actually paying more for Envoy than Delta BizElite? If so, who are these strange folks?
Mar 23, 2007, 10:03 am
#21
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Arizona USA
Programs: NetJets Marquis, Southwest Moo, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,652
My wife's great aunt passed away last week so there are many relatives flying in to PHX. Two sister-in-laws and one of their daughters checked US and were shocked to find pricing at $1,200 from somewhere in Ohio and $1,400 from SC 
The Ohio ladies flew WN and commented that the service was "a hundred times better than US!" and have committed to never fly US again. The daughter from SC ended up taking DL and she had nearly the same comment.
I couldn't believe the pricing, so rather than question them I quietly checked on my Treo and was shocked to see that they were right. Wow, I am no discount value flier, but even I wouldn't fly US when there is that much difference in price with no increased value of flying US.
The Ohio ladies flew WN and commented that the service was "a hundred times better than US!" and have committed to never fly US again. The daughter from SC ended up taking DL and she had nearly the same comment.
I couldn't believe the pricing, so rather than question them I quietly checked on my Treo and was shocked to see that they were right. Wow, I am no discount value flier, but even I wouldn't fly US when there is that much difference in price with no increased value of flying US.
Mar 23, 2007, 12:12 pm
#22
Join Date: May 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, former US1; IHG Spire Ambassador; AVIS First
Posts: 364
The short hops aren't much better. The DCA LGA Shuttle was $618 three weeks ago and DCA BNA via CLT was $632 all in, both on US. By comparison, the DL shuttle was $300 less, and direct flights between DCA and BNA were almost $400 less on AA. My assistant says that US has consistently been higher for the last couple of months.
At any rate, maybe it's time I try begging AA for a status match, and start flying AA out of DCA instead of US. I have no desire to travel all the way out to IAD, and I don't think CO, UA or DL offer as many nonstops out of DCA as US and AA.
At any rate, maybe it's time I try begging AA for a status match, and start flying AA out of DCA instead of US. I have no desire to travel all the way out to IAD, and I don't think CO, UA or DL offer as many nonstops out of DCA as US and AA.
Mar 23, 2007, 12:48 pm
#23
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: AVL
Programs: AA EXP ; Cunard Plat
Posts: 4,211
For most businessmen on work travel,
(1) Time is money. Non-stop saves time. Flying over to Europe, it's evening and sleep time anyway;
(2) Some would never, ever want to change planes in ATL if they can help it, even if the connecting transAtlantic flight is all champagne and caviar;
(3) As an example, the daily CLT - FRA nonstops are used heavily by the German execs who "commute" between home and their assignments in the Carolinas.
Mar 23, 2007, 1:28 pm
#24
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: AA Platinum; US Gold; DL Silver
Posts: 941
But the segments I was comparing were SFO --> LGW.
That's a connection on both US and DL.
Why would someone pay more -- a lot more -- to connect through PHL on Envoy versus through JFK, CVG, or ATL on Delta?
Someone booking an RT to London from San Francisco, after all, wouldn't be getting any time advantages one way or the other choosing either US or DL.
It seems to me that something's screwy with US's revenue management system, because just two weeks earlier, Envoy was pricing out at about 1/2 to 1/3 Delta prices (but showing up on the web site as "requested class not available" for whatever reason).
That's a connection on both US and DL.
Why would someone pay more -- a lot more -- to connect through PHL on Envoy versus through JFK, CVG, or ATL on Delta?
Someone booking an RT to London from San Francisco, after all, wouldn't be getting any time advantages one way or the other choosing either US or DL.
It seems to me that something's screwy with US's revenue management system, because just two weeks earlier, Envoy was pricing out at about 1/2 to 1/3 Delta prices (but showing up on the web site as "requested class not available" for whatever reason).
Mar 23, 2007, 9:10 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: AVL
Programs: AA EXP ; Cunard Plat
Posts: 4,211
Travelocity prices:
US 3,062 all-in via PHL
NW 4,743 via MSP
AA 5,059 via DFW
CO 5,062 via EWR
Travelocity is not giving a DL fare quote, but Orbitz prices
DL 6,268 all-in via ATL
and Delta.com prices 5,987.25
At today's prices, flying DL SFO-LGW is not the bargain it may have been a few days ago....
Apr 11, 2007, 4:22 am
#26
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,819
The short hops aren't much better. The DCA LGA Shuttle was $618 three weeks ago and DCA BNA via CLT was $632 all in, both on US. By comparison, the DL shuttle was $300 less, and direct flights between DCA and BNA were almost $400 less on AA. My assistant says that US has consistently been higher for the last couple of months.
At any rate, maybe it's time I try begging AA for a status match, and start flying AA out of DCA instead of US. I have no desire to travel all the way out to IAD, and I don't think CO, UA or DL offer as many nonstops out of DCA as US and AA.
At any rate, maybe it's time I try begging AA for a status match, and start flying AA out of DCA instead of US. I have no desire to travel all the way out to IAD, and I don't think CO, UA or DL offer as many nonstops out of DCA as US and AA.
DCA-SLC was pricing out at over $700 for travel during the first week of April. I booked United instead for $433.
BWI-SAN is pricing out at over $500 for travel during the first week of June. NW and Continental are all below $250. Honestly, I'm probably going to bite the bullet and book Southwest which is 1) non-stop and 2) over $250 cheaper per ticket - saving me over $1,000 for four tickets.
Sorry, not worth 5,200 miles....
Apr 11, 2007, 5:22 am
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PHL-adjacent
Programs: AA Executive Platinum (but always US in my heart), HH Diamond
Posts: 3,346
OP here again....So I am flying PHL-LAX tomorrow and I was amused that the price for that flight was under $300. My return flight, in fact, was a mere $94...Puh. I guess I will just stop trying to figure out US and simply enjoy my amusingly low fares (on occasion, that is) and my seemingly frequent upgrades. ^
Apr 11, 2007, 7:23 am
#28
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: DC|NYC
Programs: UA GS, DL Plat, Marriott Bonvoy LIfetime Titanium/SPG refugee, Hertz Prez, Amtrak Select
Posts: 3,201