On Thursday (May 22, 2008), United Airlines raised airfares by as much as $60
roundtrip on both business and leisure airfares. Yesterday, American and Delta matched this latest domestic airfare increase. This morning, Continental and US Airways also matched the increase.
 On Sunday May 25, 2008, Northwest Airlines also matched the increase, making this the 13th successful increase since December 20, 2007. Travelers flying over 1,500 air miles one-way between markets without a low-cost carrier have seen their airfares jump by $340 roundtrip in
the past five months.
On this round of airfare increases, United raised airfares by $20 roundtrip
on flights up to 400 air miles one-way; $40 roundtrip on flights 401 to 750 air
miles one-way; and $60 roundtrip on flights over 750 air miles one-way.
Many of these airfare increases only affect cities not served by a low-cost
airline such as Southwest, Virgin America, JetBlue, Spirit or Frontier.
Listed below are the 17 attempts at airfare hikes and fuel surcharge
increases that have taken place in the past five months. Thirteen of these attempts
were successful:
(1) Week of December 20, 2007: Major airlines raise fuel surcharges on
leisure and Business Class fares from $10 roundtrip to $20 roundtrip. Total
increase since December 18, 2007, $10 roundtrip.
(2) Week of January 7, 2008: Major airlines raise leisure and Business Class
airfares by $10 roundtrip. Fuel surcharges still remain at $20 roundtrip. Total
increase since December 18, 2007, $20 roundtrip.
(3) Weekend of January 11, 2008: United Airlines attempts to raise domestic
airfares by adding a $30 roundtrip fuel surcharge to domestic airline tickets.
Delta, American, Continental, US Airways and Northwest Airlines match. However,
on January 14, 2008, Northwest rolled back their $30 fuel surcharge hike forcing
the other major airlines, including United, to roll back their fuel surcharge
increase. In other words, this attempt to raise airfares
(by adding a $30 fuel surcharge) was a bust.
(4) Weekend of January 17, 2008: American Airlines attempts to raise domestic
airfares by adding a $20 roundtrip fuel surcharge. Delta, United and Continental
quickly match. Northwest Airlines and US Airways decline to match, forcing the
other carriers to roll back their fuel surcharge. This
attempted airfare fuel surcharge hike is a bust.
(5) Weekend of January 24, 2008: Major airlines double fuel surcharges on
leisure and Business Class airfares from $20 to $40 roundtrip. Total increase
since December 18, 2007, $40 roundtrip.
(6) Weekend of February 22, 2008: Major airlines raise airfares on both
leisure and Business Class airfares $10 roundtrip. $40 fuel surcharge still in
place. Total increase since December 18, 2007, $50 roundtrip.
(7) Weekend of February 29, 2008: Major airlines raise leisure and Business
Class airfares $10 roundtrip. Total increase since December 18, 2007, $60
roundtrip.
(8) Weekend of March 7, 2008: Major airlines raise fuel surcharges from $40
to $50 roundtrip. Total airfare increase with airfare hikes and fuel surcharges
since December 18, 2007, $70 roundtrip.
(9) March 14, 2008: United & Continental Airlines raised both leisure and
business domestic airfares by $10 roundtrip on flights up to 500 air miles, $20
on flights 501 to 1000 air miles, $30 on flights 1001 to 1500 air miles, and a
whopping $50 roundtrip on domestic flights over 1,500 air miles one-way. On
March 15, 2008 American Airlines, Delta Airlines and US Airways matched the new
fare hike. March 16, 2008 Northwest, the final hold out of the legacy airlines,
matched United Airlines airfare increases. Total increase now as much as $120
roundtrip.
(10) Weekend of March 21, 2008: Delta Airlines raises fuel surcharges by $10
roundtrip. United Airlines was the only major airline to match the new increase.
Delta Airlines and United Airlines were both forced to roll back the fuel
surcharge increase. This attempted airfare fuel surcharge
increase is a bust.
(11) March 27, 2008: Delta airlines raises domestic leisure airfares by
adding a $10 fuel surcharge to most domestic airfares. This
increase is also a bust when other carriers fail to match.
(12) April 10, 2008: United Airlines raises domestic airfares $10 - $30 in
markets where they are not competing with low-cost carriers. All of the legacy
carriers match and this one sticks. Total airfare increase now as much as $150.
(13) April 16, 2008: United Airlines raises domestic fuel surcharges by $10
to $20 roundtrip. At 8:00 a.m. CDT on Thursday, April 17, Continental and Delta
Airlines match. American Airlines matched two hours after Continental and Delta,
followed by Northwest Airlines later that day, and finally US Airways goes along
that evening. (14) April 24, 2008: United Airlines raises domestic
airfares on most routes by three to five percent. American, Delta and
Continental match the increase early the next day; Northwest and US Airways
match another 24 hours later.
(15) April 29, 2008: Delta Air Lines raises domestic fuel surcharges by $40
roundtrip. American and United Airlines quickly matched the increase.
Continental matched a day later. Northwest and US Airways match another 24 hours
later.
(16) May 8, 2008: Delta Air Lines raises domestic fuel surcharges on both
short-haul and long-haul flights by $20
roundtrip. American and United Airlines quickly match the increase. Continental,
Northwest and US Airways match the increase the following day.
(17) May 23, 2008: United Airlines raises domestic airfares $20 - $60
roundtrip in
markets where they are not competing with low-cost carriers. American and Delta
quickly match the increase. Continental and US Airways match the increase the
following day and Northwest Airlines matching on Sunday May 25, 2008..
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