All Six Major Airlines Raise Airfares With $20 Roundtrip Fuel Surcharge Increase

This was the 21st time the major airlines have attempted to raise their airfares or fuel surcharges since the week of December 20, 2007. Both business and leisure travelers now pay on short-haul and long-haul flights a whopping $170 roundtrip in fuel surcharges for travel within the contiguous 48 states and Alaska. The new fuel surcharge to Hawaii is now $260 roundtrip.

Since December 20, 2007, there have been seven successful airfare hikes, and now nine fuel surcharge hikes. There also have been five additional airfare and fuel surcharge hikes that have failed. Travelers on coast-to-coast, non-competitive routes have seen their combined airfare and fuel surcharges increase as much as $420 roundtrip in under seven months.

Travelers who live near small regional airports continue to receive bad news. From new airfare hikes, downsizing of flights, new baggage fees, new change fees, new soda pop fees, seat assignment fees and much more. It's coming to a point where leisure travelers who live in small rural communities who want a decent airfare are going to have to drive to a more competitive airport.

Listed below are the 21 attempts at airfare hikes and fuel surcharge increases that have taken place in the past six months. Sixteen of these attempts were successful:

(1) Week of December 20, 2007: Major airlines raise fuel surcharges on leisure and Business Class fares from $10 roundtrip to $20 roundtrip. Total increase since December 18, 2007, $10 roundtrip.

(2) Week of January 7, 2008: Major airlines raise leisure and Business Class airfares by $10 roundtrip. Fuel surcharges still remain at $20 roundtrip. Total increase since December 18, 2007, $20 roundtrip.

(3) Weekend of January 11, 2008: United Airlines attempts to raise domestic airfares by adding a $30 roundtrip fuel surcharge to domestic airline tickets. Delta, American, Continental, US Airways and Northwest Airlines match. However, on January 14, 2008, Northwest rolled back their $30 fuel surcharge hike forcing the other major airlines, including United, to roll back their fuel surcharge increase. In other words, this attempt to raise airfares (by adding a $30 fuel surcharge) was a bust.

(4) Weekend of January 17, 2008: American Airlines attempts to raise domestic airfares by adding a $20 roundtrip fuel surcharge. Delta, United and Continental quickly match. Northwest Airlines and US Airways decline to match, forcing the other carriers to roll back their fuel surcharge. This attempted airfare fuel surcharge hike is a bust.

(5) Weekend of January 24, 2008: Major airlines double fuel surcharges on leisure and Business Class airfares from $20 to $40 roundtrip. Total increase since December 18, 2007, $40 roundtrip.

(6) Weekend of February 22, 2008: Major airlines raise airfares on both leisure and Business Class airfares $10 roundtrip. $40 fuel surcharge still in place. Total increase since December 18, 2007, $50 roundtrip.

(7) Weekend of February 29, 2008: Major airlines raise leisure and Business Class airfares $10 roundtrip. Total increase since December 18, 2007, $60 roundtrip.

(8) Weekend of March 7, 2008: Major airlines raise fuel surcharges from $40 to $50 roundtrip. Total airfare increase with airfare hikes and fuel surcharges since December 18, 2007, $70 roundtrip.

(9) March 14, 2008: United & Continental Airlines raised both leisure and business domestic airfares by $10 roundtrip on flights up to 500 air miles, $20 on flights 501 to 1000 air miles, $30 on flights 1001 to 1500 air miles, and a whopping $50 roundtrip on domestic flights over 1,500 air miles one-way. On March 15, 2008 American Airlines, Delta Airlines and US Airways matched the new fare hike. March 16, 2008 Northwest, the final hold out of the legacy airlines, matched United Airlines airfare increases. Total increase now as much as $120 roundtrip.

(10) Weekend of March 21, 2008: Delta Airlines raises fuel surcharges by $10 roundtrip. United Airlines was the only major airline to match the new increase. Delta Airlines and United Airlines were both forced to roll back the fuel surcharge increase. This attempted airfare fuel surcharge increase is a bust.

(11) March 27, 2008: Delta airlines raises domestic leisure airfares by adding a $10 fuel surcharge to most domestic airfares. This increase is also a bust when other carriers fail to match.

(12) April 10, 2008: United Airlines raises domestic airfares $10 - $30 in markets where they are not competing with low-cost carriers. All of the legacy carriers match and this one sticks. Total airfare increase now as much as $150.

(13) April 16, 2008: United Airlines raises domestic fuel surcharges by $10 to $20 roundtrip. At 8:00 a.m. CDT on Thursday, April 17, Continental and Delta Airlines match. American Airlines matched two hours after Continental and Delta, followed by Northwest Airlines later that day, and finally US Airways goes along that evening.

(14) April 24, 2008: United Airlines raises domestic airfares on most routes by three to five percent. American, Delta and Continental match the increase early the next day; Northwest and US Airways match another 24 hours later.

(15) April 29, 2008: Delta Air Lines raises domestic fuel surcharges by $40 roundtrip. American and United Airlines quickly matched the increase. Continental matched a day later. Northwest and US Airways match another 24 hours later.

(16) May 8, 2008: Delta Air Lines raises domestic fuel surcharges on both short-haul and long-haul flights by $20 roundtrip. American and United Airlines quickly match the increase. Continental, Northwest and US Airways match the increase the following day.

(17) May 23, 2008: United Airlines raises domestic airfares $20 - $60 roundtrip in markets where they are not competing with low-cost carriers. American and Delta quickly match the increase. Continental and US Airways match the increase the following day and Northwest Airlines matching on Sunday May 25, 2008.

(18) June 6, 2008: American Airlines raises domestic airfares $20 roundtrip in markets where they are not competing with low-cost carriers. Continental, Delta, US Airways and United match the increase the next day. All five airlines rollback the increase when Northwest refuses to match. This attempted airfare increase is a bust.

(19) June 11, 2008: American Airlines raises domestic fuel surcharges by $20 roundtrip in markets where they are not competing with low-cost carriers. Continental and United quickly match the increase. Delta, US Airways and Northwest match the next day.

(20) June 27, 2008: Delta Air Lines raises domestic airfares $30 roundtrip in markets where they are not competing with low-cost carriers. United matches the increase, while also raising airfares $40 roundtrip on long haul flights. Continental, American, Northwest and US Airways match Delta's increase.

(21) July 3, 2008: United Airlines raises domestic fuel surcharges on both short-haul and long-haul flights by $20 roundtrip. American, Delta and Continental quickly match the increase. Northwest matched by that evening. US Airways matched the following day.

Email to a Friend