Airlines are going premium. Prices are rising. Will cheap tickets be harder to find?

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Airlines are going premium. Prices are rising. Will cheap tickets be harder to find?

Over the last year, the average cost of a domestic U.S. flight increased more than 4% to $269 in November, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show. It is a trend line that is expected to continue as budget airlines stumble due to rising costs and a crowded field of competitors, while the...

www.spokesman.com

 

[dougp26364]

As I’ve aged, I’m afraid I’ve fallen into the premium category. 15 years ago, I was shopping for the cheapest ticket with reasonable departure, connection and arrival times.

 

[jp10558]

I think this just means less people will fly places. There's already people complaining about the hassle when it was "cheap", as it gets more expensive, it gets more appealing to drive where that's possible, or not travel as far.

And everyone would like a better experience, but there's a small group of people who will pay $1,600 a ticket to get to Cali from NY. And that's still cheap for up class - usually I see multiple thousands per ticket on less competitive routes. I might enjoy going to California, but I've also been there a few times, and if I'm dropping $2k on a ticket, I'd prefer seeing Asia or other parts of Europe TBH.

I do think this may also just be cyclical - though with fewer airlines I guess it's also possible that running smaller exclusive flights could also work, I'd still think there's always going to be someone trying whatever mass market they can make work. Government subsidies also vary - as prices rise out of average flyers budgets, I'd like to think subsidies might wane - but who really knows.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I think this just means less people will fly places. There's already people complaining about the hassle when it was "cheap", as it gets more expensive, it gets more appealing to drive where that's possible, or not travel as far.

And everyone would like a better experience, but there's a small group of people who will pay $1,600 a ticket to get to Cali from NY. And that's still cheap for up class - usually I see multiple thousands per ticket on less competitive routes. I might enjoy going to California, but I've also been there a few times, and if I'm dropping $2k on a ticket, I'd prefer seeing Asia or other parts of Europe TBH.

I do think this may also just be cyclical - though with fewer airlines I guess it's also possible that running smaller exclusive flights could also work, I'd still think there's always going to be someone trying whatever mass market they can make work. Government subsidies also vary - as prices rise out of average flyers budgets, I'd like to think subsidies might wane - but who really knows.

Strikes me as just real market forces at work. If discount airlines are struggling and finding it necessary to create pricing tiers, that points to too much capacity in the sector.

 

[Blues]

I do think this may also just be cyclical

Yep. People don't remember (or weren't alive) what prices were before deregulation. I moved from Chicago to San Francisco in 1976. Traveled back often. Throughout 1977-79, prices were consistently about $400 rt. I just looked it up on a CPI calculator, and that works out to about $2150 in today's dollars.

What we got for deregulation was much lower prices, and much, much lower service. Cattle-car class. Like Doug, I'm increasingly shopping for higher class, lower hassle tickets.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Yep. People don't remember (or weren't alive) what prices were before deregulation. I moved from Chicago to San Francisco in 1976. Traveled back often. Throughout 1977-79, prices were consistently about $400 rt. I just looked it up on a CPI calculator, and that works out to about $2150 in today's dollars.

What we got for deregulation was much lower prices, and much, much lower service. Cattle-car class. Like Doug, I'm increasingly shopping for higher class, lower hassle tickets.

~1970, when I was going to school in St. Louis, I could fly Braniff between STL and MSP. Student fare on Braniff was 2/3 price, guaranteed seat. Coach fare was around $100, so I was generally paying ~$65-$70 when I flew.

In 1973 I arrived in the Bay Area from St. Louis. PSA was operating exclusively within CA, and so fares were not regulated by the FAA. The distance from STL to MSP isn't much different from the distance between SFO and LAX. Fares on PSA between SFO and LAX were $19, with planes leaving every hour (every half hour in peak morning and evening). No reservations taken. The way to guarantee space on the plane was to buy a ticket. No reserved seats; first come, first served for seating.

I knew right away that was the impact of fare deregulation.

 

[pedro47]

I can remember paying $69 and $139 for a direct fly to Vegas.

 

[rapmarks]

I only fly one way to Wisconsin in may snd one way back in October but I spent $10000 last year flying my children and grands to see me and flying people when I ended up in the hospital who came to stay with me because they were afraid to leave me alone. I think a private caretaker for a month would have been cheaper

 

[Ken555]

I recently acquired my very first ticket with Frontier Airlines and opted for their "business bundle" option. This package provides a range of benefits that greatly improve the travel experience. Specifically, it includes two checked bags, a carry-on bag, and a seat situated at the front of the aircraft, which conveniently comes with a blocked middle seat for extra comfort. Furthermore, the bundle offers priority boarding, enabling me to settle in comfortably without the usual rush and chaos.

What's especially attractive is that this bundle is priced at only about $20 more than a standard economy fare on a traditional airline with only one checked bag. Considering the minimal price difference, I thought it was a simple choice to invest in the business bundle. I truly value the additional comfort provided by the blocked middle seat, as it contributes to a more spacious and enjoyable experience.

In addition, the option to check a second bag is beneficial. Since this journey represents the end of a 36-night adventure abroad, I expect to require additional luggage space for all my belongings and souvenirs. Overall, I feel that this decision enhances my travel experience, allowing me to concentrate more on enjoying my trip instead of worrying about baggage limitations or cramped seating.

I'm optimistic that my inaugural trip with Frontier will go well, especially given all the tales I’ve come across over the years. However, having experienced RyanAir, easyJet, EuroWings, Wizz, and others, I believe I’ll manage just fine.

There are occasions when I favor “basic economy” (particularly on airlines like American, where I receive a checked bag and boarding group 5 due to holding their credit card), and then there are times when I simply prefer to pay for additional service. I appreciate having options, and if the “low-cost” carriers continue to upgrade their services to compete with legacy airlines in innovative ways, I welcome these developments.

 

[jp10558]

What's especially attractive is that this bundle is priced at only about $20 more than a standard economy fare on a traditional airline with only one checked bag. Considering the minimal price difference, I thought it was a simple choic

Well, yes - if the upgrade bundle was $20 or $50 or maybe even $100 I could see paying it. The issue IME is upgrading at all tends to add $200 per ticket over most of the a la carte options for "Economy Plus" and to actually get more spacious seats you're looking at $700 or more per ticket. Examples in this thread are over $1,000 per ticket more. What's worse is it's more than doubling the price - you could realistically add another traveler or take another flight yourself for the difference. Far be it from me to tell anyone how to spend their money, but I do think that's a small percentage of the general public who find that deal to make sense for them.

What we've found that is even stranger is yes, United jacked their ticket prices up when we checked from Newark to San Deigo vs previous flights out west, but Alaska Airlines had similar to previous prices. The crazy thing is, at least as far as I can tell, is the flight is the same actual plane / flight - I think it's operated by Alaska for United or something.

 

[PcflEZFlng]

~1970, when I was going to school in St. Louis, I could fly Braniff between STL and MSP. Student fare on Braniff was 2/3 price, guaranteed seat. Coach fare was around $100, so I was generally paying ~$65-$70 when I flew.

In 1973 I arrived in the Bay Area from St. Louis. PSA was operating exclusively within CA, and so fares were not regulated by the FAA. The distance from STL to MSP isn't much different from the distance between SFO and LAX. Fares on PSA between SFO and LAX were $19, with planes leaving every hour (every half hour in peak morning and evening). No reservations taken. The way to guarantee space on the plane was to buy a ticket. No reserved seats; first come, first served for seating.

I knew right away that was the impact of fare deregulation.

My own (similar) memories. In 1976, I bought my first-ever plane ticket: RT $313 SAN-ATL coach. Had to drive to the airport, cash in hand, to pay for the paper ticket. That would be $1760 in 2024 dollars. Starting the next year, when I was in college in the Bay Area, I regularly flew home and back (between SJC and SAN) for about $70 on PSA (about $380 in today's $). The $19 fares were long gone by then, but I remember as a kid seeing PSA billboards in Los Angeles in the late 1960s advertising one-way fares to SFO for $13.

 

[beejaybee]

As I recall, ticket prices were high in the early 80s. @$500 r/t CLE-PDX!

Unlike doug, despite our age, we are flying cheap. We booked basic economy for r/t to BOS on AA, paying for seat purchase there but not back. We were seated together on both legs of the return flight since AA tries to seat basic fare companions together. Their baggage policy for basic includes a normal carryon. Because I have an AA affinity cc, we could each check a bag for "free" which we did on the way home. Friends with us who don't have an AA cc, had their bags checked through free of charge because by the time they boarded the overheads were filling fast.

For our March flights to LAX, we are booked r/t nonstop from CLE basic on UA for $100 less per ticket. (no red-eye!!). UA's policy is that affinity cc holders can check a bag; however, only the cc holder gets this privilege, and no normal carryon allowed! Clear statement to not expect to be seated together. We each have our own UA cc, so we purchased our tickets separately. I may pay the upcharge to select my seat for easy access to the lavatory.

Dreading our short flight from SOU to DUB this summer due to AerLIngus' draconian baggage rules! We will be flying that after a cruise to the chilly Norwegian fjords. I posted a query about my luggage worries on another forum and was lambasted by a frequent poster there for being so foolish as to book this flight when we could have flown from a London airport to DUB- yeah, sure, Ryanair. Be kind, Tuggers!

 

[sponger76]

Well, yes - if the upgrade bundle was $20 or $50 or maybe even $100 I could see paying it. The issue IME is upgrading at all tends to add $200 per ticket over most of the a la carte options for "Economy Plus" and to actually get more spacious seats you're looking at $700 or more per ticket. Examples in this thread are over $1,000 per ticket more. What's worse is it's more than doubling the price - you could realistically add another traveler or take another flight yourself for the difference. Far be it from me to tell anyone how to spend their money, but I do think that's a small percentage of the general public who find that deal to make sense for them.

What we've found that is even stranger is yes, United jacked their ticket prices up when we checked from Newark to San Deigo vs previous flights out west, but Alaska Airlines had similar to previous prices. The crazy thing is, at least as far as I can tell, is the flight is the same actual plane / flight - I think it's operated by Alaska for United or something.

AFAIK, United and Alaska don't have any code share agreements and haven't for at least a dozen years. Code-sharing is what it's called when one airline has the ability to use its own flight number to sell seats on certain flights that are actually operated by another airline. For example, United selling tickets for United flight 9999 from Newark to San Diego which is actually operated by Alaska as Alaska flight 5555 from Newark to San Diego. By the way, Alaska doesn't operate any nonstop flights between Newark and San Diego. Neither are hubs for them. Alaska would route you via one of their hubs, most likely Seattle, to fly between those two airports.

 

[jp10558]

AFAIK, United and Alaska don't have any code share agreements and haven't for at least a dozen years. Code-sharing is what it's called when one airline has the ability to use its own flight number to sell seats on certain flights that are actually operated by another airline. For example, United selling tickets for United flight 9999 from Newark to San Diego which is actually operated by Alaska as Alaska flight 5555 from Newark to San Diego. By the way, Alaska doesn't operate any nonstop flights between Newark and San Diego. Neither are hubs for them. Alaska would route you via one of their hubs, most likely Seattle, to fly between those two airports.

IDK, it was weird, cause I thought all that (and many other Alaska flights did have a layover), but we searched via various search engines and then booked direct with Alaska Air, and it was non-stop from Newark to San Diego and the times were exactly the same departure and arrival as a United flight that was otherwise 2x the ticket price. We got confirmation from Alaska. I hope we're not sadly surprised in March when we go to get on the plane. I figure at least booked via the Alaska site we can bitch to them in the worst case.

 

[dougp26364]

AFAIK, United and Alaska don't have any code share agreements and haven't for at least a dozen years. Code-sharing is what it's called when one airline has the ability to use its own flight number to sell seats on certain flights that are actually operated by another airline. For example, United selling tickets for United flight 9999 from Newark to San Diego which is actually operated by Alaska as Alaska flight 5555 from Newark to San Diego. By the way, Alaska doesn't operate any nonstop flights between Newark and San Diego. Neither are hubs for them. Alaska would route you via one of their hubs, most likely Seattle, to fly between those two airports.

Alaska might not have had a codeshare with United, but what about Hawaiian Airlines?

 

[sponger76]

Alaska might not have had a codeshare with United, but what about Hawaiian Airlines?

I know UA has sold tickets on HA-operated interisland flights on a code share basis; HA definitely doesn't fly between Newark and San Diego. If anything HA might sell seats on UA-operated flights on the mainland but not the other way around.