Major United Airlines Accused of Charging Solo Travelers More
A recent discovery by flight deal website Thrifty Traveler has revealed that several major U.S. airlines—Delta, United, and American Airlines—have been charging solo travelers more for certain domestic flights compared to those booking for two or more passengers. The pricing discrepancy, which surfaced on May 29, 2025, has sparked criticism and raised questions about airline fare practices.
Kyle Potter, executive editor at Thrifty Traveler, first noticed the issue while searching for a Delta flight. After repeated checks, he confirmed that a solo ticket was priced significantly higher than the per-person rate for two passengers on the same flight. The same pattern was found on flights with American and United Airlines.
One standout example was a one-way American Airlines flight on October 16, 2025, from Charlotte to Fort Myers. A solo passenger in main cabin economy was quoted $422, while booking for two reduced the per-person fare to $273. Even a cheaper basic economy option, priced at $263 per person, was not available when searching for one passenger.
These discrepancies, known in the industry as “accompanied fares,” appear to be linked to fare buckets that unlock only when two or more tickets are selected. Jesse Neugarten, CEO of Dollar Flight Club, called the solo traveler upcharge “absolutely real,” citing fare differences ranging from $50 to over $100.
While not universal, the pricing issue has been spotted mostly on one-way domestic flights and appears limited to Delta, United, and American. No such patterns were detected on JetBlue, Alaska, or Southwest. In many cases, the fare rules even explicitly mention the requirement of an accompanying adult to qualify for the discount.
The backlash has been swift, with the aviation community and solo travelers taking to Reddit and travel blogs to express outrage. While Delta and United have reportedly removed these fare discrepancies in recent days, American Airlines continues to publish accompanied fares as of now.
Airlines did not respond to requests for comment, but experts believe this practice may have existed quietly for years. Neugarten speculates that solo business travelers—who are more likely to book last-minute and be less price-sensitive—may have been the target, with leisure travelers unknowingly paying more as collateral.
As travelers become more aware of this pricing strategy, analysts expect airlines to either pause or modify their approach. For now, experts recommend using tools like Google Flights and ITA Matrix to compare prices and search with multiple passengers—even if flying solo—to uncover hidden deals.
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