by Donald Wood
Last updated: 1:00 PM ET, Wed November 1, 2017
United Airlines launched the longest nonstop flight from the United States last week, and the carrier offered fares for the journey for as low as $177.
Unfortunately, the low ticket prices are gone for the rest of 2017.
According to CNBC.com, the 8,700-mile journey from Los Angeles to Singapore was listed at $177 for the first leg of the roundtrip flight, with the total coming to about $384 with taxes and fees.
There is a chance that the discounted fares for the 18-hour flight will return, but prices are likely to continue climbing as the holiday season approaches. While the lower ticket prices are no longer available, passengers will earn more frequent flyer miles due to the higher price.
The roundtrip fares for nonstop flights aboard one of United's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners started as low as $574 and rose to over $700. An airline expert told CNBC that the rock-bottom fare was likely a way for the carrier to generate a buzz around the flight before raising the prices once again.
Another reason behind the lower prices could be United and the other top airlines in the U.S. battling low-cost carriers on key routes. The bigger airlines like United have been offering better food and beverage options to combat the no-frills approach of smaller carriers.
The low fare offered by United could also have been a way to gain the airline more traction in a competitive field of trans-Pacific flights.
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