DOMESTIC FLIGHTS: (Number of round-trip miles x $0.032) + $230
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS: (Number of round-trip miles x $0.08) + $200
Example Domestic Flight from Los Angeles to New York is 5,640 round-trip miles.
Domestic Flight Formula: (5,640 x $0.032) + $230 = $410.48.
Ergo, round trip flights between New York and Los Angeles below $410, including taxes and fees are a deal. Flights that cost more than that are more expensive than the majority of the flights that have been sold over the past couple of years.
Catey Hill published an article this morning regarding an analysis of billions of transactions booked with seven major airlines between 2014 to 2016 which led to the formula by software and cloud computing company, Adobe. You can check out the article for full details.
GGibberish Generalizations: I think this is a decent way to figure out if you are paying too much for a flight, but the bargain hunter in me would try to find flights much less than the calculated figure because I love a great deal!
So let’s put this formula to use. I’m planning a Vegas weekend for the weekend of June 17-19, which happens to be EDC weekend and flight costs researched last night were looking about $200-$300 one way from San Francisco. That is pricey! Today, Southwest Airlines posted Sale fares are in Bloom Gi’Spot Tip: Airline sale fares are usually posted Tuesday mornings!
SFO to LAS Domestic Flight Formula: (414 round-trip miles x $0.032) + $230= $256.43. Goal is to find a flight cheaper than $256.43
Southwest Sale Flight Found:
Fri 6/17 Flight #203 Depart SFO 10:05pm Arrive LAS 11:35pm ($107 one-way)
Sun 6/19 Flight #1697 Depart LAS 6:55am Arrive SFO 8:35am ($117 one-way)
Flight cost of $223.96 is below $256.43 so is considered a deal per Adobe’s formula. The return flight is not ideal…unless the party lasts all night and one head’s straight to the airport, then all Sunday can be recovery time. 😉
GGibberish Callout: What do you think about this formula, would you use it as a baseline to help decide whether to book a flight or not?
GGibberish 
I take it that this formula must be a favorite of yours lol.
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I actually haven’t used this formula that much because the flights I tend to book I know are ridiculously cheap. Example: My Japan flight in November was only $350!
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That is pretty good. Wanna be my travel agent? 😊
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Haha I always wondered if I should have tried that career, but I don’t know if I’d enjoy planning other people’s trips. I’d constantly be envious wishing I was going on the trip myself.
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