Delta and United both nixed the fares that hit solo travelers with significantly higher prices on Friday, retreating after a national blowback against the nation's three largest airlines and their latest pricing tactics. 

It started with Delta Friday afternoon, when the airline updated its fares nationwide. Where Delta was charging single passengers higher fares on select domestic one-way fares as recently as Friday morning, that's no longer the case. Everywhere across the country, Delta is once again charging solo and business travelers the same price per ticket as larger groups.

Delta's fare rules that previously required at least two adults on a reservation in order to be eligible for the lower price – the mechanism by which the airline was pushing solo travelers into a pricier fare bucket – have disappeared, according to a search of publicly available rules on ITA Matrix.

Just earlier today, this one-way flight from New York City (JFK) to Las Vegas (LAS) was significantly more expensive. After a change of heart this afternoon, Delta is once again charging $119 per passenger whether you book for one traveler, two, or more. 

 

delta flight from new york city to las vegas

 

By Friday evening, United had done the same, stripping the measures out of its domestic fares that pushed solo travelers into higher-priced fare. That leaves only American Airlines charging significantly more for single passengers on many domestic one-way routes, as of publication. 

Whether this is just a temporary pause from Delta and United due to bad press or a total retreat is anyone's guess. Even after two of the big three U.S. airlines backtracked, none of them have responded to repeat requests for comment on their pricing tactics nor attempted to defend them. Delta did so again on Friday afternoon after its apparent retreat. 

As of publication, some (but not all) United and Delta fares where the airlines previously charged solo travelers higher prices were pricing out Saturday morning at those higher rates for all travelers. But that could easily change over time: Both carriers pushed this change through hastily heading into the weekend in response to bad press. It will take time for the airlines to reset their pricing after cutting out these punitive fares. 

It all began started earlier this week, when we broke the news that airlines were quietly charging solo and business travelers higher fares than groups of two or more, causing an uproar on social media from flyers sickened by airlines' latest way of shaking down customers for more money. In some cases, the price differences were egregious, like a $223 United fare from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to Asheville (AVL) for one passenger … that dropped to less than half that cost per ticket when booking for two or more travelers.

It's unclear exactly when airlines began doing this. But whether it's been days, weeks, months, or even a year, it's irrelevant: Few everyday travelers may have realized what was happening … or how much it might have cost them.

It was a significant change in how airlines set airfare prices with absolutely no explanation, transparency, or accountability. And while it may have been designed to get more money out of business travelers who can afford to pay more, everyone from solo travelers to friends planning a group trip together (but booking airfare separately) would have paid the price. 

At least for now, Delta and United seem to be rethinking whether that was wise. Time will tell whether American reconsiders, too.

 

This is a breaking news story, check back for updates.