How to BEAT the Airline Ticket Fuel Surcharge Yo-Yo

January 23, 2008 | Posted in: Fuel Surcharges

It really has been a yo-yo of sorts; one day, an airline announces a big fat rise in their fuel surcharges, and within a few days, most of the airlines have fallen in line. Then poof! The surcharges are rolled back. Then, they’re on again. But you can beat this. Over the past 2 years, I’ve noticed that the fuel surcharges are typically filed on Thursday night or Friday morning. And rollbacks occur Monday evening or Tuesday morning.

So, start buying your tickets Tuesday afternoons, or on Wednesdays or Thursdays to avoid the surcharge increases – 3 attempts every week this year with 2 failures so those who shopped on these days in the past 2 weeks have saved $20-30.

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7 Responses to “How to BEAT the Airline Ticket Fuel Surcharge Yo-Yo”

1. Joan Biliski says:

   January 24, 2008 at 11:12 am

   Was in the site enjoying reading about cheap dentistry in Ecuador – by a man named Gary….signed up for his newsletter and my connection failed. Now I can’t find that link. Do you have any idea on how I can access that again?
2. Andy says:

   January 24, 2008 at 11:16 am

   I wish I had read this before. 3 nonrefundable tickets for the same itinerary that I bought at continental.com on Sun are now 190$ less on Thu. Since they charge 100$ per e-ticket for reissue they say I can’t change them… Or can I?

   I can hear my wife screaming: “I told you not to buy the tickets”
3. Google says:

   January 24, 2008 at 2:42 pm

   Joan, try this: http://www.garyascott.com/2008/01/09/1954.html
4. Rick Seaney says:

   January 24, 2008 at 2:53 pm

   Hi Andy,

   If the tickets are $190 less per person, they will not reissue you a credit of $90 ($100 change fee).

   I know this is seems crazy but that is the policy.

   You can however buy the 3 new tickets at the cheaper price and then cancel the other three and get a credit (minus the $100 fee) for future flights on CO that must be used within a year (I would have to check CO official policy). This doesn’t help if you are not planning on flying them soon though.
5. Dodie says:

   January 24, 2008 at 3:54 pm

   Hi Andy,
   United Airlines will give you a paper voucher for the difference in price to be used for a future flight, valid for 1 year. I just did that by phone. are you sure Continental doesn’t do the same?
6. Andy says:

   January 25, 2008 at 10:04 am

   Thank you guys. The decrease is 63$/person i.e. ticket — 190$ total. The 100$ threshold is to high…

   The lesson is to read Rick’s, follow farecompare.com and not act in a hurry…
7. Karen says:

   January 26, 2008 at 12:39 am

   My daughter is booked on a tour with about 20 classmates from Philadelphia to Spain. Our final payment was made in September [paid early to get free insurance](Officially due by Dec 15, 2007). Today I received a letter with an updated invoice, they want $150 more for fuel surcharges and to compensate for the falling dollar against the Euro. Tour operator claims their costs actually went up $350/pp. They are ‘only’ charging the $150. If this was actually booked way back when (last May) shouldn’t the prices have been locked in?