Single-person air tickets are actually more expensive than multi-person tickets, and the price difference is up to 100 yuan. 2 airlines were named

What’s wrong with being a solo traveller? When you stay in a hotel you are charged for the room and now when you fly you are charged for the seat. American Airlines and United Airlines have sparked outrage among solo travelers after charging solo travelers more than groups of two or more people on some flights, with price differences of up to hundreds of dollars.

A study by Thrifty Traveler found that American Airlines and United Airlines charge higher fares for solo travelers than for groups of two or more people. This is not universal, but it is enough to cause alarm, especially with Alaska Airlines, Alaska Airlines,delta air lines AndSouthwest Airlines This approach was not adopted.

Simple Flying reported that this pricing strategy is more common on cruise ships or hotels, where single travelers are more likely to share the same space with couples. But on planes, where each passenger has their own seat, whether traveling alone or in a group, this trend seems more problematic, especially considering that both American Airlines and United Airlines have launched initiatives to support solo travelers.

The statistical methodology of “Budget Traveller” is very simple. Over the next 11 months, 1,000 routes from each of the five major US airlines will be randomly selected and flight information searched separately. The final results showed that 33.5% of American Airlines flights had single passenger fare increases, with the average increase being more than 90 yuan. The report also cites a particularly shocking example: a single-occupancy economy class flight from Miami to Charlotte on December 15 this year.air ticket Have to pay 496 yuan. However, if you add another passenger when booking, the economy class fare will be reduced by an average of NT$155 per person. According to the View from the Wing website, the logic is that solo travelers are more likely to be business travelers, but this is not always the case.

Budget Traveler first published research on the topic in the spring of 2025, causing an uproar that was enough to prompt airlines to change their approach. However, in July last year, United Airlines reportedly started increasing fares for solo travelers by up to 70%. More than a year later, United Airlines is still continuing this practice.

According to the latest report, such price increases are not common on United Airlines. Only 10.6% of United flights surveyed experienced such price increases, with the average fee increase being 64 yuan. However, some flights have experienced even more dramatic growth. Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to Santa Ana increased by $105 in February. What is worrying is that compared to Budget Traveler’s initial report in the spring of 2025, increases in single flight ticket prices have shifted from a rare and random event to a more common occurrence.

Ticket prices for all flights have increased this year due to rising fuel prices, and for those flying alone, this additional “penalty” will undoubtedly be unpleasant. American Airlines and United Airlines were listed as the airlines that penalized solo travelers the most. Both the airlines have also launched features like app navigation, customer service hotline and seat preferences to help solo travelers to make solo travel more convenient.

As early as the spring of 2025, “Budget Traveler” criticized Delta Air Lines by name in its first report. At the time, Delta’s surcharge policy for solo travelers only applied to domestic routes in the United States. But by May of last year, the resulting backlash forced Delta to change its approach, and solo and business travelers were once again charged the same fares as group travelers.

Some people suggested buying two tickets together and then canceling the second ticket for free within 24 hours. Although this is more troublesome, it is also a counter-attack by solo travelers against the airlines’ discriminatory behavior.