All-You-Can-Fly for a Flat Monthly Rate? You Bet.
Because it was only a matter of time before somebody brought buffet pricing to air travel, OneGo is a new monthly subscription service (and app) that offers unlimited commercial flights to 73 US cities, for one low-low price. OK, maybe not so low-low -- since subscriptions start at $1,500 per month -- but, remember, it is ALL-YOU-CAN-FLY!
How does it work?
Simple. You sign up, pay the $495 registration fee, and select one of three regional plans that allow you to book an unlimited number of flights to 76 airports (in 73 cities) on the following airlines: Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, United, and Virgin America. (And yes, you still earn frequent-flyer miles!)
You're allowed up to four reservations at a time, and all flights must be booked a week in advance. Your monthly subscription rate is based entirely on which plan you select:
West
- Includes flights within Arizona, Nevada, and the Pacific Coast states
- 35 routes
- $1,500 per month
Central
- Includes flights to all states between Idaho and Minnesota, and south to Texas
- 35 routes
- $1,950 per month
East
- Includes flights from the Eastern seaboard west to Iowa, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri
- 158 routes
- $2,300 per month
Check out the specific regional plan maps here.
National
Or, if you consider yourself a George Clooney-Up-in-the-Air-type traveler who flies everywhere, OneGo also offers a separate nationwide package with 500+ routes for $2,950 per month.
What if I need a last-minute flight, or have to change a reservation?
Like the airlines, OneGo also offers premium add-ons; current options include unlimited changes for $950 and last-minute bookings for $1,950 -- both paid annually, not monthly. In the future, it will offer premiums for baggage fees and up to eight simultaneous reservations.
So, how are these guys making any money?
OneGo is banking on a couple of things to make this business model work: first, like the aforementioned buffet, these guys are wagering that most people won't eat all the damn steak/fly more than the value of their membership. Second, they’re hoping to ultimately grow enough to capitalize on economies of scale, and negotiate deep discounts from airlines that fliers couldn’t get themselves.
How do I sign up, again?
Like you do everything else these days: download the app. It won’t be available on iOS until March (with Android and desktop versions to follow) but until then, go to OneGo’s website and sign up as a "Founding Flyer." Sure, the service is aimed at business travelers, but it's not limited to them. So if you're a travel addict and/or a groomsman in 12 weddings this summer, who knows -- it might just be worth the cash.
Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email, and get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.
Matt Meltzer is a staff writer at Thrillist. Follow him on Instagram: @meltrez1.