This paper develops a theoretical model for the optimal design of airfare as options under capacity constraint to study the price dispersion in U.S airline industry. Monopoly seller uses a menu of refund contracts to sequentially screen heterogeneous travelers who purchase the tickets before...

Based on two strands of theoretical research, this paper provides new evidence on how fares are jointly affected by in-flight seat availability and purchasing date. As capacity-driven theories predict, it emerges that fares monotonically and substantially increase with the flights occupancy...