Air travel

I've been traveling a lot this summer.  I've gone on line to my favorite airline to find the best fares that take the least amount of time although it can sometimes be hard.  I am late with this because one of my flights had a few hour wait in the airport, the airlines kept switching gates.

I've found some of the cheaper flights are ones that either go through multiple airports or have long as in 12 hour layovers between flights.   I try very hard to stay away from those and I try to aim for no more than about 5 hour layovers but I do not like anything less than 2 hour between flights.  This is simply because 20 to 40 minutes may sound great on paper but it does not mean it will work.

Airline prices are no longer as stable as they used to be.  One day, the flight may be $350 round trip while the next day it might be $450 round trip.  In addition, there may not that many airlines to choose from because over the past 20 to 30 years, many have gone out of business or merged.  So let's look at what factors control the setting of prices at this point in time.

Potential travelers are divided into two different groups, leisure and business and each is priced very differently because leisure travelers can plan several months to one year in advance and are more flexible in their dates while business travelers often must find flights a day or two in advance and have little choice as to when they travel.  The decision as to whether its leisure or business is often determined by the routes and when the reservation is made.  Either way, in the end, the cost is determined by what the market will bear.

In regard to leisure passengers, the airline sets the price and adjusts according to how the market responds while for the business passengers, they set the price relatively low and raise it the closer to the departure time.  The thing is, technology is being used to create the prices rather than basing them on the over all cost of the flight including fuel and taxes.

Many airlines are beginning to set the cost of flights according to the amount of extras one gets in the flight.  For instance, some airlines offer super cheap economy fares which may offer just the seat but you pay for the location and carry on with very little more, regular economy that might include a check through, free seat selection, or possibly a meal.  Then there is business class which offers more and finally first class where you get all the amenities.

In addition, the type of plane will determine how the types of seats are distributed and how many of each type.  This means the fare is often determined by the type of class such as first class, business, economy, or super saver and the type of ticket such as refundable, weekend, etc.  Both factors effect the price.  On some days such as Tuesdays, you might find the cheapest price lower because it is not one traditionally used by most business people.  Once the cheapest fairs are gone, they are gone.

Most times, the prices are higher for last minute travel because people who must travel will pay the higher prices and it helps airlines maximize profits.  Prices can also be higher leading up to certain holidays such as July 4th, Thanksgiving, or Christmas yet the actual holidays might have a lower fair.  It's just a matter of looking.

Furthermore, there are websites one can check that use technology to look for the lowest price on a route.  I do not use those because when I travel within the state of Alaska, there really isn't much choice on who you can use and the prices can be pretty standard.

This is just a brief look at how airlines set ticket prices.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.