DL weird pricing DOM F

[Quickstatus]

DL (F): LAX-DEN direct $1472, LAX-SLC-DEN $1181

but LAX-SLC $211 + SLC-DEN $157 on the same flights as LAX-SLC-DEN booked as 1 PNR.

Tried different IP addresses and different computers.

Any suggestions on reasons for this

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Any suggestions on reasons for this

https://www.markrs.co/how-big-data-is-changing-the-way-you-fly/

 

[Quickstatus]

Interesting though I logged on a guest using different computers and different IP addresses. So totally incognito.


And then:

SFO-SLC-DEN : $410 (F)
SFO-SLC : $1477 (F)

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Interesting though I logged on a guest using different computers and different IP addresses. So totally incognito.


And then:

SFO-SLC-DEN : $410 (F)
SFO-SLC : $1477 (F)

A couple of points I'll make without disclosing too much secret sauce on how users are tracked.
You can change cookies, IPs, browsers and even use TOR. The methods which users can be tracked can be on multiple levels including an array of layers on the network side. Made even easier if you're searching the same segments over and over.

Second part is where the traffic is. This is semi-automated and is what most people think of as revenue management. On the back of this are data analysts who look at terabytes of search history, bookings, abandoned searches and more. This can be used statistically to price up fares based on probability combined with load factors and all sorts of interesting data sets.

The pricing you found is more prevalent in USA - mainly because they've invested the most into data analysis compared to other airlines around the world.

At the most basic level the stopover is irrelevant. You were searching for sfo-slc and sfo-den which are two different queries. Just because the Denver flight stops over in slc doesn't mean much, because you are going to Denver and this is ho it was priced.

Skiplagged.com is a fantastic site for finding these hidden city fares but keep in mind if you don't complete the full flight there could be penalties. Airlines DO record this information on passengers.

 

[Quickstatus]

Thanks,

I'll just book a 2PNR on the LAX-SLC-DEN

and Ive discovered that DL shows reasonable fares DEN-SLC-SFO and UA is better for the return.

 

[Denali]

I was booking DL domestic flights and it jumped from $420 to $1060.

Deleted my cookies/browsing history and down to $396 F return

Its a sad thing when the internet gives you trust issues

 

[serfty]

Try using "private browsing" with your searches.

 

[Quickstatus]

Try using "private browsing" with your searches.

I did and using different computers at different physical locations logging in as guest. So I don't think for my searches it's anything to do with cookies but something to do with what tripping the rift mentioned.

Just a PITA to have to book a 2PNR with flights exactly the same as a 1pnr but over $1k cheaper

Then even more PITA when we are all in SFO and most travelling back to DEN except for son who is going to SLC.
The SFO-SLC flight is $1k more expensive than a 1 PNR SFO-SLC-DEN using exactly the same flight numbers and date as SFO-SLC.

 

[madrooster]

DL also uses married segment control so it could be that the cheaper transit availability has been exhausted already.

 

[Quickstatus]

DL also uses married segment control so it could be that the cheaper transit availability has been exhausted already.

That could be true as it has recently started LAX-DEN 1 sector as well as the usual 2 sector via its hub in SLC.

Don't know how that explains the one sector SFO-SLC being $1k more expensive than SFO-SLC-DEN on a single PNR

 

[dfcatch]

DL (F): LAX-DEN direct $1472, LAX-SLC-DEN $1181

but LAX-SLC $211 + SLC-DEN $157 on the same flights as LAX-SLC-DEN booked as 1 PNR.

Tried different IP addresses and different computers.

Any suggestions on reasons for this

The issue here is simply route pricing and end-on-end combinability.

AA/UA/DL all made significant changes earlier this year where individual segments bought separately will often price much lower - but the minute you combine it into the full route (regardless of stopovers) - it will price as LAX-DEN.

The reasoning behind the changes is that the legacies have to compete with Spirit/Frontier on some routes but not others. So if there is no LCC competition on LAX-DEN, but there is on LAX-SLC and also SLC-DEN - they don't want LAX-DEN pax getting the benefits of that discounting by combining the 2 single discounted segments into one PNR.