If you've ever even casually shopped for a low airfare, you've seen those four restrictive words: "Saturday night stay required."
It has locked many a traveler out of an otherwise reasonable fare. It has unlocked many an otherwise unnecessary hotel room door, too.
That's because many times, the cost of a room pales in comparison to the added airfare costs associated with not staying on Saturday. Selling hotel rooms might be a side benefit to the travel industry, but the reason for this restriction is rooted in greater airline profits.
Why do we have the Saturday night stay requirement?
Airlines generally cater to two types of travelers: business people and leisure folks. The business people usually have to travel on short notice.
Airlines prefer reservations made weeks in advance. It allows them to manage their costs and seat inventories more effectively. They penalize people who fly at the last minute with fares that are often astronomical.
Since the airlines were deregulated about 20 years ago, Saturday night stay rules have been employed to enhance the separation between those business travelers and the leisure flyers. Many business travelers don't (or won't) fly on weekends, so they are forced in greater numbers to keep buying the expensive flights.
That's the theory under which the Saturday night stay has thrived all these years. But guess what? It's not working nearly so well these days!
Click "next" and find out why the Saturday night stay might be on the endangered list.
