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Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups

thriftytraveler.com

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Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups

#111

Post by BoorishBears »

Aurornis wrote: post #2

I never would have understood this as a young, single person. Now that I have a family there are several times per year where we price out the cost of a solo ticket for one parent, the price of taking one or two kids, or the cost of all of us going for something. Having a quantity discount would absolutely tip the scales for us for certain trips. People will look at this as penalizing single travelers and want everyo…

This makes no sense.

A solo traveler can decide to take a trip because they saw a good fare very trivially: you're not going on a trip with 2 days notice just because a fare "tipped the scale" when you need 10x the planning and logistics, and the airlines know that.

They're not doing it to entice families to travel, they just know solo travel is associated with higher incomes and want to extract more money.

Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups

#112

Post by al_borland »

ttoinou wrote: post #17

Huh if this becomes mainstream there's an opportunity to make a social media website to purchase in groups and make friends for the flights

There are already websites, like Going, for getting flight deals. As a solo traveler who doesn’t have to coordinate with anyone and can pack light, I can jump on the deals when they come up and save a lot more than what a regular price group rate probably is. Looking at my upcoming trip, I got it for 50% off the current pricing, for solo or a couple.

Coordination with others also makes booking take longer and tends to fix dates and locations, which makes it hard to grab a deal when they come up.

Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups

#113

Post by ghaff »

MichaelZuo wrote: post #102
ghaff wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>if you’re solo it seems like they expect you to buy 2 spots Cruises are probably more complicated because they price things other than your cabin into the "experience." (Though I think the Queen Mary 2 a few years back was slightly less than 2x for just me.) But the random Marriott doesn't really care if there is one of you or two when it comes to pricing.

Why wouldn’t they care? I imagine 2 people use roughly twice the bedding, towels, toiletries, etc., on average.

Well, they mostly don't. They're often using the same bedding. Most toiletries are squirt containers these days. I don't think toilet paper is that expensive. And another towel or two to wash is probably not a big deal. And to the degree the hotel has a restaurant or bar they probably come out ahead. Your hotel may take a different approach but it's near universal (perhaps outside of resorts) that hotels charge the same for 1 or 2 guests.

Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups

#114

Post by carlosjobim »

Aurornis wrote: post #2

I never would have understood this as a young, single person. Now that I have a family there are several times per year where we price out the cost of a solo ticket for one parent, the price of taking one or two kids, or the cost of all of us going for something. Having a quantity discount would absolutely tip the scales for us for certain trips. People will look at this as penalizing single travelers and want everyo…

> blended average

...is of course great when you personally are on the side benefitting.

Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups

#115

Post by soperj »

n8cpdx wrote: post #20
Aurornis wrote: post #2

I never would have understood this as a young, single person. Now that I have a family there are several times per year where we price out the cost of a solo ticket for one parent, the price of taking one or two kids, or the cost of all of us going for something. Having a quantity discount would absolutely tip the scales for us for certain trips. People will look at this as penalizing single travelers and want everyo…

Traveling solo is already brutal because hotels and Airbnbs are priced on the assumption of two travelers. Traveling solo essentially costs double automatically because of lodging, and it kind of sucks there’s a double whammy with airfare where, unlike lodging, the penalty doesn’t actually make any sense. I guess as a family be grateful that all hotel rooms come with a 50% (or more) discount per traveler?

Why wouldn't you just stay in a hostel? or rent a room on airbnb?

Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups

#116

Post by tshaddox »

chrisweekly wrote: post #51
1776smithadam wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would a van cost more to rent then a sedan?

yes (car rental prices are mostly a function of size)

Only when you're comparing the cheapest vehicles of each size, where the cost of the vehicle and maintenance is probably roughly in line with vehicle size. There are plenty of luxury and sports cars widely available for rent that will cost more than a minivan.

Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups

#117

Post by losteric »

MichaelZuo wrote: post #102
ghaff wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>if you’re solo it seems like they expect you to buy 2 spots Cruises are probably more complicated because they price things other than your cabin into the "experience." (Though I think the Queen Mary 2 a few years back was slightly less than 2x for just me.) But the random Marriott doesn't really care if there is one of you or two when it comes to pricing.

Why wouldn’t they care? I imagine 2 people use roughly twice the bedding, towels, toiletries, etc., on average.

2 vs 1 doesn’t significantly impact space or cleaning labor, unless you’re staying in a super minimalist itty bitty unit (which I rarely find exists anymore)

Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups

#119

Post by carlosjobim »

frank_nitti wrote: post #47
AlotOfReading wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some countries (e.g. Japan) charge per person in non-Western hotels. Even then, you may get different prices for a solo traveler because the lower overall price means they need to increase the per person rate to make enough margin with their fixed costs.

They do this in Mexico as well. Always just seems like an honor system thing unless they are checking people at the door to the hotel and/or room each time they enter, which only seems realistic in very small hotels who have no e.g. restaurant open to the public. Otherwise can’t one just rent the room as a solo guest, and just have someone come through later, as long as there isn’t an obvious group activity going on…

Are you going to bring your own sheets and breakfast as well?

Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups

#120

Post by garciasn »

soperj wrote: post #115
n8cpdx wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Traveling solo is already brutal because hotels and Airbnbs are priced on the assumption of two travelers. Traveling solo essentially costs double automatically because of lodging, and it kind of sucks there’s a double whammy with airfare where, unlike lodging, the penalty doesn’t actually make any sense. I guess as a family be grateful that all hotel rooms come with a 50% (or more) discount per traveler?

Why wouldn't you just stay in a hostel? or rent a room on airbnb?

For two reasons:

1. I don't want to stay in a hostel. See below for more on this; but, hostels, at least the ones I have researched, have bunk rooms and shared facilities. Hard pass for me.

2. I don't like sharing a bedroom and, especially, a bathroom in someone's home when they may be there. There's simply a different level of security (potentially false, I understand) in a hotel vs a rented room in a house.

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