IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/trapol/v175y2026ics0967070x2500438x.html

Drip pricing and costly search: Evidence from the airline industry

Author

Listed:
  • Rupp, Nicholas G.

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in October 2022 which requires airlines to be more transparent with their display of ancillary. This paper provides empirical evidence on the consumer search burden and fare estimate inaccuracy under current airline pricing practices, offering perspectives relevant to the proposed DOT rule on fare transparency. Current industry practice is to display fares and fees via drip pricing which makes price comparisons across airlines difficult. We conduct a field experiment of consumer fare search on both airline websites and online travel agencies (OTA). We find shorter search time and more accurate price estimates of airline itineraries at OTA sites. This study provides ex ante evidence to the rationale for the DOT rule as consumers could benefit from increased price transparency.

Suggested Citation

  • Rupp, Nicholas G., 2026. "Drip pricing and costly search: Evidence from the airline industry," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:175:y:2026:i:c:s0967070x2500438x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2025.103895
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X2500438X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tranpol.2025.103895?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. William J. Allender & Jura Liaukonyte & Sherif Nasser & Timothy J. Richards, 2021. "Price Fairness and Strategic Obfuscation," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 40(1), pages 122-146, January.
    2. Tom Blake & Sarah Moshary & Kane Sweeney & Steve Tadelis, 2021. "Price Salience and Product Choice," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 40(4), pages 619-636, July.
    3. Scotti, Davide & Dresner, Martin, 2015. "The impact of baggage fees on passenger demand on US air routes," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 4-10.
    4. Shelle Santana & Steven K. Dallas & Vicki G. Morwitz, 2020. "Consumer Reactions to Drip Pricing," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(1), pages 188-210, January.
    5. Xavier Gabaix & David Laibson, 2018. "Shrouded attributes, consumer myopia and information suppression in competitive markets," Chapters, in: Victor J. Tremblay & Elizabeth Schroeder & Carol Horton Tremblay (ed.), Handbook of Behavioral Industrial Organization, chapter 3, pages 40-74, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Stephan Seiler, 2013. "The impact of search costs on consumer behavior: A dynamic approach," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 155-203, June.
    7. Jan K. Brueckner & Darin N. Lee & Pierre M. Picard & Ethan Singer, 2015. "Product Unbundling in the Travel Industry: The Economics of Airline Bag Fees," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 457-484, September.
    8. Stacey Mumbower & Susan Hotle & Laurie A. Garrow, 2023. "Highly debated but still unbundled: The evolution of U.S. airline ancillary products and pricing strategies," Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(4), pages 276-293, August.
    9. Stephan Seiler, 2013. "The impact of search costs on consumer behavior: A dynamic approach," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 155-203, June.
    10. Mark Aguiar & Erik Hurst, 2007. "Life-Cycle Prices and Production," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(5), pages 1533-1559, December.
    11. O'Connell, John F. & Warnock-Smith, David, 2013. "An investigation into traveler preferences and acceptance levels of airline ancillary revenues," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 12-21.
    12. Elisabeth Honka, 2014. "Quantifying search and switching costs in the US auto insurance industry," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 45(4), pages 847-884, December.
    13. Karanki, Fecri & Schaufele, Roger, 2025. "Profit Efficiency: Insight into airline business models and strategic choices," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    14. Ali Hortaçsu & Chad Syverson, 2004. "Product Differentiation, Search Costs, and Competition in the Mutual Fund Industry: A Case Study of S&P 500 Index Funds," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(2), pages 403-456.
    15. Michael D. Noel & Hongjie Qiang, 2023. "Missing Price Information and Its Impact on Equilibrium Price Dispersion: Evidence From Gasoline Signboards," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(3), pages 814-854, September.
    16. Hana Choi & Carl F. Mela, 2019. "Monetizing Online Marketplaces," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 38(6), pages 948-972, November.
    17. Glenn Ellison & Sara Fisher Ellison, 2009. "Search, Obfuscation, and Price Elasticities on the Internet," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 77(2), pages 427-452, March.
    18. Babur De Los Santos & Ali Hortacsu & Matthijs R. Wildenbeest, 2012. "Testing Models of Consumer Search Using Data on Web Browsing and Purchasing Behavior," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(6), pages 2955-2980, October.
    19. Glenn Ellison & Alexander Wolitzky, 2012. "A search cost model of obfuscation," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 43(3), pages 417-441, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bart J. Bronnenberg & Jean-Pierre H. Dubé, 2016. "The Formation of Consumer Brand Preferences," NBER Working Papers 22691, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Hämäläinen, Saara, 2022. "Multiproduct search obfuscation," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    3. De los Santos, Babur, 2018. "Consumer search on the Internet," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 66-105.
    4. Bronnenberg, Bart & Dube, Jean-Pierre, 2016. "The Formation of Consumer Brand Preferences," CEPR Discussion Papers 11648, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    5. Raluca M. Ursu & Qianyun Zhang & Elisabeth Honka, 2023. "Search Gaps and Consumer Fatigue," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 42(1), pages 110-136, January.
    6. Pires, Tiago, 2018. "Measuring the effects of search costs on equilibrium prices and profits," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 179-205.
    7. Michael Grubb, 2015. "Failing to Choose the Best Price: Theory, Evidence, and Policy," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 47(3), pages 303-340, November.
    8. Pedro M. Gardete & Megan Hunter, 2024. "Multiattribute Search: Empirical Evidence and Information Design," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(5), pages 1052-1080, September.
    9. Raluca Ursu & Stephan Seiler & Elisabeth Honka, 2023. "The Sequential Search Model: A Framework for Empirical Research," CESifo Working Paper Series 10264, CESifo.
    10. Timothy J. Richards & Gordon J. Klein & Celine Bonnet & Zohra Bouamra-Mechemache, 2020. "Strategic Obfuscation and Retail Pricing," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 57(4), pages 859-889, December.
    11. Yuxin Chen & Song Yao, 2017. "Sequential Search with Refinement: Model and Application with Click-Stream Data," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(12), pages 4345-4365, December.
    12. Dubois, Pierre & Perrone, Helena, 2015. "Price Dispersion and Informational Frictions: Evidence from Supermarket Purchases," TSE Working Papers 15-606, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE), revised Sep 2017.
    13. Matsumoto, Brett & Spence, Forrest, 2016. "Price beliefs and experience: Do consumers’ beliefs converge to empirical distributions with repeated purchases?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 126(PA), pages 243-254.
    14. Raluca Ursu & Stephan Seiler & Elisabeth Honka, 2025. "The sequential search model: A framework for empirical research," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 165-213, March.
    15. Ambre Nicolle & Christos Genakos & Tobias Kretschmer, 2025. "Strategic confusopoly: evidence from the UK mobile telecommunications market," Working Papers 202503, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
    16. Mantian (Mandy) Hu & Chu (Ivy) Dang & Pradeep K. Chintagunta, 2019. "Search and Learning at a Daily Deals Website," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 38(4), pages 609-642, July.
    17. Raluca Mihaela Ursu & Andrey Simonov & Eunkyung An, 2025. "Online Advertising as Passive Search," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 71(2), pages 1050-1073, February.
    18. Raluca M. Ursu & Qingliang Wang & Pradeep K. Chintagunta, 2020. "Search Duration," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(5), pages 849-871, September.
    19. Kevin D. Tran & Leonardo Madio & Michelangelo Rossi & Mark J. Tremblay, 2025. "Cleanin' It Up: Unshrouding Hidden Fees on a Peer-to-Peer Platform," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 25/798, School of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.
    20. Ioana Chioveanu & Jidong Zhou, 2013. "Price Competition with Consumer Confusion," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(11), pages 2450-2469, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • L93 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Air Transportation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:175:y:2026:i:c:s0967070x2500438x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30473/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.