The Virgin America Fare Effect Diary

September 2007
Read Offline

As reported last month, Virgin America started flying with $389 one-way First Class fares on transcon domestic routes: San Francisco-New York and New York-Los Angeles. Northwest and American matched.

While its San Francisco-Los Angeles one-way First Class fare is still $149, with no airlines matching, Virgin has bumped up its transcon fares to $449—still up to 44% below the going rate before it entered the market.

See the chart on page 8 for a look at how fares stack up a month later. As you can see, some airlines are stubbornly matching Virgin America, while others are betting that their mileage programs will keep customers from defecting.

[table_opt style="gray-header" id="1715" width="" alignment="center" responsive="all" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter"]

As reported last month, Virgin America started flying with $389 one-way First Class fares on transcon domestic routes: San Francisco-New York and New York-Los Angeles. Northwest and American matched.

While its San Francisco-Los Angeles one-way First Class fare is still $149, with no airlines matching, Virgin has bumped up its transcon fares to $449—still up to 44% below the going rate before it entered the market.

See the chart on page 8 for a look at how fares stack up a month later. As you can see, some airlines are stubbornly matching Virgin America, while others are betting that their mileage programs will keep customers from defecting.

[table_opt style="gray-header" id="1715" width="" alignment="center" responsive="all" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter"]

...
[["Airline","NYC-LAX","NYC-SFO","SFO-LAX"],["American","$804 \/ $519 (-35%)","$804 \/ $519 (-35%)","$281 \/ $219 (-22%)"],["Continental","$799 \/ $804 (+1%)","$949 \/ $804 (-15%)","-"],["Delta","$804 \/ $599 (-25%)","$854 \/ $509 (-40%)","-"],["Northwest","$804 \/ $519 (-35%)","$804 \/ $519 (-35%)","-"],["United","$804 \/ no change","$804 \/ no change","$281 \/ no change"],["US Airways","$579 \/ $449 (-24%)","$444 \/ $449 (+1%)","$281 \/ no change"]]
Want to read more?

Subscribe to get the full value out

Already have an account?
Login