United Raises Ticket Prices, Other Airlines Follow

United Airlines has increased its ticket prices for the second time this week, shifting the cost of higher fuel prices to its customers. The move could open the way for other carriers to follow suit -or drive customer to those carriers. United described the increase as a fuel surcharge, not the advertised fare.

Continental matched only at the $20 roundtrip level. American matched only at the $20 roundtrip level. Northwest Airlines matched it a day later. All matching was across the carriers’ respective route systems, while continuing to tiptoe around low-cost airline routes and the very cheapest promotional leisure airfares flown by the fewest passengers.

A few of the airlines didn’t bother with the $10 increase level and opted for $20 roundtrip across the board. This brings the domestic fuel surcharge for many markets to $70 roundtrip from its previous high of $50 roundtrip.