Dec 13, 2012, 3:04 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost to update; wiki contents may be printed by using the 
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AA is now offering three types of Economy fares via AA.com:
• Choice (fare basis code ends in 1) = Lowest Fare, earn AA miles
• Choice Essential (fare basis code ends in 2) = Change Fee (depends on detailed fare rules), 1 Checked Bag, Group 1 Boarding, Earn AA miles
• Choice Plus (fare basis code ends in 7) = above Choice Essential benefits plus 50% Bonus RDM, Same-Day Flight Change, Same-Day Standby, Premium Beverage, No Change Fee, Earns base miles plus 50% bonus miles
• Business/First as Choice Plus, plus 3 checked bags, No change fee (domestic only), priority baggage delivery at carousel, 50% class of service bonus miles
(Updated 1 Mar 2015)
See this page at aa.com for bundled services.
AmericanAirlines has posted some comments and clarifications in Post 144.
See these related links:
AA.com: Tailor Your Travel | Enhance Your Travel with Combined Features
FT: AA economy fare basis now ends with a number
(lower right wiki corner).AA is now offering three types of Economy fares via AA.com:
• Choice (fare basis code ends in 1) = Lowest Fare, earn AA miles
• Choice Essential (fare basis code ends in 2) = Change Fee (depends on detailed fare rules), 1 Checked Bag, Group 1 Boarding, Earn AA miles
• Choice Plus (fare basis code ends in 7) = above Choice Essential benefits plus 50% Bonus RDM, Same-Day Flight Change, Same-Day Standby, Premium Beverage, No Change Fee, Earns base miles plus 50% bonus miles
• Business/First as Choice Plus, plus 3 checked bags, No change fee (domestic only), priority baggage delivery at carousel, 50% class of service bonus miles
(Updated 1 Mar 2015)
See this page at aa.com for bundled services.
AmericanAirlines has posted some comments and clarifications in Post 144.
(1Mar 2015) The fee for the "choice plus" bundled extra now ranges from $80-80 each way, up from $80.
Choice plus extras are comprised of:
Choice plus extras are comprised of:
- 1 checked bag
- Group 1 Boarding
- No change fee (any difference in fares would still apply; valid for American Airlines operated flights)
- Same-day flight change
- Same-day standby
- Premium beverage on board
- Earn 50% more AAdvantage miles
AA.com: Tailor Your Travel | Enhance Your Travel with Combined Features
FT: AA economy fare basis now ends with a number
aa.com Economy / Coach Pricing Display & Choice Bundles (consolidated)
Dec 12, 2012, 2:32 pm
#151
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SFO, MIA
Programs: AA 2MillionMiler, BA ExecutiveClub, UA MileagePlus, AS MileagePlan
Posts: 449
I tried booking r/t flights from JFK to MXP (2/13, return 2/27.)
-The tab says the lowest fare is $850.
-The outbound shows as $858.
-The return shows -$38.
-The total fare is $820.
This doesn’t make sense to me. First, the price on the tab is incorrect. Second, I don’t like that I have to select the outbound and the return to actually see what the fare is.
Under the new logic the tab should display $820. The outbound should display $820 and the return should be “included.”
-The tab says the lowest fare is $850.
-The outbound shows as $858.
-The return shows -$38.
-The total fare is $820.
This doesn’t make sense to me. First, the price on the tab is incorrect. Second, I don’t like that I have to select the outbound and the return to actually see what the fare is.
Under the new logic the tab should display $820. The outbound should display $820 and the return should be “included.”
Dec 12, 2012, 2:34 pm
#154
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 447
I enclose the following information provided by USA Today's editorial today.
"Choice Essential
This fare type costs an extra $68 round trip and allows customers to make changes to their itineraries without the customary change fees (fare differences still apply, however). Choice Essential fares also permit 1 free checked bag (or a third checked bag for elite frequent-flier members) and Group 1 Boarding.
Choice Plus
Costs an additional $88 round-trip. Perks include: No change fee, one checked bag (or third checked bag for elite frequent-flier members), Group 1 Boarding, 50% AAdvantage mileage bonus, free same-day flight changes, same-day standby option, and a premium beverage, such as an alcoholic beverage onboard."
I guess it depends on what one may call 'priority'.....
"Choice Essential
This fare type costs an extra $68 round trip and allows customers to make changes to their itineraries without the customary change fees (fare differences still apply, however). Choice Essential fares also permit 1 free checked bag (or a third checked bag for elite frequent-flier members) and Group 1 Boarding.
Choice Plus
Costs an additional $88 round-trip. Perks include: No change fee, one checked bag (or third checked bag for elite frequent-flier members), Group 1 Boarding, 50% AAdvantage mileage bonus, free same-day flight changes, same-day standby option, and a premium beverage, such as an alcoholic beverage onboard."
I guess it depends on what one may call 'priority'.....
Dec 12, 2012, 2:39 pm
#155
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: LAX, SNA
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt DM, SPG GLD, Hertz 5*, AMEX PLT, GE
Posts: 340
In my experience, Group 1 boarding does not equal Priority AAccess. Priority Access boards before Group 1, and Group 1 does not get any security line benefits (and theoretically should not use the priority aacess lanes at the gate since they are technically just the first group to board of regular passengers.)
Dec 12, 2012, 2:43 pm
#156
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: ORD, SJD, VNO, sandy places
Programs: AA 1.2MM BIS 'LT' Gld, BA Bronze, AA Plat, now considering SWA.....
Posts: 451
Time to 'clear the air' AA'....
"In regards to the value of no change fee versus refundable fares:
Choice Essential and Choice Plus fares do include a no-change-fee option. If a change is made on an itinerary booked with Choice Essential or Choice Plus the customer will receive a credit for the full amount of the fare to be applied to a new itinerary. If the new itinerary is not booked with another bundled fare, the customer will not continue to receive the no-change-fee option. In other words, when booking a fare with the no-change-fee option the customer is entitled to change their itinerary; and if a change is made, the customer will need to decide if another bundled fare with the no-change-fee option is desired. The refundable fare options remain the same and are noted as ‘refundable’ in the shopping display.
AA this codicil should be made much more evident in your 'disclaimer' otherwise it appears somewhat like a 'bait and switch' of old....not compatible with the new age of transparency.......
"In regards to the value of no change fee versus refundable fares:
Choice Essential and Choice Plus fares do include a no-change-fee option. If a change is made on an itinerary booked with Choice Essential or Choice Plus the customer will receive a credit for the full amount of the fare to be applied to a new itinerary. If the new itinerary is not booked with another bundled fare, the customer will not continue to receive the no-change-fee option. In other words, when booking a fare with the no-change-fee option the customer is entitled to change their itinerary; and if a change is made, the customer will need to decide if another bundled fare with the no-change-fee option is desired. The refundable fare options remain the same and are noted as ‘refundable’ in the shopping display.
AA this codicil should be made much more evident in your 'disclaimer' otherwise it appears somewhat like a 'bait and switch' of old....not compatible with the new age of transparency.......
Dec 12, 2012, 2:45 pm
#157
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 222
Well, glad AA is monitoring. Here's one more vote: PLEASE restore the option of sorting (by lowest fare, total travel time, departure time, arrival time, etc. - any one can be most important depending on the trip), and also to "view all" pages. It's quite a pain to have to go through all the pages separately, particularly when you cannot sort.
Otherwise, I'm fine with the matrix.
Otherwise, I'm fine with the matrix.
Dec 12, 2012, 2:48 pm
#158
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: AA PLT Pro (2MM), HH DIA, IHG PLT
Posts: 496
It has probably been this way for awhile and I just haven't noticed but only the first row of 757 or 763 exit row seating says 'reserved for elite and full fare customers'. The second row is now 'preferred'.
Dec 12, 2012, 2:49 pm
#159
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: PDX
Posts: 2,284
What did aa.com customers gain that keeping the old format with buttons to simply add the premium for Choice Essential and Choice Plus fares to the total wouldn't have accomplished?
Dec 12, 2012, 2:50 pm
#160
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: ORD, SJD, VNO, sandy places
Programs: AA 1.2MM BIS 'LT' Gld, BA Bronze, AA Plat, now considering SWA.....
Posts: 451
"This along with CC PAX will make it seem like a TSA line.....
The operational word is......seem.....
The operational word is......seem.....
Dec 12, 2012, 2:56 pm
#162
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 6,769
Time to 'clear the air' AA'....
"In regards to the value of no change fee versus refundable fares:
Choice Essential and Choice Plus fares do include a no-change-fee option. If a change is made on an itinerary booked with Choice Essential or Choice Plus the customer will receive a credit for the full amount of the fare to be applied to a new itinerary. If the new itinerary is not booked with another bundled fare, the customer will not continue to receive the no-change-fee option. In other words, when booking a fare with the no-change-fee option the customer is entitled to change their itinerary; and if a change is made, the customer will need to decide if another bundled fare with the no-change-fee option is desired. The refundable fare options remain the same and are noted as ‘refundable’ in the shopping display.
AA this codicil should be made much more evident in your 'disclaimer' otherwise it appears somewhat like a 'bait and switch' of old....not compatible with the new age of transparency.......
"In regards to the value of no change fee versus refundable fares:
Choice Essential and Choice Plus fares do include a no-change-fee option. If a change is made on an itinerary booked with Choice Essential or Choice Plus the customer will receive a credit for the full amount of the fare to be applied to a new itinerary. If the new itinerary is not booked with another bundled fare, the customer will not continue to receive the no-change-fee option. In other words, when booking a fare with the no-change-fee option the customer is entitled to change their itinerary; and if a change is made, the customer will need to decide if another bundled fare with the no-change-fee option is desired. The refundable fare options remain the same and are noted as ‘refundable’ in the shopping display.
AA this codicil should be made much more evident in your 'disclaimer' otherwise it appears somewhat like a 'bait and switch' of old....not compatible with the new age of transparency.......
Dec 12, 2012, 3:01 pm
#163
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: DCA / WAS
Programs: DL 2+ million/PM, YX, Marriott Plt, *wood gold, HHonors, CO Plt, UA, AA EXP, WN, AGR
Posts: 9,388
Ugh. The new site is terrible - makes it much harder for me to pick-and-choose flights and booking levels that I want. And showing the RT price as the high price (with amounts subtracted on the return page) is just plain discouraging.
When trying to access the page on my netbook, using a MiFi connection, I got extended "loading" messages that finally led to an error message. This seems to chew up more bandwidth than before.
As bad as DL's site is, I think this one is worse.
When trying to access the page on my netbook, using a MiFi connection, I got extended "loading" messages that finally led to an error message. This seems to chew up more bandwidth than before.
As bad as DL's site is, I think this one is worse.
Dec 12, 2012, 3:02 pm
#164
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: NYC
Posts: 752
Hi everyone!
We wanted to stop by to let you know that we are monitoring your feedback to the launch of our enhanced booking options. The feedback recorded so far has been very valuable, so please continue to share your thoughts.
We would also like to clear up some of the questions that have been posed in this thread so far.
In regards to the ability to filter and sort flight search results:
We will continue to gather customer feedback and optimize the new shopping experience so that customers can efficiently find the flights and options that best suit their individual needs. Additional enhancements will be introduced in the near future.
We wanted to stop by to let you know that we are monitoring your feedback to the launch of our enhanced booking options. The feedback recorded so far has been very valuable, so please continue to share your thoughts.
We would also like to clear up some of the questions that have been posed in this thread so far.
In regards to the ability to filter and sort flight search results:
We will continue to gather customer feedback and optimize the new shopping experience so that customers can efficiently find the flights and options that best suit their individual needs. Additional enhancements will be introduced in the near future.
just let people search by departure time/arrival time/fare/length of trip...
all things that were on the website until this change
why on earth would you take AWAY useful functionality?
ill just book on orbitz for now, thanks
Dec 12, 2012, 3:05 pm
#165
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL, AA 1MM LT GLD, SPG PLAT, National Exec Selc, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 8,278
Hi everyone!
We wanted to stop by to let you know that we are monitoring your feedback to the launch of our enhanced booking options. The feedback recorded so far has been very valuable, so please continue to share your thoughts.
We would also like to clear up some of the questions that have been posed in this thread so far.
In regards to the ability to filter and sort flight search results:
We will continue to gather customer feedback and optimize the new shopping experience so that customers can efficiently find the flights and options that best suit their individual needs. Additional enhancements will be introduced in the near future.
In regards to the layout of the website and cross-browser compatibility:
We will continue to optimize the new shopping experience across browsers and operating systems. If you can clear your cache and take another look we are finding that some of the layout issues are resolved.
In regards to the value of no change fee versus refundable fares:
Choice Essential and Choice Plus fares do include a no-change-fee option. If a change is made on an itinerary booked with Choice Essential or Choice Plus the customer will receive a credit for the full amount of the fare to be applied to a new itinerary. If the new itinerary is not booked with another bundled fare, the customer will not continue to receive the no-change-fee option. In other words, when booking a fare with the no-change-fee option the customer is entitled to change their itinerary; and if a change is made, the customer will need to decide if another bundled fare with the no-change-fee option is desired. The refundable fare options remain the same and are noted as ‘refundable’ in the shopping display.
In regards to the change fee benefit for elite customers:
Elite customers must purchase a Choice Essential or a Choice Plus fare to gain access to the no-change-fee option. Unfortunately, no-change-fee is not a new elite benefit.
In regards to the question about outbound and return selections:
If you select a Choice fare on the outbound and then a Choice Essential on the return (or a Choice Essential on the outbound and Choice Plus on return), the upsell does apply to both the departure and return.
In regards to where the new fare options can be booked:
Our new fare choices are an integral part of American’s merchandising strategy. Ultimately, American’s objective is to improve the customer experience by offering valuable products and services bundled together with the base fare. American has published these new fare choices for all distribution channels to access, but the technology used at various GDSs and agencies will determine if and how these products are available for sale. The best way to gain access to these bundled services is to book directly with AA.com or AA Reservations initially.
Please continue to let us know if you have more questions about these changes. Thank you!
We wanted to stop by to let you know that we are monitoring your feedback to the launch of our enhanced booking options. The feedback recorded so far has been very valuable, so please continue to share your thoughts.
We would also like to clear up some of the questions that have been posed in this thread so far.
In regards to the ability to filter and sort flight search results:
We will continue to gather customer feedback and optimize the new shopping experience so that customers can efficiently find the flights and options that best suit their individual needs. Additional enhancements will be introduced in the near future.
In regards to the layout of the website and cross-browser compatibility:
We will continue to optimize the new shopping experience across browsers and operating systems. If you can clear your cache and take another look we are finding that some of the layout issues are resolved.
In regards to the value of no change fee versus refundable fares:
Choice Essential and Choice Plus fares do include a no-change-fee option. If a change is made on an itinerary booked with Choice Essential or Choice Plus the customer will receive a credit for the full amount of the fare to be applied to a new itinerary. If the new itinerary is not booked with another bundled fare, the customer will not continue to receive the no-change-fee option. In other words, when booking a fare with the no-change-fee option the customer is entitled to change their itinerary; and if a change is made, the customer will need to decide if another bundled fare with the no-change-fee option is desired. The refundable fare options remain the same and are noted as ‘refundable’ in the shopping display.
In regards to the change fee benefit for elite customers:
Elite customers must purchase a Choice Essential or a Choice Plus fare to gain access to the no-change-fee option. Unfortunately, no-change-fee is not a new elite benefit.
In regards to the question about outbound and return selections:
If you select a Choice fare on the outbound and then a Choice Essential on the return (or a Choice Essential on the outbound and Choice Plus on return), the upsell does apply to both the departure and return.
In regards to where the new fare options can be booked:
Our new fare choices are an integral part of American’s merchandising strategy. Ultimately, American’s objective is to improve the customer experience by offering valuable products and services bundled together with the base fare. American has published these new fare choices for all distribution channels to access, but the technology used at various GDSs and agencies will determine if and how these products are available for sale. The best way to gain access to these bundled services is to book directly with AA.com or AA Reservations initially.
Please continue to let us know if you have more questions about these changes. Thank you!