Airlines offering more fare flexibility

USA Today

The hated Saturday-night-stay requirement — a barrier that airlines have used for decades to keep business travelers from getting the cheapest airfares — might be weakening.

United Airlines last week dropped the Saturday-night requirement — and its fares — on certain flights between Chicago O'Hare and major business cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Boston.

United's announcement came as it is suffering record losses amid the worst travel downturn in a decade. Most major airlines are losing money as business travelers stay home or find ways to fly cheaply. More flexible fares are gaining popularity:

• United said its new O'Hare fares are a "fare restructuring" aimed at Southwest Airlines and American Trans Air, which serve Chicago's Midway Airport. Neither Southwest nor ATA requires a Saturday-night stay. American, Delta and Northwest matched the fares where they compete against United.

• Delta Air Lines recently dropped fares and restrictions on certain flights to and from Atlanta Hartsfield, the nation's busiest airport, where it competes against low-fare carrier AirTran Airways. AirTran requires no Saturday-night stay or round-trip purchase.

• Last year, Northwest Airlines introduced BizFlex fares on flights between Minneapolis/St. Paul and major cities. BizFlex fares offer 40 percent discounts off walk-up, round-trip business fares with a 10-day advance purchase and don't require a Saturday-night stay.

Experts say that as Southwest, AirTran, ATA, New York-based JetBlue and other low-fare carriers expand, the traditional airlines might have to ease ticket restrictions in more markets.