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Industry Insider
Married Segments Explained: Why Your Fare Doubles When You Change One Leg
Married-segment pricing is why your $640 connecting fare reprices to $1,180 when you try to change one leg. Here's what's happening inside the airline's pricing engine and how to work with it.
Read article →Mistake Fares: Why Some Get Honored and Most Don't in 2026
Mistake fares used to be a sure thing under DOT pressure. Since 2015 they're not. Here's what makes airlines honor some and cancel most.
Read article →Involuntary Downgrades: What Airlines Actually Owe You When You Get Bumped Out of Business Class
When the gate agent moves you from business to economy at boarding, the refund rule is buried in the contract of carriage and varies wildly by airline. Here's what each major US carrier actually pays.
Read article →Codeshare Flights: Why the Operating Carrier Matters More Than the Marketing Carrier
Your ticket says Delta. The plane is Air France. The rules that govern your trip come from the operating carrier, not the airline whose code is on the ticket. Here's what that actually means.
Read article →Schedule Change Refunds: When Airlines Owe You a Free Rebook (and When They Don't)
Since October 2024, the DOT's automatic-refund rule sets a hard floor on schedule-change refunds: 3 hours domestic, 6 hours international, no questions asked. Here's what changed and what each US carrier still does differently.
Read article →Award Ticket Fuel Surcharges: Which Airlines Charge Them and Which Don't
A 'free' business class award can come with $1,200 in fuel surcharges, or $43, depending on which loyalty program you book through. Here's the breakdown.
Read article →Overbooked and Bumped: What Denied Boarding Compensation Is Actually Worth
Airlines still overbook, and they still bump passengers. Here's what a bump is worth in 2026, how to negotiate it, and what the DOT actually requires your airline to pay.
Read article →Hidden City Ticketing: When the Loophole Works and When It Bites
Hidden city ticketing can cut airfare 60% on a one-way, but the contract-of-carriage penalties are real. Here's when the loophole is worth the risk and when it isn't.
Read article →Fare Class Letters Explained: What Y, K, W, and J Mean on Your Ticket
The single letter on your ticket controls mileage earn, upgrade eligibility, and change rules. Here's what every common code means on US carriers and partners.
Read article →Consolidator Fares: Why Your Travel Agent Quotes Less Than United's Website
Consolidator fares are net-rate contracts airlines sign with wholesalers to move seats that public channels won't fill. They can be 28% to 43% cheaper on long-haul premium cabins.
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