The Lowdown on EasyUp Fares (starting as low as $1,086)—and what airlines, gateways, and destinations could possibly have them over the next few months.
First a quick reminder as to what FCF considers an EasyUp Business Class fare (original report here): Simply put it’s an economy ticket with a built-in upgrade with fares so low that they make using miles for an award or upgrade unwise for many.
FCF has been closely analyzing and tracking EasyUp fare trends over the last three months (March 14 to June 14). Our research seeks to answer the following, common questions:
- Which airlines offer the extraordinarily low fares most often?
- What departure and destination cities are most likely to offer the fares?
- When are these fares most plentiful?
As it is often the case with EasyUp fares like these, the last half of March, April, and early May was a dry spell, at least to Europe. But then they came alive between May 9 and June 14. In that time FCF found 10 different occasions that EasyUp Business Class fares surfaced (starting as low as $1,086 from the West Coast—on four major airlines) .
Here’s what we know from analyzing our research:
Which Airlines Offer the Lowest Fares?
Four EasyUp fare promotions were offered by SkyTeam airlines (Air France, Alitalia, Delta, and KLM), and only one was offered by oneworld (American, British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia) and Star Alliance (Austrian, Brussels, Lufthansa, SWISS, and United). The remaining four were available on all three alliances. SkyTeam’s looked best, as it offered the most EasyUp fare promotions.
What Departure and Destination Cities have the Lowest Fare?
Very little logic here. Some fares were only available to one city (oneworld to London), some to only one country (Star Alliance to France). Again, SkyTeam looked best, offering these fares from many U.S. cities and to many European destinations.
EasyUp Fare Hub Monitor for 10 Fare Promotions: March 14 through June 14
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Takeaway: If you are a locked-in oneworld or Star Alliance elite (American and United, for example) your chances at getting Business Class fares that cost little more than coach are limited, meaning, you will have to be very flexible or pay a much higher fare.
Best Time to Travel?
Again, opportunities were inconsistent. Some fares were restricted to certain travel times (summer and holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas), while others were long-range (valid until the end of March 2017). One fare from oneworld even had no travel time restriction. If you can be flexible with your dates, then you have a better chance of getting an EasyUp fare.
EasyUp Fare Monitor for 10 Fare Promotions: March 14 through June 14
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[aside headline="EasyUp Fare Alerts to Europe Posted in FCF Newsroom Over the Last Two Months" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]
New Summer Business Class Fares to Europe Starting at $2,282 with Star Alliance
Five Low Summer Business Class Fares to Europe from Los Angeles Starting at $1,771 with SkyTeam
Four Low Summer Business Class Fares to Europe from New York Starting at $1,882 with SkyTeam
They’re Back: Summer Business Class Fares to Europe Starting at $1,665 with SkyTeam
Reminder: Summer Business Class Fares Found to Europe Starting at $1,664 with SkyTeam—Ends June 14
Summer Business Class Fares Found to Europe Starting at $1,707 with Skyteam
Business Class Fares to Europe Starting at $1,761 on American, British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia
New Business Class Fares Found to Europe Starting at $2,026 on Star Alliance
Special West Coast Business Class Fares Found to Europe Starting at $2,114—14 Airlines
New EasyUp Business Class Fares Found to Europe Starting at $1,932—Ends Tomorrow
New Holiday Business Class Fares Found to Europe Starting at $1,647—14 Airlines—Ends Tomorrow
Business Class Fares Found to London Starting at $2,143—Nine Airlines
New Business Class Fares Found to Europe from Charlotte Starting at $1,693—Four Airlines[/aside]
What’s the Catalyst?
A blend of different motives, some because the airlines know that at certain periods (Thanksgiving and Christmas) Business Class seats go begging. Some are directed on a competitor's hub, others because there's an unexpected slackness in Business Class sales.
Closer Look: SkyTeam Airlines
Air France, Alitalia, Delta, and KLM's EasyUp fares surfaced eight times over the last three months from over 50 U.S. cities. Almost every route qualified for EasyUp holiday fares, including all major SkyTeam hubs. Other EasyUp fares were offered from Delta hubs (Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle), but its other major U.S. hubs (Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Salt Lake City) were excluded about 90% of the time.
Special fares were offered to over 30 European destinations, but Delta partners’ international hubs in Europe, such as Paris (Air France) and Amsterdam (KLM), were omitted about 90% of the time. Rome (Alitalia) was not included about 75%.
Takeaway: If you fly Delta (elite or non-elite) and live in Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, or Salt Lake, plan on getting gouged, except over the holidays. Time to slip the headlock? On the other hand, SkyTeam is the most generous alliance in cities where is has to compete with the other two alliances.
Closer Look: Oneworld Airlines
FCF found EasyUp Fares six times over the last three months on American, British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia. They were available from all over the U.S., including three AA hub cities, Chicago, Miami, and New York. (Dallas only had them for the holidays.) Destinations included British Airways’ hub, London, 50% of the time. Almost every route qualified for EasyUp holiday fares, including all major oneworld hubs.
Takeaway: While American offers EasyUp fares less frequently, it caters to its prime customers more than SkyTeam, and especially to London and Madrid.
Closer Look: Star Alliance Airlines
Austrian, Brussels, Lufthansa, SWISS, and United released EasyUp fares on five dates over the last three months, with departures from all over the U.S., including major hubs, such as Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. United’s EasyUp fares are often seasonal (the holidays) or, at times, targeted against another alliance (as June 7, when the carrier had an EasyUp fare to France aimed at SkyTeam). Almost every route qualified for EasyUp holiday fares, including the major hubs.
Takeaway: United offers fewer EasyUp fares than American or Delta and to fewer destinations in Europe, except during the holidays, when the carrier opens the gates.
How I Fly
It’s how many others I know fly, too: I’m not married to one airline/alliance so I can jump on any deal I want. Yes, sometimes that might mean making a connection.
See the screenshot below showing two non-stop flights, one of which offers an EasyUp fare that is 52% less.
