Here’s how to game this ever-changing game.
Here’s how to game this ever-changing game.
JetBlue, whose premium-seat debut in June 2014 on the Transcon started the nosedive in premium fares (much like America West and TWA did back in the day), is now showing signs of being influenced by the
three major airlines—American, Delta, and United—that fly this route. Or, is it complacency born of success?
Either way, the fact is that JetBlue is adding restrictions and raising fares. (Since June 2014, its presence on the route sent Transcon fares spiraling downward.) It has imposed an advance-purchase requirement (30 days from/to LAX-JFK) on its lowest fare and raised the price on its walk-up fare again.
Review of Transcon Fare Changes
30-Day Advance-Purchase: Now required from/to LAX-JFK on JetBlue—just as American, Delta, and United do. Fares start at $1,196 round trip, which American, Delta, and United have matched; valid any day of the week, but a Saturday-night stay is still required on the major three. A three-day stay fare on these three carriers is about $450 more. JetBlue still has no minimum stay requirement, a huge plus for the business traveler.
[aside headline="American Airlines’ First Class Fare Drama" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]
The bigger story with American is First Class Transcon fares. On the Los Angeles-JFK route, it only charges $2 more than Business Class ($1,198 vs. $1,196) for travel on Saturday. Other days, the cost is about $430 more.
Missed the 30-day advance? AA is also offering $2 upgrades on every other advance purchase and walk-up fare on LAX-JFK. On San Francisco-JFK, the difference between Business and First is only $132. Upgrades cost about $100 for 21-day advance purchase fares and only $2 more for other advance-purchase and walk-up fares. It makes you wonder if AA is sorry that it kept its First Class cabin and might be thinking of eliminating it altogether, as FCF sees happening here.[/aside]
No Advance Purchase: JetBlue’s fare increased about $150, and now starts at $1,900 from LAX and $1,650 from San Francisco. Fares on American, Delta, United, and Virgin America start at $4,000. The difference is that Virgin America has no minimum-stay requirement, whereas the other three majors require a Saturday-night stay. If you can’t stay over on Saturday, the fare goes up $400.
When to Buy Which Airline
JetBlue is still the clear winner if you want a walk-up fare and a flat-bed seat: It has the lowest fares from LAX and SFO ($1,650 to $1,900 roundtrip). Thirty days out, consider American, Delta, or United, which charge $1,196 from LAX and SFO for travel any day of the week.
What’s next?
The wheels are turning slowly, but FCF believes more fare reductions are coming on higher priced tickets (purchased fewer than 30 days in advance) on American, Delta, and United. That’s especially true for walk-up fares on the major three that charge $4,000 for such tickets while JetBlue only charges $1,656 to $1,896. But also, look for JetBlue to start imposing more fare restrictions and increase walk-up fares a bit more, too.