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Scarcity, Inventory, and Inequity: A Deep Dive into Airline Fare Buckets

Airline pricing may seem mystifying, but behind every airfare is a complex system of fare buckets and inventory controls. Airlines don't just sell seats - they manage a dynamic inventory of fares, divided into booking classes (fare buckets) with different prices and rules. For the technically curious, understanding how fare buckets work reveals the "source code" of airline revenue management. This report delves into the hierarchy of booking classes, how airlines update seat availability across r

Delta moves to eliminate set prices, use AI to set your personal ticket price

Fresh off a victory lap after a better-than-expected earnings report, Delta Air Lines is leaning into AI as a way to boost its profit margins further by maximizing what individual passengers pay for fares. By the end of the year, Delta plans for 20% of its ticket prices to be individually determined using AI, president Glen Hauenstein told investors last week. Currently, about 3% of the airline’s flight prices are AI-determined, triple the portion from nine months ago. Over time, the goal is t

The economics behind "Basic Economy" – A masterclass in price discrimination

Basic Economy fares are ultra-restricted airline tickets that offer a lower base price in exchange for fewer benefits than standard economy class. Introduced by major U.S. carriers in the 2010s, these fares have become a widespread strategy for market segmentation - a textbook example of price discrimination in practice. By design, Basic Economy compels travelers to self-select based on their willingness to pay and tolerate restrictions, thus allowing airlines to maximize revenue from different

The Economics Behind "Basic Economy" – A Masterclass in Price Discrimination

Basic Economy fares are ultra-restricted airline tickets that offer a lower base price in exchange for fewer benefits than standard economy class. Introduced by major U.S. carriers in the 2010s, these fares have become a widespread strategy for market segmentation - a textbook example of price discrimination in practice. By design, Basic Economy compels travelers to self-select based on their willingness to pay and tolerate restrictions, thus allowing airlines to maximize revenue from different