Major Airlines Fees

[Kevin Dill]

I just booked my ticket to Fairbanks for next September. I basically did the exact same itinerary as last year, and included the same seat upgrades. Surprisingly the total one-way ticket was only about $20 more than a year ago. I find that very surprising given the increase in travel as covid wanes, and the explosive rise in fuel prices secondary to inflation and the war in Ukraine. I don't think ticket prices will remain steady for long, and I definitely wasn't willing to gamble on seeing any sort of drop. Also, for the first time ever I purchased optional trip insurance.

I'll be interested to read what others see....think....or do.


Edit: A few minutes after posting this I noted that the U.S. will be banning the purchase of Russian oil. {{{{Tremors}}}}.....

 

[Dexter Grayson]

I imagine airline tickets prices will drastically increase real soon. I am planning a trip back up there in September as well, I don’t have my dates yet so I can’t book my travel yet unfortunately. But would if I could!

 

[VernAK]

I just booked my ticket to Fairbanks for next September. I basically did the exact same itinerary as last year, and included the same seat upgrades. Surprisingly the total one-way ticket was only about $20 more than a year ago. I find that very surprising given the increase in travel as covid wanes, and the explosive rise in fuel prices secondary to inflation and the war in Ukraine. I don't think ticket prices will remain steady for long, and I definitely wasn't willing to gamble on seeing any sort of drop. Also, for the first time ever I purchased optional trip insurance.

I'll be interested to read what others see....think....or do.


Edit: A few minutes after posting this I noted that the U.S. will be banning the purchase of Russian oil. {{{{Tremors}}}}.....

A very prudent move on Kevin's part!

I'm sure our pilots will be facing some huge bills for AvGas.

 

[Kevin Dill]

A very prudent move on Kevin's part!

I'm sure our pilots will be facing some huge bills for AvGas.

I'm expecting a fuel surcharge if the run-up on fuel prices doesn't slacken by fall.

 

[Slugz]

You are in the window because so early ( 6 months out) that prices are low. Regardless of global energy issues you can still get very good deals if purchasing early.

 

[frank church guy]

I bought my tickets five weeks ago to fairbanks for $530 round trip from Boise. It is coach but I thought that was a pretty good deal.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I might need to bivy under the hedges at Pioneer Park and bum rides if hotels and car rental prices keep leapfrogging.

 

[HuntHarder]

I bought mine to anchorage on sunday night. Used my AK air points. Round trip from Phx cost 11$.

 

[william schmaltz]

It will be interesting all around to see how things go. I saw an inflation chart a few weeks ago that (so far) the inflation on commercial travel has been negligible. I just booked a trip out to Bethel in two weeks and it was 5,000 AK air miles +$6 each way for first class. Two jets going in and out per day and I checked all four flights for days I was traveling; each jet had 5-10 passengers booked on the them. Not sure if people are not flying because of other expenses in life or what is going on. Very unusual. As prices start going up, hopefully we don't start losing flight options which further pushes costs up. Things are pretty limited for travel within and to/from Alaska the way it is.

As far as transporter costs, I don't think $20+/gal for 100 LL is far off for village fuel as they will get hammered by rising fuel costs along with crazy barge costs. Some of these operations could see literally hundreds of thousands of dollars in increased fuel costs for the season.

 

[Northpark]

I bought mine to anchorage on sunday night. Used my AK air points. Round trip from Phx cost 11$.

Just did the same thing for my spring black bear hunt. Round trip from Phoenix to anchorage was that same $11

 

[cgasner1]

I bought mine to anchorage on sunday night. Used my AK air points. Round trip from Phx cost 11$.

I did the same thing couple weeks ago but had to cancel and go back and do it about 20 minutes later and they added 50% more miles for my return trip


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[Southeast]

I spent the last year planning on not booking a return flight from Fairbanks to Omaha until I was out of the bush. You know, it would be nice not to have an airline reservation to worry about with weather and transporter delays. That changed yesterday with the Russian oil announcement. I was able to get a ticket home for 15,000 Alaska Airline miles (which is about as low as they ever get). I have a feeling that flight would cost me a lot more if I booked it in September!

 

[Panhandler80]

just booked my flights to and from AK village from NW Florida. Not cheap and going to be a couple LONG travel days.

Not cheap, like 1,200 after taxes and an $80 upgrade for an overnight 7 hr flight, but was worried what might happen between now and early September

 

[ColeyG]

I'm expecting a fuel surcharge if the run-up on fuel prices doesn't slacken by fall.

With so many outfitters and transporters taking reservation and signing contracts so far in advance, I can't imagine a scenario where fuel surcharges aren't getting tagged on if the current trend in fuel prices continues. I know of one example from a village catering to musk ox hunters where this has happened already.

There are no real winners when this sort of thing happens. The hunters have a valid point re: agreed upon costs and rates, but I also have sympathy for the commercial operators who may suddenly be facing astronomical increases in their operating costs with little to no warning. Everyone needs to make a living.

 

[Panhandler80]

With so many outfitters and transporters taking reservation and signing contracts so far in advance, I can't imagine a scenario where fuel surcharges aren't getting tagged on if the current trend in fuel prices continues. I know of one example from a village catering to musk ox hunters where this has happened already.

There are no real winners when this sort of thing happens. The hunters have a valid point re: agreed upon costs and rates, but I also have sympathy for the commercial operators who may suddenly be facing astronomical increases in their operating costs with little to no warning. Everyone needs to make a living.

I’ll happily pay a little more for transport. Drop in the bucket compared to cost of trip in its entirety. Pilot better keep it believable though.

 

[william schmaltz]

I know of one example from a village catering to musk ox hunters where this has happened already.

Interesting they're changing their prices. Actually pretty messed up since they bought all that fuel back in early fall. Headed to the island in a couple of weeks so I guess we will see. Once did a big job in Kaktovik and they told me there that the price is locked in whenever the barge arrives and stays the same until the next shipment the following year.

 

[Panhandler80]

Interesting they're changing their prices. Actually pretty messed up since they bought all that fuel back in early fall. Headed to the island in a couple of weeks so I guess we will see. Once did a big job in Kaktovik and they told me there that the price is locked in whenever the barge arrives and stays the same until the next shipment the following year.

Hmmmm.

 

[John Havard]

Booked mine about two weeks ago. It seemed pretty reasonable to me but I don't remember exactly what I paid last year. Booking early is always advisable.

 

[WMR]

Anybody using the Alaska Air Companion Fare deal? We did that the last 2 years and it seemed a good deal. This is really the only reason I got the Alaska air Visa card.

 

[Theringworm]

I booked my round trip into Juneau about 3-4 weeks ago. I had hoped to book it back in December/January but my hunting partner wasn’t reading to commit then, plus the return leg price was insane. Fortunately by us waiting until last month that return leg price plummeted and we saved over $700 per person. Compared to what i laid last year into Juneau it is either the same price or with in $20-30 more.