What the %$&#$ happened to airfare prices this year?

[SampSon]

I think airfare prices have been too low lately. Flying isn't a luxury that should be afforded by everyone.
Airfare prices have gotten so low that people actually balk at the idea of paying more than $200 to fly somewhere.
Prices have gotten so low that now the greyhound travelling crowd and jump on plane anytime they want.

The best part is when people get upset about poor service, crowded airports, long delays, crowded flights, constant airline company screwups and minimal perks.

Ah yes, the benefits of cut-throat pricing.

 

[Skeeedunt]

Originally posted by: SampSon
I think airfare prices have been too low lately. Flying isn't a luxury that should be afforded by everyone.
Airfare prices have gotten so low that people actually balk at the idea of paying more than $200 to fly somewhere.
Prices have gotten so low that now the greyhound travelling crowd and jump on plane anytime they want.

It's astonishing what poor people have the gall to do these days. You should really fly first class to better isolate yourself from the riffraff.

 

[Farang]

Buying plane tickets is an art you have not mastered. External forces may take some of the blame, but it is mostly your own fault.

 

[davestar]

Originally posted by: Skeeedunt

Originally posted by: SampSon
I think airfare prices have been too low lately. Flying isn't a luxury that should be afforded by everyone.
Airfare prices have gotten so low that people actually balk at the idea of paying more than $200 to fly somewhere.
Prices have gotten so low that now the greyhound travelling crowd and jump on plane anytime they want.

It's astonishing what poor people have the gall to do these days. You should really fly first class to better isolate yourself from the riffraff.

so true. the worst thing we can do is allow those of limited means to travel and perhaps become more worldly. they should stick to their McDonalds, blue collar jobs, and American Idol.

 

[kranky]

It's "yield management". Airlines use complex formulas to determine ticket prices and they change daily based on competitor pricing, available seats, and a prediction of how many people will want to buy walk-up tickets at the last minute for full price.

With fewer planes flying now, they are nearly full all the time. As seats get sold, the remaining seats can command a higher price because the airline knows they are likely to be sold as well.

Chances are when you flew last year, there were more unsold seats on not just that plane, but also on other flights which people could have used.

That, and the oil prices.

Check to see prices from/to other nearby airports, you might be pleasantly surprised. We had a guy recently who flew to Providence, RI and took a limo to Boston and still came out hundreds ahead compared to flying into Boston directly.

 

[allisolm]

I swear there's just someone out there spinning a big wheel with prices on it, and wherever it happens to land - that's what you pay.

A few weeks ago my husband had to fly from Tallahassee to Phoenix at a moment's notice. Round trip fare $1400+. Yesterday he had to fly from Tallahassee to Chicago with that same moment's notice. Round trip $244. Both trips required plane changes in Atlanta but a round trip ticket to Atlanta from Tallahassee is currently $600 with the same notice. None of it makes much sense to me.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
jet fuel is made of......



people!!!!!!!!!!1111oneone

If it were, prices would be going down since the supply is going up so rapidly.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: mugs
I just checked Expedia, and the price of a ticket to Maui in January is about $100 less than what we paid last year. Thanks for reminding me though, I should probably book that ASAP.

We paid around $280 round trip to Honolulu from Portland in October. Price hasn't changed much in the last several years we've been going. The interisland flight was pretty cheap too.

 

[Leejai]

Not trying to get us off topic, but has 'business' dried up so bad in Tucson that you've now expanded to Boston CL?

 

[Linflas]

We booked a round trip flight for my mother in law Montreal to Washington Dulles and it was $93.00 each way and an additional $102.00 in fees and taxes.

 

[ultimatebob]

My round trip tickets from Virginia Beach to Connecticut over Christmas were only $250 with taxes and fees. That seems reasonable to me.

Book earlier next time... it helps!

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: FoBoT
jet fuel is made of......

people!!!!!!!!!!1111oneone

If it were, prices would be going down since the supply is going up so rapidly.

Hey.... if they can somehow promote corn based Ethanol as a practical bio fuel, anything is possible!

 

[Pepsei]

Originally posted by: Agentbolt
Last year, on this exact day, November 8th, Expedia.com spit out a ticket from Tucson to Boston, December 21st-26th, for 308 bucks. Seemed like a perfectly reasonable fare, and I didn't have to dig too deep to find it.

This year, I'm going to buy my yearly ticket home, and the LOWEST price out there is 650 bucks. Most of them are more like 750-800 bucks. Did I miss something here? Is there some market force that explains prices nearly tripling? Christ.

wow, i used to be able to fly to taiwan from dc for 800 bucks last year, it's about 1k now.

 

[UNCjigga]

Originally posted by: Pepsei

Originally posted by: Agentbolt
Last year, on this exact day, November 8th, Expedia.com spit out a ticket from Tucson to Boston, December 21st-26th, for 308 bucks. Seemed like a perfectly reasonable fare, and I didn't have to dig too deep to find it.

This year, I'm going to buy my yearly ticket home, and the LOWEST price out there is 650 bucks. Most of them are more like 750-800 bucks. Did I miss something here? Is there some market force that explains prices nearly tripling? Christ.

wow, i used to be able to fly to taiwan from dc for 800 bucks last year, it's about 1k now.

Damn, that's still cheap. I've spent $1k just to London before, but that was peak season and less than 2 weeks in advance.

 

[johnjbruin]

try kayak.com

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Agentbolt

Originally posted by: Parasitic
Well you did pick a complicated time to fly.

I know, but I picked a complicated time to fly last time too, and I didn't run into prices like this.

I didn't mean for this to turn into a "I'm helpless and can't handle my own airfare purchases SAVE ME ATOT!!!!ELEVEN" post but I appreciate the tips, I'll keep trying.

Compare that date and days from last year and what it means for new years.

Supply, demand.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: FoBoT
jet fuel is made of......



people!!!!!!!!!!1111oneone

If it were, prices would be going down since the supply is going up so rapidly.

It's not only renewable, but people do seriously enjoy the act of making more of this new fuel source. Calling all investors.....

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: allisolm
I swear there's just someone out there spinning a big wheel with prices on it, and wherever it happens to land - that's what you pay.

A few weeks ago my husband had to fly from Tallahassee to Phoenix at a moment's notice. Round trip fare $1400+. Yesterday he had to fly from Tallahassee to Chicago with that same moment's notice. Round trip $244. Both trips required plane changes in Atlanta but a round trip ticket to Atlanta from Tallahassee is currently $600 with the same notice. None of it makes much sense to me.

Probably a combination of:

-Increased amount of flights due to the holidays
-Currently booked seating (less seats left = pay more... because they know SOMEONE will.)
-The specific airports. Some are just more expensive for the airlines to lease space from
-The specific airline
-The specific aircraft available for these flights

 

[soydios]

I got $280 for a round-trip flight home from the east coast to the west coast and back for Christmas vacation on American Airlines, booked at the end of October. The prices went up to $450 round-trip effective November 1st. The early worm may be for the birds, but it's tasty, I tell you!

Spring break prices, on the other hand, make me a sad panda.

 

[Sinsear]

Originally posted by: Skeeedunt

Originally posted by: SampSon
I think airfare prices have been too low lately. Flying isn't a luxury that should be afforded by everyone.
Airfare prices have gotten so low that people actually balk at the idea of paying more than $200 to fly somewhere.
Prices have gotten so low that now the greyhound travelling crowd and jump on plane anytime they want.

It's astonishing what poor people have the gall to do these days. You should really fly first class to better isolate yourself from the riffraff.

:laugh: