Second Update: Hugh has given us unlimited invites (thanks Hugh!) and a process for making this easy. I’ll have this done asap.
Most likely you are painfully aware of how bizarre and seemingly inscrutable the pricing schemes are for airline travel. One day you might get a fare from SF to Boston for $400, the next it’s $335, and the day after that it’s $500. Why? Well, airlines have shitloads of data about historical pricing; they understand the supply and demand curves for every market, and they know when they need to sell more seats, boost margins, or compete to win business. They take advantage of all that data to push a price at you that suits them, and they’re very, very good at leveraging algorithms to drive maximum revenue. It’s frustrating as hell to use an online service like Expedia to try to beat the airlines at their own game – it simply isn’t the right interface. Not to mention, Expedia’s real customers are the travel companies – not you.
I got a chance to talk to Farecast founder Hugh Crean earlier last week, right before I penned this missive on not being able to do reviews. And in fact, this is not a review of Farecast, as much as I wish I had time for that. However, Hugh did spend a few minutes showing me around the site, and I found what it does really interesting, though for different reasons that perhaps others might.
You can sign up for the private beta on the homepage, it’ll be out later in the year. The basic premise is neat – Farecast pays attention to the market price of all airline fares out of particular cities (it only does Boston and Seattle for now) at all times (it uses an industry data feed that, unfortunately, does not include Southwest). It then uses this data to help forecast when the right time might be for you to buy your ticket (and get the best price). In short, it’s a rip off detector for flights. Farecast leverages the power of data to put you back in charge, or at least more in charge.
What Farecast does is shift the power of information back into the consumer’s hands, and that’s why I like it. I remember when the web was young and the first car buying sites were up and running. Dealers scrambled for that early business, and I bought two cars off the web by forcing dealers in the Bay Area to compete for my business. It really felt like the web was going to change the dynamic of who was in charge in a car buying transaction – because I could force dealers to their best price, I was always going to get the best price. It felt like this would be the model in most large transactions, like travel, loans, etc. Price would stabilize, and folks would differentiate on service, relationship, and approach.
But something funny happened on our way to internet mediated bliss: the big companies figured out how to game our demand. Dealers realized they can make more profit if they cooperate and withhold pricing information from the aggregators, and the aggregators got into bed with the supply side of the equation (if you think AutoByTel or Expedia is on your side, you’re kidding yourself). Nowhere is this more true that in how an airline prices its tickets.
I like how Farecast puts the consumer back in control of the data. The interface is very slick and the idea is quite promising. So I very much wish Farecast well, and I’d love to hear about other services which disrupt other markets where access to data is so one sided.
Hugh has given me 25 invitations to the private beta, if you’re interested, let me know in comments below.
Update: Hugh has emailed me and upped my invite limit to 150. But give me some time to get them out to you….
I’m in Boston and will be booking a flight soon. Please hook me up.
If there’s any invites left, I’d be much obliged 🙂
thanks,
Erik
Wow, this is awesome. I’d love an invite on the off chance there are any left.
I’d love an invite. I’m in Boston, and need to buy an airline ticket this month! Great timing.
I also travel a lot and would like an invite if there are any left…
What a great idea. I would love an invite if there are some left.
Looks like you are over 200 already but maybe you will get some more invites.
Thanks.
Liz
I didn’t count up the requests you have gotten, but if there’s any invites left, I’d love one, I fly out of Seattle and am looking forward to a few trips this year.
This is just what I need. I travel extensively and I always end up paying over the roof. I’d appreciate if you could send me an invite.
Thanks
Bala
Hi there,
Not sure if you have any more invites to the beta, but I would really love to have one.
Thanks, very much!
Megan
I’m having a wedding in Boston this summer, and the current cost of flights is extraordinarily high. This would help my guests from CA enormously. So if you have any invites left…
Thanks greatly.
if you still have a spare invite, I’d love one.
I would like an invite please, if any are available.
John, I would very much appreciate an invite. Thanks in advance.
I live in Seattle and have many friends in Boston.
I’d love it it you still had an invite.
Thanks John, I live in Seattle and would really like an invite for the beta.
I’d like an invite too!
Hey John,
I live in Seattle. If you have any extra invites left, I’d love one!
Thanks,
Aaron
Hi John, I’d love to get a beta invite for this if at all possible!
any invited left? thanks. im always flying to BOS from SEA and this sounds great.
any left? thanks
Hi! Would love to get a beta invite, like many above I live in Seattle.
I’m in Seattle and would love an invite, if there are any left. Thanks!
Wow! When I saw 136 comments to this, I wondered what was up. Now, after reading through … well, chances are that 150 limit has been hit. If not, I’d like an invite … por favor!
And I agree. Anything which disrupts the entrenched, giant, incumbent players in an industry, and puts more power in the people’s hands, I’ll line up for. Like I am now!
In Boston and have been wanting to try this site since I read about it earlier this year. If you have another invite available, please send it along! Thank you!
If you have an extra one, I would love an invite.
Thanks!
Another would-be Beta user in Seattle. Thanks!
I’d love an invite – if possible
Wow! 226 comments and counting! Ah well. I’ll still be watching this.
I’d love an invite — if there are any left. This is a great idea!
Would love a beta invite if they’re still available… I’m in Seattle and travel at least twice a month, often on short notice. Thanks!
This Bostonian would be very grateful indeed of an invite… That is, if there are still any available.
If there are still invites to give, this Bostonian would LOVE one!!
Oh my! I would love a chance to get a beta invite:)! Thanks so much!
If there are any left I would love a beta invite — thanks so much!
Likewise, I’d love an invite to the beta if there are any left – thanks for posting about this!
I’m a Seattle resident, and about to look at airfares, so a beta invite would be a great boon. I’d appreciate one if there are any left, thanks!
I’m planning a trip this summer out of Boston, so I’d love an invite if you have any left!
Thanks!!
I live in Boston, work for a non profit organization and travel frequently for work. An invitation would be deeply appreciated and put to good use. Thanks!
Boston and Seattle, two of my fave destinations, for business and pleasure. Would love an invite if you have another. Thanks!
I’d love an invite… thanks =)
I buy plane tickets to fly either myself or my fiancee between Las Vegas and Los Angeles every week. I would love to take a look if you have an invite to spare. Thank you!
I you have any invites left, please include me.
Would love an invite, thanks!
(Email: blodulv@gmail.com)
I fly out of BOS all the time; I’d love an invite! 🙂
Thx!
If you ever get through all these and have any invites left, I would appreciate one. Gracias!
If there are any invites left, I am very interested.
I live in the Boston area and would love an invite – this seems like a great idea and my family of four needs to buy some summer air tickets
Hi John, I would love an invite, i’m planning a trip to thailand and the more i can save the longer i can be there for. If there are any left I’d like an invite.
I’d love an invite if you’ve got any left.