Raising fees to change nonrefundable airline tickets may be in fashion this year, according to USA Today.
US Airways is the second major airline to increase the cost. On Wednesday, its fees to switch nonrefundable tickets were raised $50, from $150 to $200, for flights within the U.S.
"We've increased some of our change fees for customers who purchase nonrefundable tickets yet need to adjust their travel plans. This increase only applies to new ticket purchases," US Airways spokesman Todd Lehmacher said in a Wednesday statement, adding: "We don't discuss our pricing strategy."
US Airway’s decision may inspire other airlines to do the same. The first carrier to increase the fee was United, which also raised it to $200.
The fees are meant to encourage flyers to buy more expensive flexible tickets, according to the article. Even so, with the high cost of refundable fares, it is usually cheaper to pay a fee on a cheap nonrefundable ticket to make changes rather than buy a refundable ticket.
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