ONE SINGLE BLOW

United Airlines Revives ‘Most Hated Rule’ of Charging Solo Passengers More

Dubbed the ‘Single Tax’, passengers flying alone face potentially greater price hikes according to a recent investigation.

United Airlines has resumed their ‘most hated’ policy of charging solo passengers more. Known as the ‘Single Tax’ Rule, an Investigation by Thrifty Traveler found that United Airlines charged single passengers more than those traveling in groups by a price premium of at least 8 percent. The investigation searched for flights for one passenger, and compared the prices after changing the filters for two passengers or more. They saw ticket price per person drop significantly for groups than for individuals, keeping all other factors constant. Other prominent airlines are also under fire for having implemented a similar policy in the past, such as Delta and American Airlines. But after the initial investigation caused backlash from critics, Delta and United Airlines promised to repeal the hated rule—until United quietly brought it back. Critics have argued that the price premium unfairly targets individuals who fly alone, especially for business purposes. This policy change adds to the controversies United Airlines has found itself in during recent months, including selling customer data and reducing the number of flights available, all while blaming the cuts on customers for not traveling enough.