Q. I often need to fly from Orlando to Grand Rapids, but find it much less expensive to fly into Detroit and drive the rest of the way. Fares to Grand Rapids, even with a stop over in Detroit or even Atlanta, are about $300 more. Why so much?

A. There are far fewer flights to Grand Rapids, than a major hub such as Detroit. That results in less supply and more demand, which results in higher prices. Also, the airlines that serve Grand Rapids are mostly the old legacy airlines, which tend to have higher prices as well. As for the difference in prices, fares go up and down, much like the stock market ... so it just depends on when you buy during the price fluctuations. The airline industry was deregulated back in the 1970's, which is the main reason why it seems so chaotic currently. Websites like ours are good for keeping you on top of what's going on.