The arcane art of calculating airfare

[geekchick]

Why, exactly, is it less expensive to buy two one-way tickets from Dulles to Oakland and back ($149.80 each) than it is to buy a single round-trip ticket for the same flights ($380)? And why does Travelocity want to charge me $130 in change fees plus ticket price differential when Delta themselves will charge me much less than that (and in both

Comments

[mactavish]

also: JetBlue is just nice people.

Geek Answer Syndrome on the way

[griffen]

Why, exactly, is it more expensive to buy two one-way tickets from Dulles to Oakland and back ($149.80 each) than it is to buy a single round-trip ticket for the same flights ($380)?

Probably because it assures them that you will take both flights if you buy the round-trip ticket.

[kimberlogic]

Is Southwest an option? If it would help you, I'd ferry you to/from BWI