Higher Fares and Fewer Seats During Thanksgiving Travel

NBC News
Published: September 11, 2008

  Pricier fares and fewer seats are on the Thanksgiving menu for holiday travelers.

Who’s gobbling up the airline seats?

The airlines themselves, by cutting their capacity.

“Continental for one is parking 70 planes, American 80 plus, and United more than 100. That’s it. Just taking them out,“ explained travel expert Mark Greenberg.

American Airlines says it’s trying to shore up the bottom line against increased fuel costs and decreased demand.

For consumers, fewer flights translates into fewer discounted fares.

Fortunately, there are ways to beat the higher fares.

For example, a non-stop round trip New York to Los Angeles the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, returning Sunday, is $719 on Continental with taxes and fees.

Adding one stop to the return saves about $100, but depart on Tuesday and return Saturday morning and the ticket price plummets to $419.

Going to Orlando from New York, a non-stop on Delta is $404 leaving Wednesday and returning Sunday, but make that Tuesday with a Saturday return and spend about $100 less.

Another line of defense is to look for travel packages.

You may get hotel and car thrown in for what you would have to pay for a ticket anyway.