Airline tickets are ridiculously expensive

[vercetti2021]

My bestie got engaged to her girlfriend last week and their party is June 9th. Even with a month or so out. Don't think I can shell out almost 800 dollars for one round trip. These CEOs really just know how to bend us over due to "inflation" fucking greed. Sorry just felt like ranting that I'm gonna miss it because of this horseshit greed.

[Demsrule86]

1. Have you tried discount apps like priceline?

[vercetti2021]

4. Yep

Kayak, expedia as well. All of them are ridiculously expensive still. I feel sad that I can't afford it.

[Demsrule86]

5. I saw one to Atlanta for 178...round trip. I don't know where you are going so I can't really

look.

[vercetti2021]

7. Spokane

Where I'm heading

[jmowreader]

21. From where?

I live close to Spokane. Let me know where you’re coming from and dates

[vercetti2021]

30. Amarillo

June 8th til the 11th

[MineralMan]

39. Amarillo to Spokane?

Try big airport to big airport and do car rental. You should be able to save a bunch. Dallas/Seattle, for example. Many flights, cheaper tickets.

[jmowreader]

42. Do you mind...

...flying out a day earlier and coming back a day later?

I read the departures board at Amarillo airport's website and found that Southwest flies from there. They also fly into Spokane, so...

The cheapest thing you're going to get out of Southwest is to leave Amarillo on June 7 at 4:25 pm and arrive in Spokane at 12:35 am June 8. On Southwest's "Wanna Get Away" fare (which, apparently, means they're going to duct tape you to the wings...don't ask me about Southwest fare tiering, I almost always fly Alaska) that's $211 per person. My sister recommends the Ramada at the Spokane Airport - when she flies up here from Houston she always stays at the airport the night before her return trip (because the plane from Spokane leaves at 6am, and it's an hour from my house to the airport) and it's always at the Ramada.

Coming back from Spokane, you leave at 6:25 am June 12 and return to Amarillo at 1:30. On the duct tape fare, that's $318. Total fare $529. They don't fly to Amarillo on Saturdays. Apparently anyone who doesn't want to be in Amarillo badly enough to buy an airline ticket leaves Friday and returns Sunday.

The only SLIGHTLY cheaper fare I found was DFW to Spokane on Alaska Airlines, but the $31 per seat savings will be more than eaten up by driving to Dallas.

I don't think it's fuel prices that are driving the price of this ticket. I think it's that both Amarillo and Spokane are not overly popular destinations.

[vercetti2021]

43. Probably the only option I have

I don't mind long as I get there

[ripcord]

2. I don't fly public airlines

I will fly with friends in their planes but I won't put up with airlines and airports.

[vercetti2021]

3. I don't have friends like that

I mean that is extremely fortunate though

[meadowlander]

6. Yeah, the tickets I was looking at 2 months ago and didn't buy have doubled in price since then.

A lot of cancelled flights as well.

I think a lot of airlines were offering discounts to try to lure people back, noticed the demand and then jacked the prices.

[vercetti2021]

8. Wonder if the mask mandate being dropped also effected prices

Lot of Q bits and nutters gonna start flying again

[Native]

12. Exactly. All the flights I looked at 6 weeks ago have doubled in price.

[Ocelot II]

9. Having worked for a major airline, I learned a few things

about ticket pricing. One is that buying a ticket is more like an auction than a normal sale; airlines monitor each others' prices several times a day and adjust their own prices accordingly. What you pay on a Tuesday might be less than what you pay the following Thursday. Or more.

But the reason fares are expensive now is mainly on account of the cost of fuel. An airline's biggest expenses are fuel, labor, and aircraft leasing and maintenance. Regulatory compliance, e.g. crew and aircraft safety regulations, is enormously expensive - you can have a cheap airline or a safe one, but not both. An airline's profit margin is actually a lot smaller than that of many other industries, and even their executives aren't as obscenely overcompensated as many others. What you're seeing now isn't price gouging.

[Mr.Bill]

28. I found out years ago that airlines

negotiate fuel prices with vendors on a contract basis. They negotiate the prices down to a thousandth of a penny. Usually for 30, 60 or 90 days. Do they still do this?

If so, then their contracts could just now be beginning to expire and the new high prices kicking in. This would explain the lag. It would also mean they have been enjoying low prices from the old contracts. And who makes up the difference? You and I at the gas pump.

I read this in a corporate magazine that went out to Chevron franchisees. It's old info, and I don't know if it's still that way.

[Ocelot II]

29. As far as I know they still forward-contract for fuel.

They pretty much have to for planning purposes.

[Mr.Bill]

33. Yeah, with the amount of fuel they buy

they can't just wake up every morning wondering how much fuel will cost today.

Thanks for the response.

[Dial H For Hero]

10. Adjusted for inflation, airline tickets are only half what they were 40 years ago.

[jimfields33]

23. Yep. I don't understand how some think Airlines should lose money

It’s ridiculous. 400 to cross the country is incredible cheap. Back to the destination for another 400 is as cheap.

[Trailrider1951]

11. You might try Amtrak. They're having a 20% off sale for coach class travel, with no change fees

You can read about it here:

https://www.amtrak.com/promotions/book-early-save-20-percent-on-train-travel?intcmp=wsp_promo-card_link_national-saver_hpcard5

Scroll down to see fares between popular cities. For example, Los Angeles, CA to Seattle WA, $101; Philadelphia, PA to Miami, FL, $129;Chicago, IL to Washington, DC, $84.

These are "Saver" fares, and only a limited number of seats are offered at this price, so book early. This is for one-way fares, coach class travel. Sleepers are extra $$$. Food is pricey, but you can take food and drink (non-alcoholic) on board with you. Also, you can check 2 large bags and carry on 2 more for FREE. In many places, Amtrak offers free parking for travelers.

Coach class is quite comfortable, with wide seats and lots of leg room. The seat reclines quite a bit, so it's possible to sleep in your seat if you are traveling overnight. Read about it here:

https://www.amtrak.com/onboard/onboard-accommodations-for-all-your-needs/seating-accommodations/reserved-coach.html

Trains often run late, usually due to freight traffic congestion, so plan ahead and pack your patience. But it's usually a fun trip. After you take your seat and the Conductor scans your ticket, you are welcome to get up and walk around. The Sightseer Lounge, also called the Observation Car is a good place to relax, socialize, and purchase food and drink.

https://www.amtrak.com/onboard/meals-dining/cafe-car.html

And yes, I'm an Amtrak fan! All my trips have been fun, and it sure beats flying IMHO. Hope this helps!

[vercetti2021]

13. No Amtrak here

I live in a podunk city where we only have bus and air. No train

[Trailrider1951]

20. Awww, I'm sorry

It's too bad that Amtrak doesn't serve all those who want to ride. If we can keep the GD Repubs out of office perhaps Amtrak can expand to serve more Americans. Good luck!

[vercetti2021]

32. For real

But cant have nice things

[Trailrider1951]

36. Well, I just went on Amtrak.com to see if the train trip was doable

It is, if you can start from Albuquerque. Maybe take the bus there? Amtrak will take you from Alb (at 4:19 pm) to Los Angeles on the Southwest Chief with 1 overnight on the train. In LA, you transfer to northbound Coast Starlight at 10 am. Some of the scenery is spectacular as the train goes along the California coast for many miles. Another overnight on the train gets you to Portland at 3:40 pm where you catch the eastbound Empire Builder to arrive at Spokane around midnight. Cost for the ticket is $213, one way. Unfortunately, there is no direct route. I hope Secretary Pete can help change that.

[pstokely]

14. But still sometimes cheaper than Greyhound

Like last minute cross country flights

[brooklynite]

15. Fuel costs and post-COVID demand.

FWIW - when fares were low, everyone was complaining about poor service, and corporate greed.

[DFW]

16. Unless you are flying first or business, the service still sucks.

Sometimes even if you ARE flying first or business, the service sucks. Last year, my wife and I paid American Airlines $3600 apiece to go to the USA to get our vaccinations (Germany was a hopeless mess) and be in the USA for the birth of our U.S. based daughter's child. On the way back, American let us stew at the check-in counter for ninety minutes, and then told us we were too late for the flight. They had obviously overbooked, and didn't want to compensate us. They not only didn't give us a hotel room (booked us for the next day, lied about there being no more flights to Europe that day), they wouldn't even help us FIND a hotel. We have not set foot in an American Airlines plane since, and, if we can avoid it (no easy task if your job is headquartered in Dallas), never will again.

[mnhtnbb]

17. How many miles would it take

to get a round trip ticket on American? Do they fly from where you live?

I just returned last night from a trip and I've decided after one trip I have booked next month, I'm not flying again. I will drive or take the train.

But I do have over 25,000 award miles on American and I'm willing to give them to you for your ticket.

[vercetti2021]

18. I can't do that

I'm sorry I would feel absolutely awful for taking your points

[mnhtnbb]

19. I'm not going to use them.

My sons won't use them. I've been thinking about donating them anyway.

[ProfessorGAC]

24. I Donated A Ton Of Miles...

...to "Make A Wish". Did it right before I retired.
All major carriers honor those miles if donated to them and MAW does all the paperwork.
Although I regularly burned miles on coach to first (or biz to first) upgrades, I had enough frequent flyer miles on UAL to go to the moon.
And, a big number of AAL, because I flew them less often (especially domestic) so I wasn't burning them on upgrades.
What I'm not sure about, however, is how easy it is, or even possible, to transfer miles to another flyer. (I know my wife & I used Delta miles to but a coach ticket & upgrade to first in order to get to Key West. And, I used AAL miles to get 1st tickets for both of us to Miami. So, at least with a spouse, they're available. Not sure about a third party, unrelated to the miles holder.

[mnhtnbb]

25. AAL miles can be given to anybody else with a FF account.

It's easy to transfer miles to another account.

[ProfessorGAC]

26. Ah!

Did not know that.
That's more open minded than I thought they'd be.

[vercetti2021]

31. Wouldn't hurt to donate to a good cause

I really appreciate it

[vercetti2021]

35. About 3000 miles

1500 each way

[Marius25]

22. Yeah, I'm trying to plan a Europe trip in the fall, and prices are really high

[mnhtnbb]

27. Be sure to give yourself PLENTY of time for international/domestic connections

if you do.

I just came through Miami last night from the Caribbean. On a Wednesday night. It took a full hour--AFTER going through Immigration (45 minutes) and picking up checked luggage to drop it for next flight--to get through TSA security again. Lots of people were missing flights. I've done the same trip/same connections previously (before COVID) and it never took so long. If my plane coming in hadn't been 15 minutes early (actually 30, but we waited 15 minutes for a gate) I might have missed my flight. I had two full hours planned for my connection, and when I got to my connecting gate, the flight was boarding.

[llmart]

34. Well, no wonder you don't want to fly again.

That would do it for me also. I haven't flown since Covid started. I used to love to travel but it's turned into a nightmare, even before Covid. If I do take a trip this summer, I may just try Amtrak.

[mnhtnbb]

41. I've had it with flying.

This trip was my first since March 2020. Before COVID I was pretty fed up with flying. Delays, cancellations, hassles, just all around dislike of the process. I used to love traveling. Not any more. If I could get there by beaming up or clicking my heels three times, great. I wish we had fast trains like Europe, but I can handle the extra time it takes to get there by train. Bring a good book, look out the window, take a nap. It's so much more pleasant than flying.

I've ridden Amtrak from NC to DC and NYC. We rode the Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle in 2016, which was quite pleasant. I've ridden from NC to Charleston, SC, and that was much more relaxing than driving I-95. I almost booked the train for this trip next month, but didn't, because I would have needed one more day and the timing didn't work because of other plans.

[FakeNoose]

37. I wonder if it's a speculator's market now, just like concert tickets and such

I think people are buying up airline tickets way in advance that they have no intention of using. They're just planning to resell them at 2x or 3x the original price. That makes it really hurt for people in your situation. You can't pick a different weekend or a different destination.

[PJMcK]

38. Jet fuel costs have skyrocketed, if you'll pardon the pun

Flying commercial airlines sucks, I'll give you that.

[WarGamer]

40. I was shopping international travel for September... pretty good deals.

[Shrek]

44. I changed a reservation yesterday and got $295 back

The fare difference on the new date was substantially cheaper.