At a guess because after the WTC incident, the price of US based plane tickets are dropping like a rock to encourage people to actually fly again. Of course I’m assuming United prices are usually comparable to British Airways.
/travel guru hat on/
There’s FIVE basic parameters that determine the cost of an airline ticket.
ONE-Advance purchase. Usually, the greater the advance purchase, the better the discount. Often in increments of 7/14/21 days. Though, 3-day advance purchase is also common.
TWO-Minimum and Maximum stay restrictions. Many of the lowest fares require that you stay at least one Saturday-night at your destination, thus making it prohibitive for business-type travelers. On international routes, many of the lowest fares have a minimum stay of seven days and a maximum stay of 1-3 months.
THREE-Roundtrip required on the same airline, or partner airline. One-way type fares are more geared for the business-tryp traveler, and are usually much higher.
FOUR-Seat availability in the lowest fared inventory. (The traveler does NOT control this) Airlines have several different levels of coach fares, each with different rules and restrictions; the lowest fare levels selling out first. If you compare fares paid with other travelers on the same route, I doubt that you’ll find many that paid the same fare; save those that are traveling together.
FIVE-Competition. Major airlines that compete with low-cost, niche-serving airlines, will often lower their cost or waive one of the first three items noted above, or just lower their fares outright, in order to remain competitive. For instance, the lowest walk-up price from Cleveland to St Louis is more than FIVE TIMES LESS EXPENSIVE than the lowest walk-up price for Cleveland to New York. Because Southwest airlines, a low-cost discount airline, serves the market CLE-STL, the other major carriers that also fly nonstop lower their fare accordingly. Alternately, there is NO low-cost competition CLE-NYC.
Please travel safely.
ShibbOleth, where did you find your rates? AT Orbitz usually they list all airlines automatically but now I have to specify British Airways to get their rate.
Around Sept first, United was $675 round trip & BA: about $398 round trip (yep, a special). Maybe Orbitz had a burp if they are charging $3,840?
One way I think about it is that for $3,840 you KNOW you’ll get there alive