Arbitrary airfares (or why the airlines suck)

[USFFan]

For better or worse, I have to be in California on 12/31 and again on 1/4, so I'm pretty much restricted to flying in for the game on 1/1.  I've been monitoring airfares, and yesterday Air Canada's non-stops into Toronto dropped to a quasi-reasonable $258 (one way).  At first the only one that dropped was a 7 am flight, then in the afternoon the midafternoon flight dropped to that price.  The return flights were all on the order of $600, so I figured I'd check today to see if the prices came down for any reasonable flight back.  This evening, I found a return flight for $400, so I went to grab the flight there on 1/1, only to find that those flights into Toronto had gone up to over $1,000 one way.  To make matters worse, I'd been using the seat finder, so I know that they haven't sold a single seat.  It's no wonder so many airlines are struggling...

USFFan

[USFFan]

And, just like that, the fares switched again.  Through some detective work, I managed to arrange flights that will cost me little more than $500.  It requires me to go to Toronto through Phoenix on 1/1.  Hey Brad or Sherrif, are you guys going?  The one way flight on 1/1 out of Phoenix was only $166...

USFFan