Findings reveal that solo travelers on U.S. flights often pay more than those traveling as a pair.
Solo Travelers Face Extra Charges on Some Domestic Flights, Investigation Reveals
A recent investigation by consumer travel website Thrifty Traveler has uncovered that three of the biggest U.S. airlines – Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines – are charging higher fares for solo travelers on certain domestic routes. This practice, dubbed a "tax on single travelers," has been reported to nearly double the price of some flights.
Thrifty Traveler's analysis found that on specific routes, fares for solo travelers were significantly higher compared to those for travelers in groups of two or more. For instance, a Delta Air Lines flight to New York for one passenger was priced at $206, but the cost decreased to $154 for two passengers. Similarly, a one-way flight with American Airlines from Charlotte, NC, to Fort Myers, FL, in October was listed at $422 for a solo passenger, but dropped to around $266 per person for two travelers.
Following Thrifty Traveler's initial report, at least two of the airlines - Delta and United - rolled back the higher single flyer pricing by Friday. CNN reached out to all three carriers for comment, but as of Saturday, Delta Air Lines declined to comment, while United and American did not immediately respond.
Kyle Potter, executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, stated that these pricing disparities are not widespread, yet they are present on "dozens" of domestic routes across Delta, United, and American Airlines. Potter also mentioned that the practice is not new to the airline industry, but he could not find any instances of it on international flights.
Brian Kelly, founder of ThePointsGuy, considered the fare discrepancies deceptive, as not all passengers might be aware of the cost difference. He warned that airlines could face government regulation if they continue to push the boundaries with pricing strategies.
This pricing strategy is part of a broader practice known as price discrimination, where customers are charged different prices based on their perceived willingness to pay. By segmenting fares based on the number of travelers, airlines aim to maximize revenue from presumably more affluent or corporate travelers. However, it is not a widespread practice as of now.
CNN's Marnie Hunter and Aaron Cooper contributed to this report.
- As the investigation by Thrifty Traveler revealed, these pricing disparities can also be observed in the finance sector of the travel industry, with business travelers potentially facing higher costs due to the number of passengers booking a flight.
- In light of the recent controversy over solo travelers being charged more on domestic flights, some commentators have suggested that similar practices might exist in other areas of lifestyle, such as hotel accommodations or car rental services, where businesses typically have more purchasing power.
