This morning in the 10:00am EDT airfare feed US Airways initiated a system wide increase of $1, $3 & $5 each way.
This increase follows hot on the heels of a Southwest airlines increase of $1, $3, $5 & $10 each way, matched by all major airlines over the weekend except US Airways.
We track the Southwest increases through matching activity of the major airlines in overlapping Southwest flight routes. It should be noted the $10 each way increase on matching airlines was only on walkup (0 day advance purchase) airfares and not across the board (so the Southwest $10 each way increase is likely only on walkup fares).
It is highly unusual for a major airline to initiate a system wide increase (US Airways) on a Monday. Most increases occur on Thursday evening giving the other major airlines a chance to match over the weekend.
Historically airfare sales begin to occur in August for travel departing in late August through mid November which is normally a softer travel time period. The airlines willingness to maintain increases at this point may point to a change in this historical pattern of slower travel during this time period.
The history of this weekends airfare increase activity is shown below:
|
Time |
Match |
Description |
| 10:00am EDT Friday |
|
Continental decreases 1500 markets (less than 6% of total) by $5 each way (mostly smaller markets outside of the top 50 cities) |
| 10:00am EDT Friday |
|
Delta decreases 403 markets (less than 3% of total) by $5 each way (mostly smaller markets outside the top 50 cities) |
| 12:30pm EDT Friday |
|
No Significant Activity |
| 8:00pm EDT Friday |
|
Delta decreases 499 markets (less than 3% of total) by $5 each way (smaller cities). |
| 5:00pm EDT Saturday |
Southwest Match |
American increases 944 markets (less than 5% of total) by $1, $3, $5 & $10 ($10 only on walkup 0 day advance purchase) each way in 98+% of Southwest markets |
| 5:00pm EDT Saturday |
Southwest Match |
United increases 865 markets (less than 5% of total) by $1, $3, $5 & $10 ($10 only on walkup 0 day advance purchase) each way in 98+% of Southwest markets |
| 5:00pm EDT Sunday |
Southwest Match |
Continental increases 2538 markets (approximately 20% of total markets) by $1, $3, $5 (no $10 increases) each way in 98+% of Southwest markets and they also added increases to non Southwest markets |
| 5:00pm EDT Sunday |
Southwest Match |
Delta increases 942 markets (less than 3% of total) by $1, $3, $5 & $10 ($10 only on walkup 0 day advance purchase) each way in 98+% of Southwest markets. |
| 5:00pm EDT Sunday |
Southwest Match |
Northwest increases 3354 markets (less than 15% of total) by $1, $3, $5 & $10 ($10 only on walkup 0 day advance purchase) each way in 98+% of Southwest markets and they also added increases to non Southwest markets |
| 10:00am EDT Monday |
|
American increases 2285 markets (less than 15% of total) by $1, $3 & $5 each way mostly in non overlapping Southwest markets |
| 10:00am EDT Monday |
|
Delta increases 600 markets (less than 2% of total) by $1, $3 & $5 each way mostly in non overlapping Southwest markets |
| 10:00am EDT Monday |
System Wide Increase |
US Airways increases 11,438 markets (system wide) by $1, $3 & $5 each way |
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