Do Airlines Hike Fares When a Route Is Searched Often?

Notice: Undefined offset: 4 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 92

Notice: Undefined offset: 5 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 92

Notice: Undefined offset: 6 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 92

Notice: Undefined offset: 4 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 98

Notice: Undefined index: pass_through_args in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 158

Notice: Undefined index: wrapper in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 159

Dear Jessica,

Do airlines raise prices if they notice a certain route is being searched more frequently online?

—S.M.

Dear S.M.,

I suspect many other readers have wondered the same thing you’re asking, particularly when a fare you were interested suddenly jumped up after you searched for it several times. But the truth is, airfares are dictated by the market and competition. If an airline can charge a premium and increase fares, it will, but with it being such a competitive industry that is rarely the case.

On the other hand, our friends at Airfarewatchdog.com recommend clearing the cookies on your Internet browser if you’ve been searching a particular route often: “If a fare changes between two separate searches done over time on the same route, some fare search engines may return the results you viewed earlier rather than the new, lower results.”

More from SmarterTravel

Last Updated: September 16, 2015

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.