WASHINGTON -- Senior citizens still can find airline discounts, but
it's getting more difficult.
American, Continental, Delta, Northwest and United -- following
the June 28 lead of US Airways -- all got rid of their most
broad-based discount, typically 10% off any ticket for customers
age 62 and older.
There were some differences, however, in the discounts the
carriers eliminated and retained. And Frontier bucked the trend and
expanded its senior discount.
That sets up an interesting situation in Denver, where, to a
certain extent, hub competitors Frontier and United have gone in
different directions on senior fares.
At Frontier, customers age 62 and up -- and companions booking
at the same time on the same itinerary -- now are able to apply the
10% off to the airline's lowest Web-only fares.
Previously, the discount did not apply to those fares.
But many of the major carriers, already forced by the market to
offer fares below a level where they can turn a profit, apparently
have decided that offering a systemwide discount to seniors isn't
paying off.
"Part of our strategy is to avoid offering discounts on already
deeply discounted fares," said a Northwest spokesman.
Here's a look at what the largest U.S. airlines have done:
• American: Eliminated its 10% across-the-board discount for
customers age 62 and over but continues to sell its senior coupon
book.
• Continental: Eliminated what a spokesman described as a
"patchwork" of offers that varied by market but did include 10% off
all fares in some markets.
It replaced that system with a more-standardized discount,
usually 10%, for customers age 65 and older who purchase a
"typical" 14-day advance fare, the spokesman said.
• Delta: Eliminated its 10% across-the-board discount for
customers age 62 and over, but kept its coupon book.
• Northwest: Eliminated its coupon book -- which it claimed no
longer offered a good deal and required too much paperwork -- but
created a new program.
The plan offers 10% off the airline's "Every Day Deals," which
require a 14-day advance, and extends the maximum stay for those
deals to 180 days.
• United: Eliminated its 10% across-the-board discount for
customers age 62 and over for travel in the U.S., between the U.S.
and Canada and to the Caribbean and Mexico, but retained the
discount for its other markets.
United also decided to stop selling its senior coupon book and
matched the new Northwest program for travelers age 65 and
older.
• US Airways: Eliminated its 10% across-the-board discount but
retained its senior coupon book and special fares available to
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) members for travel
within the U.S. and to Canada and the Caribbean.
AARP members get those zone-based discounts by calling a special
number and making a direct booking with the airline.
AARP members can be as young as 50, so, in terms of age, it's
actually more of a broad-based discount than the 10% off. Only US
Airways and Virgin Atlantic have that discount deal with AARP.