As we noted several months back, a few small regional companies have started to offer unlimited, all-you-can-fly service on their route networks for fixed monthly fees, like SurfAir in California, Rise in the Texas Triangle, and Beacon in the northeast. But now a new company called OneGo is taking the concept a step further.
OneGo has a new smartphone app that customers can use to book multiple flights on major carriers for a fixed monthly fee. It should be available in Apple’s App Store on March 1.
If your travel will be limited to one of three U.S. regions that the company has defined, the monthly fee is $1,500 in the western U.S., $1,950 a month in the central U.S. and $2,300 in the eastern U.S. (which in OneGo’s world extends to the western borders of Iowa and Missouri). For nationwide travel, it’s $2,950. The network covers 76 airports.
There are some caveats, of course: Buyers of these basic plans can hold no more than four reservations at once, bookings must be made seven days before travel, and only economy class seats can be booked. The firm offers optional surcharges for more flexibility — e.g., an extra $1,950 a month (for the nationwide plan) lets you hold up to eight bookings simultaneously, and an extra $950 accommodates unlimited flight changes. (There’s also a $450 non-refundable fee to create an account with OneGo.)
It’s a month-to-month purchase with no long-term commitment, and users can still earn miles and redeem upgrades on the flights booked. The app lets users filter their flight search by time and/or preferred airlines. The company has a website at www.onego.com.
How do they explain their business model? “For years, large corporations have received preferential treatment and pricing from airlines, but individuals and small business travelers don’t have access to the same discounts as their counterparts at bigger companies,” OneGo said in its Frequently Asked Questions web page. “OneGo helps to level the playing field by making air travel costs more predictable for even the most frequent travelers. The consolidated buying power of OneGo’s customers allows us to obtain better pricing that we can then pass on to those travelers.”
OneGo said participating carriers include Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, United and Virgin America.
Readers: What’s your initial impression of this concept? Would you consider trying it?
Are you signed up for the TravelSkills.com blog? Why not? Do it right now and don’t miss out.
NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Boeing 747 nearing its end? + “Targeted” for an upgrade? + 5 newest biz class hotels in New York + TSA PreCheck is exploding + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016
Do you follow us on Twitter? It’s a great way to keep up with the latest news!
Please join the 100,000+ people who read TravelSkills every month! Sign up here for one email-per-day updates!