Save $1,200 on Domestic First Class Travel
In a world of alliances and shared codes, in which bigger bird (Delta) swallows big bird (Northwest) and ex-flag carriers end up as strange bedfellows (Air France-KLM-Alitalia), it’s not hard to assume that “they all charge the same,” or that airline fares have become a case of Henry Ford’s idea of consumer choice: You can have any color as long as it’s black.You would be dead wrong.
FCF recently researched 800-plus domestic First Class fares to see whether consumer fare complacency was justified. We found that fare differences among the six major U.S. carriers on the same route can be as high as 60%. Here are some vivid examples:
• Flying from New York to Dallas on US Airways can save you as much as $1,222. Yes, there’s a connection in Charlotte, but Northwest and United, which charge higher fares, require connecting flights, too.
• From Atlanta to Washington, American Airlines charges almost 60% more ($1,161) than other airlines on the route.
• From Los Angeles to Honolulu, Hawaiian Airlines charges $1,534, a savings up to $470 over United.
Note: When traveling transcon from Los Angeles or San Francisco to New York, fly into Newark. You’ll save $400 or more on a First Class ticket.
While researching fares, we also came across a bit of information pertinent to Northwest customers who use the carrier’s website. To find the lowest First Class fare, you have to click on the “additional search options” box, then under “Cabin, Fare Class or Award Type” type “First Class” and “Coach Class H” or “ Coach Class M”.
Keep in mind that domestic First Class can require a seven- to 21-day advance purchase, depending on airline and route.
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