airline ticket prices

20 Stories

Flying to Europe Won't Cost a Small Fortune Soon

After record-breaking prices, flights to Europe are getting less expensive

(Newser) - The recent dip in airfare we are experiencing is about to cross the pond. According to the Wall Street Journal , those record-setting prices people paid to travel to Europe over the last year are simmering down thanks to moves from airlines. "Everybody really wanted to go to Europe this...

Researchers Find Little Truth Behind Plane Ticket Hacks

Researchers found that airline pricing is actually pretty rigid, no matter the urban myths

(Newser) - Many of the common hacks people say drive down plane ticket prices—buy on a Tuesday! search in incognito mode!—apparently have no legs. A new study finds that US airlines have a pretty rigid pricing structure that doesn't change based on day of the week or a...

He Went to Buy One Plane Ticket. Ended Up Buying 25—Quickly

Herman Yip took advantage of error to scoop up $250K worth of All Nippon Airways tix for $17K

(Newser) - Herman Yip was recently looking online to book a trip from Jakarta to Aruba, and the deal he found underscores the importance of being in the right place at the right time—and having the gumption to take a little risk. Per Bloomberg , the 32-year-old Hong Kong resident discovered he...

The Best Day to Buy a Plane Ticket Is...
 The Best Day to Buy 
 a Plane Ticket Is... 
in case you missed it

The Best Day to Buy a Plane Ticket Is...

Thursday, according to latest airfare study

(Newser) - When should you buy your next plane ticket? According to a new fare study from Hopper , Thursday is the best day to book both domestic and international tickets. But keep in mind that it won't save you much: There's just a $10 difference between the best day to...

United to Honor Tickets Sold for $0

Company won't say how much it is losing

(Newser) - Congratulations to all those lucky travelers who booked flights via the United Airlines website during a few magical hours yesterday: Tickets were accidentally sold for free , and the company says it will honor them. United isn't saying how many tickets were sold or much it will lose, reports Bloomberg...

Best Airfares Available 6 Weeks Before Takeoff: Study

 Best Time to 
 Buy Your Flight 
 Ticket Is ... 
in case you missed it

Best Time to Buy Your Flight Ticket Is ...

... 6 weeks before you fly, study says

(Newser) - Flying anytime soon? With any luck your trip is a month and a half from now—because a new study says travelers can find the lowest airfares 6 weeks before flying, the Los Angeles Times reports. The price difference: 6% lower than average, according to a company that analyzed millions...

Most Expensive US Airport to Fly Out of Is...


 Most Expensive 
 US Airport to 
 Fly Out of Is... 
in case you missed it

Most Expensive US Airport to Fly Out of Is...

...Memphis International Airport

(Newser) - Memphis, Tenn., is no place for thrifty travelers, or at least not those who prefer the open sky to the open road. The average price of a ticket at the Memphis International Airport is the highest among the top 100 largest airports in the US, according to a report released...

Qantas Offers Free Tickets to Grounded Fliers

Offer will cost troubled airline $20M

(Newser) - You may be eligible for free tickets if last year's Qantas airline shutdown left you stranded, the BBC reports. Last November, Qantas grounded its entire fleet —and left travelers stuck in 22 cities—after a mid-air engine explosion forced an emergency landing in Singapore. Now the airline is...

Best Airfare Deals Are Now Tweeted, Emailed

Airlines ramp up discounts in promotional offers

(Newser) - The latest airfare deals aren't online or at travel agencies—they're targeted promotional fares, being emailed and tweeted to customers who sign up to receive them or who enroll in frequent-flier programs. These under-the-radar offers, an inexpensive form of advertising increasingly popular with recession-battered airlines, range from 10% discounts to...

Ryanair Passengers May Stand for Cheapest Tix

(Newser) - Passengers who really want to save money on Ryanair may soon be able to purchase "standing room only" tickets on the discount airline's flights, reports the Sun. Under the plan, passengers would huddle about "bar stools" with seat belts. Ryanair officials have already talked to Boeing about designing...

New Budget Airline Launches With 1 Plane, $9 Seats

First few seats are $9; all extras will cost you

(Newser) - The founder of the short-lived discount airline Skybus thinks conditions are right for a second attempt at adding service to less-used regional airports, the Chicago Tribune reports. JetAmerica will follow the model of European budget carriers like Ryanair, offering a handful of seats for $9 and charging for services like...

Ryanair Hits Low-Tech Flyers With $60 Fee

No printed-up boarding card? Pony up. Oh, and it's $7.50 to check in

(Newser) - Perhaps inspired by airlines banking hundreds of millions of dollars in bag fees last year, discount European carrier Ryanair is introducing new baggage check fees, BlackBook reports. Ryanair customers will have to pony up a $7.50 fee to check in online, and pay a further $60—termed a “...

American Readies Piecemeal Pricing

'Unbundling' divides trip cost with fees for food, extras

(Newser) - American Airlines is about to accelerate the trend of breaking the cost of a trip into an airfare plus many smaller fees. Starting next year, American plans to imitate the a la carte pricing structure pioneered by Air Canada, airline officials say. There are likely to be a few basic...

Fuel Costs Bump Up Budget Airfares
Fuel Costs Bump Up Budget Airfares

Fuel Costs Bump Up Budget Airfares

Discount carriers forced to dump discounts or go bust

(Newser) - Rock-bottom airfares are going the way of the zeppelin as fuel prices continue their climb into the stratosphere, the New York Times reports. Some budget carriers have gone bust. Others have hiked fares and begun to woo more business travelers, blurring the line between big carriers and discount operations. Southwest...

Continental Hacks 3K Jobs, 16% of Flights

Carrier is the latest to scale back operations citing fuel costs

(Newser) - Continental Airlines today became the latest US carrier to slash its workforce and trim flights in the face of profit-busting fuel costs and an industry-wide slowdown, the Wall Street Journal reports today. The airline will cut its workforce by 3,000 jobs, scale back US departures by 16%, and aggressively...

Airlines Hike Ticket Prices
 Airlines Hike Ticket Prices 

Airlines Hike Ticket Prices

United raises prices by up to $60; American, Delta follow its lead

(Newser) - The big three US airlines responded to soaring oil prices by boosting most domestic prices by up to $60 roundtrip in the last few days, the AP reports. United led the way with increases from $10 to $60 Thursday; American and Delta followed suit yesterday. Meanwhile, low-cost AirTran raised its...

Airline Business Model Won't Work With $130 Oil

Analysts say current model won't work at $130 a barrel

(Newser) - The airline industry as we know it can’t function on $130-a-barrel oil, industry analysts are saying, and cost-cutting, ticket price increases, and bag-check fees won't make it viable. The Dallas Morning News looks at how hopeless it is for airlines to come anywhere near break-even at current costs, noting...

Bargain Airfares Still Out There

Nine tips for finding a great deal in a tough market

(Newser) - Airfares are skyrocketing, but deals are still out there. The New York Times offers some pointers:
  1. Book directly with the airline.
  2. Sign up for private price cuts.
  3. Buy one ticket at a time.
  4. Make your computer do the work.

Air Bargains Still There, But More Hunting Needed

Flexibility in schedule, destination seen as key to finding cheap travel

(Newser) - It’s no secret that airline ticket costs are up—18% on average from last year. But, the Los Angeles Times reports, deals are still there, if you’re wiling to hunt for them. Limited-time online bargains can provide cheap fares, and many travelers are searching smaller airlines’ websites for...

Airlines Fasten Seatbelts for Bumpy Ride

Major US carriers downgrade as hard times loom

(Newser) - America's major airlines are getting ready for tougher times ahead, slashing jobs and cutting back operations. As the Christian Science Monitor reports, soaring fuel prices will inevitably lead to higher ticket prices, which will lead to less passengers—which, in turn, will force airlines to hike fares again to cover...

20 Stories