Editor's note: Since we first published this story, we've discovered that American Airlines and United are both using a similar pricing tactic, too.
Delta has begun charging solo passengers more per ticket than travelers booking for two (or more) on select flights.
For example, Delta is charging at least $199 for one passenger on this one-way flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Miami (MIA) in early September.
But search for two passengers instead, and the price drops significantly: Just $118 per ticket.
That group travel discount applies whether you're searching logged in or not, searching for a cash fare or trying to redeem SkyMiles, and on most kinds of fare you can buy: whether it's the stingy Delta “Main Basic” ticket, a standard economy fare, or even Comfort Plus.
Delta did not respond to a request for comment on these pricing discrepancies.
For now, it's incredibly hit or miss even with Delta. We searched dozens of fares Wednesday morning and only saw it on three or four routes – almost exclusively on one-way fares and not roundtrip bookings. As of publication, we haven't been able to replicate this new pricing phenomenon on international tickets.
And it's unclear when this began – we just stumbled upon it this morning. But it comes at a time when Delta is overhauling how it sells fares online and even what it calls them.
Delta rebranded its basic economy tickets earlier this month and launched a new, refundable “Extra” fare option – all a precursor to eventually selling basic business class tickets. Weeks earlier, the airline revamped its entire website to group the cheapest basic and normal economy fares together, leading to some bait-and-switch pricing.
But while it's not widespread, this discount for two-plus travelers – or pricing penalty for those flying solo – doesn't appear to be a glitch. Delta indicates it's by design in its arcane fare rules, where airlines carve out requirements and exceptions in order to sell tickets at a certain price.
Right there in the cheaper fare for two, the airline lists out “accompaniment restrictions,” spelling out that the traveler “must be accompanied on all sectors in same compartment by at least 1 adult” – emphasis mine.
There's no such restriction in the higher-priced fares for just one passenger.
What is Delta Up To?
That's the opposite of what we typically see, where travelers booking for two passengers or more wind up getting charged more per person than a single passenger.
That comes down to the mechanics of how airlines actually sell tickets: Carriers aren't just selling economy, extra legroom, and first class tickets but an alphabet soup of different fare classes, each at a different price. If there's only one fare available at the cheapest $118, searching for two would only yield fares at a higher, $199 price point.
This is a complete reversal. And it begs the question: Why would Delta do this?
Delta isn't talking. But if they were, we imagine they'd use the word “segmentation” to explain their rationale for this.
Airlines are always trying cater to different kinds of customers at once: money-conscious budget travelers, families going on vacations or visiting relatives, wealthy retirees, business travelers, and more. And each one is willing to click that “purchase” button at a different price.
That's why basic economy exists – to compete with budget airlines for the cheapest consumers while selling better tickets at a higher fare. It's why most airlines charge higher prices in the final two or three weeks before departure.
And we're guessing it's why Delta is apparently charging some solo flyers more, too: They're more likely to be business travelers flying on their employer's dime … and thus less likely to care about paying another $80 or more.
Bottom Line
It's nowhere near widespread, but Delta has begun charging solo passengers more per ticket than groups of two or more.
Maybe it's a test, maybe it's a glitch, and, heck, maybe this is something Delta has been doing for weeks or months that we never noticed. Regardless, it's something to watch for … and a troubling sign of what could be to come as Delta and other airlines find new ways to charge consumers more.
I started a Reddit discussion yesterday regarding this exact issue.
In the process of booking a flight to Cincinnati. Leave 6/3 return 6/6. 1 Person flying $897 roundtrip. 2 persons traveling, $841. The individual ticket price is $897 when traveling alone or $491 when traveling with 2 people. Delta punishing the business traveler.
I called and spoke to delta who were able to book a much better option that involved essentially booking a 2 person flight and then canceling the extra person. They were able to do it much cleaner and with less swearing.
In researching yesterday AA had the same pricing on the same exact route. It’s almost like they are in cahoots.
Cheers
John
This happened to me on American Airlines ORD to LEX 8/31. Over $400 for 1 ticket but change to 2 tickets is $210. Just checked and currently still showing
I noticed this 2 weeks ago when booking a one way ticket from MKE to PHX. The way around it is to book for two passengers, and then cancel one of the tickets for a refund / credit. This method works especially well if you are using skymiles and can get them redeposited with no fee.