Infuriating 3 night minimum for "Economy Super Saver" on AA.com
Are there any other markets that now have a minimum 3 day stay to qualify for deep discount economy? I fly AUS-ORD very regularly, and recently (meaning this year), they seem to have implemented this minimum - for the non-stop flights, if I put in a 1 or 2 night trip, the lowest fare bucket is "Not Available" (it is still available for stopover flights). by extending the trip to 3 nights, I now have access to those fare buckets. The other way to handle this is to book on AAVacations. There, I can book the hotel and flight together for less than AA is charging for the flight alone. This is irritating, because, while I can still get AA miles for it, I am unable to earn hhonors points.
WN does not restrict to 3 days at all, so I sometimes get stuck riding the bus. What's up with this?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mdavies
Are there any other markets that now have a minimum 3 day stay to qualify for deep discount economy? I fly AUS-ORD very regularly, and recently (meaning this year), they seem to have implemented this minimum - for the non-stop flights, if I put in a 1 or 2 night trip, the lowest fare bucket is "Not Available" (it is still available for stopover flights). by extending the trip to 3 nights, I now have access to those fare buckets. The other way to handle this is to book on AAVacations. There, I can book the hotel and flight together for less than AA is charging for the flight alone. This is irritating, because, while I can still get AA miles for it, I am unable to earn hhonors points.
WN does not restrict to 3 days at all, so I sometimes get stuck riding the bus. What's up with this?
When you look at the fare, does it state there is a 3 day mininum?
What code will the AAVacation booking go into?
When you look at the fare, does it state there is a 3 day mininum?
yes:
Quote:
FOR TRAVEL ON/AFTER 02JAN 13 WHEN DEPARTURE FROM FARE ORIGIN IS SUN THROUGH WED THEN TRAVEL FROM LAST STOPOVER MUST COMMENCE NO EARLIER THAN 3 DAYS AFTER DEPARTURE FROM FARE ORIGIN OR - WHEN DEPARTURE FROM FARE ORIGIN IS THU THROUGH FRI THEN TRAVEL FROM LAST STOPOVER MUST COMMENCE NO EARLIER THAN THE FIRST SAT AFTER DEPARTURE FROM FARE ORIGIN OR - WHEN DEPARTURE FROM FARE ORIGIN IS SAT THEN TRAVEL FROM LAST STOPOVER MUST COMMENCE NO EARLIER THAN THE FIRST SUN AFTER DEPARTURE FROM FARE ORIGIN.
certainly appears to be trying to restrict business travel low prices.
Looking at the AUS-ORD r/t fares , lots of the lower fares have a 3 night minimum stay in conjunction with the advance booking requirements. If AA Vacations can avoid this issue, that may be the way to go or use another airline that doesn't have min stay
Looking at the AUS-ORD r/t fares , lots of the lower fares have a 3 night minimum stay in conjunction with the advance booking requirements. If AA Vacations can avoid this issue, that may be the way to go or use another airline that doesn't have min stay
Is this an AUS-ORD peculiarity? I've ended up doing that several times, was hoping it was just a summer thing or something, but they've kept it in place.
Is this an AUS-ORD peculiarity? I've ended up doing that several times, was hoping it was just a summer thing or something, but they've kept it in place.
Not all routes have it; probably been put on routes where they think that they can get customers to pay it; AUS-ORD has it but AUS-DFW doesn't.
Fortunately there are other options without such restrictions but may have to connect
Minimum stays come and go. My guess is that AA still attempts to practice price discrimination between vacationers and business travelers where the competition will permit it. The minimum stay requirement may be an imperfect proxy, but if AA asked everyone "Is this a business trip or personal travel?" and priced the fare accordingly, then everyone (except the terminally slow) would respond "Personal travel" and business travel would, miraculously, dry up. Nobody would pay the OPM fares. I honestly can't blame AA.
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As more businesses implement "lowest fare" policies on their travelers, I predict we'll see more of this. Particularly in markets where there's little competition.
+1 - At the end of the day, businesses will pay the more expensive fare if they have to. So, there's no reason for AA to sell the deep discounts for business travellers. WN is a different demographic and doesn't have the route network of AA, so it's not really serious competition, although in AA's case, if he can do it for less on WN, that's what he ought to do.
WN ... doesn't have the route network of AA, so it's not really serious competition
I think it is definitely serious competition. WN doesn't have the international route network of AA, but certainly has a reasonable competitor domestically. The very reason the Deep Discount fare exists at this price point at all is because of the southwest effect. now, I don't like WN (like many people on this board), but I know plenty of business travelers who do.
WN is a different demographic and doesn't have the route network of AA, so it's not really serious competition, although in AA's case, if he can do it for less on WN, that's what he ought to do.
Not to start a WN vs. legacy carrier debate, but this comment is just wrong. WN is the number one domestic carrier in the U.S., so it is most definitely serious competition. Among markets that can support 737 service, WN has a superior network to AA. And if you go check out the WN line during the week, you may be surprised to find that WN gets its fair share of business travelers.
Not to start a WN vs. legacy carrier debate, but this comment is just wrong. WN is the number one domestic carrier in the U.S., so it is most definitely serious competition. Among markets that can support 737 service, WN has a superior network to AA. And if you go check out the WN line during the week, you may be surprised to find that WN gets its fair share of business travelers.
Well, if that's what OP thinks, he ought to fly WN and be done with it. Instead he's here on AA complaining about the fares when he can get them for less elsewhere.
WN is not the competitor (for business travel) you think it is, for all... I work for a F500 type company, which requires I book through their corporate travel website (a Carlson site re-logo'ed), and WN fares aren't even an option, one can't book them. We are also required to travel on the lowest fare, unless it doesn't meet our business requirements (or if it's on WN, which can't be booked).
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Often1
+1 - At the end of the day, businesses will pay the more expensive fare if they have to. So, there's no reason for AA to sell the deep discounts for business travellers. WN is a different demographic and doesn't have the route network of AA, so it's not really serious competition, although in AA's case, if he can do it for less on WN, that's what he ought to do.
Not serious competition? Have you seen it's effect on AA West Coast network?
Surely many of these are business customers.
Plenty of large corporations use WN.
