Overview

• Major carriers including Delta, United and American have updated fare rules that impose surcharges on unaccompanied flyers unless they add at least one adult companion.
• On routes such as Chicago–Peoria, United’s standard economy one-way fare can rise to $269 for a solo traveler but drops below $200 per person when booked as a group.
• Airlines attribute the change to dynamic pricing strategies aimed at revenue optimization even as overall domestic summer airfares have fallen about 7% year-over-year.
• With solo travel bookings up 34% year-over-year, these extra fees could alter travel patterns and reduce solo attendance at theme parks.
• Affected travelers can avoid higher costs by comparing fares on multiple platforms, using private browsing modes and selecting routes without solo-traveler restrictions.