If passengers return on the same day, Monday to Friday, the fare is a whopping $720.
If a traveler spends one or two nights in Boston, the fare drops to $520 round-trip.
Fares are cheaper on Saturday - $320 to fly to Boston on Thursday, Feb. 23, for example, and return to Philadelphia on Saturday, Feb. 25. But it costs $520 to return Friday, Feb. 24.
The key is to fly on, or stay over, a Saturday. Not what most business travelers do.
"We are returning to the days of 10 years ago, when flying Philly to Boston was over $1 a mile. This is simply gouging," said Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition in Radnor. "It's taking advantage of business travelers, who really don't have another option to get from Boston to Philly, or Philly to Boston, efficiently."
Jeffrey Erlbaum, owner of ETA Travel in West Conshohocken, said that, when Southwest flew the route, same-day fares were about $250. "Now it's in the $700 range if you want to go in the morning and come back that same night."
Erlbaum said more Boston-bound clients were opting to take the train. "The Amtrak ticket is $147 round-trip."
When airlines have a monopoly, they stick it to the business traveler, who they figure can expense it, said George Hobica, founder of the travel comparison website AirfareWatchdog.com.
Philadelphia is not alone, he said. Fares have risen in other cities where AirTran Airways, now part of Southwest Airlines, has dropped service.
"Consolidation leads to higher airfares. Two things happen: People will drive when possible on shorter distances, because they are not going to pay those fares," Hobica said.
"And sometimes, another airline will go in - Allegiant Airlines, Spirit Airlines, JetBlue Airways. Some of the discount airlines will pick up the pieces."
