I'm booking a trip home from Boston in early July, and found a really wide spread of fares on the NEC.
BOS - BAL
Acela BC $87 (7,000 points) , Acela First $258 (10,320 points)
NER coach $34 (!) (4,438 points), BC $97 (3,444 points)
Aside from the really cheap coach and Acela Business class fares, what really sticks out is that buying a Northeast Regional Business Class seats with points is cheaper than buying a Northeast Regional coach seats with points. The other thing is that if you pay cash, the Acela First Class fare is about three times the price of the Acela Business class fare, whereas if you're paying in points, the First Class fare is only 1.5 times the Business Class fare. Oh, yes, another thing is that Acela business class is cheaper than Northeast Regional business class. These are for midweek trips. Things might be different on Fridays and Sundays.
I'm leaning toward buying an Acela Business class seat and using one of my upgrade coupons to ride First Class. I suspect that I won't have any problems getting a first class seat 48 hours before the trip, and if I don't, the Acela business class is comfortable enough.
My wife and I are going up to Boston (different trip) at the end of July, traveling on a Friday, and while some of the above fares are still available, the Acela business class point fare is 7,800 points, but the First Class Point fare is the same 10,320 points. A lot of the cash fares on both Acela and Northeast Regional are already in slightly higher buckets. We're taking the early Acela and riding First Class on Points. Fortunately, we're coming home midweek. I think I'm going to pay with points and use the cash savings to stay at a nicer hotel in Boston.
I'm not sure of the logic the yield management software is using to calculate these fares, but it does seem that they're trying to fill seats.
BOS - BAL
Acela BC $87 (7,000 points) , Acela First $258 (10,320 points)
NER coach $34 (!) (4,438 points), BC $97 (3,444 points)
Aside from the really cheap coach and Acela Business class fares, what really sticks out is that buying a Northeast Regional Business Class seats with points is cheaper than buying a Northeast Regional coach seats with points. The other thing is that if you pay cash, the Acela First Class fare is about three times the price of the Acela Business class fare, whereas if you're paying in points, the First Class fare is only 1.5 times the Business Class fare. Oh, yes, another thing is that Acela business class is cheaper than Northeast Regional business class. These are for midweek trips. Things might be different on Fridays and Sundays.
I'm leaning toward buying an Acela Business class seat and using one of my upgrade coupons to ride First Class. I suspect that I won't have any problems getting a first class seat 48 hours before the trip, and if I don't, the Acela business class is comfortable enough.
My wife and I are going up to Boston (different trip) at the end of July, traveling on a Friday, and while some of the above fares are still available, the Acela business class point fare is 7,800 points, but the First Class Point fare is the same 10,320 points. A lot of the cash fares on both Acela and Northeast Regional are already in slightly higher buckets. We're taking the early Acela and riding First Class on Points. Fortunately, we're coming home midweek. I think I'm going to pay with points and use the cash savings to stay at a nicer hotel in Boston.
I'm not sure of the logic the yield management software is using to calculate these fares, but it does seem that they're trying to fill seats.