The blue carrier is no longer driving down fares on the Transcon—but Delta has a little-known work-around to book for much less on short notice trips.
JetBlue changed the Transcon market when it launched Mint, on its New York-Los Angeles/San Francisco service, in 2014. It undercut the majors (American, Delta, and United) by up to 54% in Business Class and it offered comparable, if not better, lie-flat seats. It was an Indie and FCF gives it a Gold Star for its performance.
Now the majors have lie-flat seats, too, and now JetBlue is acting like them—by raising fares. So the three major carriers have a new wingman. Still a bit pesky, but no longer a plague.
Now JetBlue's lowest fares come with a 30-day advance purchase requirement (long the norm at the big three), and Business Class costs $1,300 to $1,700 (I class, which is very hard to find), depending on the advance purchase requirement and availability, an increase of $100 to $400. No-advance D class fares, which offer more availability, start at $2,200 and J class at $3,200.
FCF suspects that this is because of route expansion. Jet Blue now flies Boston to Los Angeles/San Francisco and has plans for San Diego and Seattle to Boston and New York, and New York to Las Vegas, and LAX/SFO to Ft. Lauderdale. It looks like the demand is there. So why not raise the price?
What’s Changed Since FCF’s Report a Year Ago
American’s Fare Evolution: Gone are low seven-day advance-purchase Business Class fares from SFO and low First Class fares.
United’s Fare Evolution: Seven-day advance purchase fares are also gone.
Fare increases on the major three—American, Delta, and United—are from $100 to $400, and now fares range from $1,300 to $3,200.
The FCF Work-Around: Delta Vacations
This Short-Notice Package Approach Can Save 52%
First off, it comes with a hotel in New York or Los Angeles, which you need anyway.
LAX-JFK Sample: We found a Delta Vacations offer of $1,694 per person (based on two travelers) LA-NY in Business Class, a three-night package that includes the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel and no Saturday-night stay requirement. If you book the flights and hotel separately, the price would be $6,990—$831 for the hotel and $6,159 for the two tickets—making this strategy worth $3,602 (52%) off. Better than a two-for-one.
(An average hotel was chosen on purpose to spotlight the airfare; deals are readily available at many high-end hotels.)
Delta Vacations package cost screenshot.
Air only screenshot with Delta:
JFK-LAX Sample: Using the same dates as above, Delta Vacations charges $1,881 per person in Business Class, based on two travelers for a three-night package at the Westin Bonaventure (no Saturday-night stay requirement). Book the flight and hotel separately and the tab is $7,156—$997 for the hotel and $6,159 for the tickets—making this strategy worth $3,394 (47%) off. That's almost a two-for-one on the airline ticket alone.