United to require minimum stays for nearly all domestic flights starting in Oct

Saturday 21st June, 05:44 AM JST

NEW YORK —

United Airlines said Friday it will start requiring minimum stays for nearly all domestic flights beginning in October. It is also raising its cheapest fares by as much as $90 one-way.

The second-largest U.S. carrier said the moves are among a number of changes it is making to combat record high fuel prices. The Chicago-based airline has been among the most aggressive in the industry in pushing fares and fuel surcharges higher in recent months, and its latest policy could prompt other carriers to consider following suit.

Starting Oct 6, most United fares will require a one- to three-night or weekend-night minimum stay, spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said.

The new rules, which apply to nearly every ticket, are bound to be unpopular with business travelers who prefer to catch a flight out early in the morning so they can make it back home in time for dinner.

Major carriers scrapped most minimum-stay rules—put in place largely to discourage big-budget corporate travelers from snatching up the cheapest seats—years ago, although a number of airlines have been tightening up restrictions and tacking on fees in recent months as the price of fuel has soared.

United and US Airways last week joined American Airlines in charging passengers $15 to check their first piece of luggage.

How long passengers have to stay under United’s new minimum-stay policy will depend on the destinations involved, the price of the ticket and the length of the flight.

For example, travelers booking the cheapest seats between Chicago and Minneapolis or Boston and San Diego will now be forced to stay three nights or the entire weekend, Urbanski said.

United also has raised its lowest fares by $1 to $90 one-way, meaning the least expensive available United ticket will now cost travelers $69 to $199 one-way, depending on the length of the flight.

For example, the cheapest one-way ticket for the 1,200-kilometer flight from Denver to St Louis now costs $99, up from $89 before. A bargain ticket for a longer flight like Austin, Texas, to Los Angeles—a journey of nearly 2,000 kilometers—now costs $139, up from $79 one-way, Urbanski said.

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7 Comments

noborito at 11:38 AM JST - 22nd June

no one buys tickets one way in America. That is truly a Japanese thing. One way fares are almost the same as round trip.
Tatsumaru at 01:59 PM JST - 22nd June

United and US Airways last week joined American Airlines in charging passengers $15 to check their first piece of luggage.

That is completely outrageous. Who travels with their life in a tote bag? And by new flight rules you cant have any bathroom stuff in it. Basically, they are charging you $15 for something that your ticket should pay for in the first place. That is basically extortion.
Farmboy at 03:56 PM JST - 22nd June

The end result will be fewer travelers in the USA, or at least fewer air travelers. It might be a good time to revisit Amtrak and Greyhound, and maybe the increased business there will help the US actually have a full range of transportation again.
Beelzebub at 09:09 PM JST - 22nd June

If oil gets much more expensive they'll have to bring back zeppelins.
motytrah at 12:37 AM JST - 23rd June

Basically you'll have to pay more if you don't want to stay. One of the example routes was Minneapolis to Chicago. There are a lot of business travelers who do day trips between the two cities. Leave in the morning, have your meeting, come back in the evening. Both Northwest and United have 10+ flights daily. If Northwest doesn't follow suite United is going to lose a business to them.
Suzu1 at 01:01 AM JST - 23rd June

This article is pooorly written. Travelers will still be able to buy tickets without minimum stays but will be paying a premium for them. It will punish the business travelers mostly.
Should the $15/bag fee be included in the ticket price. Lots of the business travelers who are being hit by the new policy don't have any checked baggage. It would be a double whammy to hit them up on that. Fuel surcharges is where the airlines are really exploiting the customers now. JAL just announced a $1000 fuel surcharge on top of the ticket price for its Sydney-London route.
888naff at 03:35 AM JST - 23rd June

The worst airlines I have flown are USA based airlines... service anyone? its not just a word.