It is still possible to get an airline deal -- if you are lucky and ready to pounce.
Travel search site Kayak.com recently showed a round-trip ticket between Seattle and Cincinnati during the Christmas holiday for $318. The round-trip fare on Delta Air Lines was available for purchase from Alaska Airlines through its code-share agreement with Delta. Delta was selling the same ticket for $579.
The next day, Delta and Alaska's prices had jumped to $729 and $1,261, respectively.
What happened?
A code-share alliance allows one airline -- in this case, Alaska -- to market and sell another carrier's flights. Airlines have dozens of fares in place for the same flight, but usually just a few seats at the lowest price.
"Delta might have sold all the lowest-tier seats, and Alaska might have one or two left," said Delta's Trebor Banstetter. Airlines will coordinate to make sure their prices are aligned, but occasionally there are price disparities.
Part of the explanation for price differences has to do with what the airlines call "yield management," said Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com, an airfare-search site.
Tinkering with dozens of "fare classes" (ticket prices set according to advance purchase requirements, minimum stays, flexibility to change, etc.), computers make a final decision on the seat price based on supply, demand and predicted trends.
