Dec 13, 2012, 3:04 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
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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, 7:53 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,517
They need to fix the comparison chart, it's clearly wrong in a number of cases (showing no lounge access, yet 500 mile upgrade eligible on international, showing lounge access on domestic for a couple of fake bookings I tried).
I do like having the first step show a roundtrip price, now that I know to expect it. At first I was shocked thinking a DFW-LGA leg was $600 each way!
I do like having the first step show a roundtrip price, now that I know to expect it. At first I was shocked thinking a DFW-LGA leg was $600 each way!
Personally, if I am going to choose my segments individually, I want to see them priced individually. Or is this because some fares can't be combined? If I choose "Choice Plus" for the outbound, I can't choose ""Choice" for the return.
I too had to refresh the browser page (firefox) to get it to display semi-ok.
But there are tabs above the fare matrix to choose the fare type (lowest, refundable, busniess/first).
These are my options for the first leg of a DFW-MSY round trip, all for the same flight number:
Lowest, 4 choices:
$268 $336 $356 $497
Refundable, 5 choices
$458 $526 $546 $1514 $944
Business First, 3 choices
$944 $497 $1904
The first 2 business fares duplicate others above, so I have 10 total choices, up from 5 before. So maybe this will be an improvement, once we get it figured out.
Really, though, this looks a lot like Southwest. Choice Plus is $20 more than Choice Essential, and gets me a free drink and extra miles. That's clearly copied from WN's Business Select fares.
Dec 12, 2012, 7:54 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
I like the fact that they're showing meals and booking code when you click on "+" to expand, as well as a link to see what seats are available to pre-reserve!
Dec 12, 2012, 7:57 am
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,517
Multi-city search is unchanged.
(Though I never liked that format, you can't choose segments individually.)
(Though I never liked that format, you can't choose segments individually.)
Dec 12, 2012, 7:57 am
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
Info on the new redesign: https://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/new.jsp
I'm intrigued at the shopping cart idea -- seems sensible.
Now it's easier than ever to book your next trip on AA.com. We've redesigned the way we display your travel options so you can see the round-trip price up front. And, you can easily add features to your fare that provide additional benefits and flexibility. Simpler. With options.
View the demo above to see what's changed. [link: http://bcove.me/d3q90le9]
Here are a few of the enhancements we've made
Round trip fares are now displayed as soon as flight options appear
New combinations of features can be added to your fare, providing options to best meet your individual needs
— No change fee
— Checked bag
— Priority boarding
— Same day travel flexibility and more
We've created a shopping cart to hold your selections while you complete your reservation
View the demo above to see what's changed. [link: http://bcove.me/d3q90le9]
Here are a few of the enhancements we've made
Round trip fares are now displayed as soon as flight options appear
New combinations of features can be added to your fare, providing options to best meet your individual needs
— No change fee
— Checked bag
— Priority boarding
— Same day travel flexibility and more
We've created a shopping cart to hold your selections while you complete your reservation
Dec 12, 2012, 8:01 am
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
There doesn't seem to be an option to turn off the confusing am/pm display and use the global 24 hour notation.
Dec 12, 2012, 8:08 am
#36
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DFW
Programs: AA PLT; SPG PLT
Posts: 326
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Now for some baseless speculation. How long before we start hand-wringing and worrying that they will change the upgrade priority to sort "Essential" and "Plus" fares within status group before time of request?
Dec 12, 2012, 8:17 am
#37
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,479
The "Choice Essentials" fare class actually looks pretty appealing to me as for some itins I've been checking it's only $50 more. So it's $50 upfront now when I think I may need to make a change vs. $150 change fee.
This actually sounds like the bundle AA used to sell that included changes for no change fee, same day standby and Group 1 boarding. The issue with that was that I believe it wasn't offered to elites since we already got most of what was in the bundle... but the no change fee option would have been appealing to some of us.
This actually sounds like the bundle AA used to sell that included changes for no change fee, same day standby and Group 1 boarding. The issue with that was that I believe it wasn't offered to elites since we already got most of what was in the bundle... but the no change fee option would have been appealing to some of us.
Dec 12, 2012, 8:27 am
#38
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NYC/PSP
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold
Posts: 4,103
Why wouldn't they also list the number of EQP earned?
Dec 12, 2012, 8:34 am
#39
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Boston, MA (BOS)
Programs: AA PLT Pro 2MM, DL Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Ambassador + LT Plat, COFC Venture X, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 5,587
The issue I see here could be a truth in advertising issue especially in regard to the formerly "First Special"/P fare. For two-cabin domestic flights it identifies the fare as a "Confirmed Seat in Business/First Class". This could really add to the already disappointing and questionable situation durring IRROPs when First Special/P fares are re-accommodated in Y.
Dec 12, 2012, 8:37 am
#40
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Programs: AA,AS,UA,Hyatt,Hilton
Posts: 1,246
Does anyone know how to figure out what fare class your buying?
It looks like you now have to go all the way through to the purchase screen before you can find out whether the fare you chose is Y/B or W/H or G/S or whatever.
It looks like you now have to go all the way through to the purchase screen before you can find out whether the fare you chose is Y/B or W/H or G/S or whatever.
Dec 12, 2012, 8:39 am
#41
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,204
Just some random search. It would seem that sticker upgrades would be harder to get.
The difference between between coach and first is as low as $149.
Dec 12, 2012, 8:43 am
#42
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,517
The screenshot in the post #41 above this shows "from $492", but the matrix has nothing below $635. Oops.
Dec 12, 2012, 8:44 am
#43
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,479
Well, this isn't new... the very low instant upgrade or first special fares have been appearing for much of this year, though usually only for closer in travel.
Dec 12, 2012, 8:44 am
#44
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,479
I believe if you expand the box for additional flight details, the fare class is listed.
Dec 12, 2012, 8:49 am
#45
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 886
I like the concept of what they've done here, but there still seem to be plenty of usability issues to be worked out, and the GUI is much slower than the old one.
I think they should discount "Choice Essential" and "Choice Plus" for elites, since they're only getting the fee waiver (and a 3rd checked bag). I could definitely see the value for a non-elite at $68, but I would only use it as an elite if I thought there were a very good chance I'd need to make a change.
Don't think that's related to the new bundles... just one of those cases where the discounted F fare is not much more than Y.
I think they should discount "Choice Essential" and "Choice Plus" for elites, since they're only getting the fee waiver (and a 3rd checked bag). I could definitely see the value for a non-elite at $68, but I would only use it as an elite if I thought there were a very good chance I'd need to make a change.
Don't think that's related to the new bundles... just one of those cases where the discounted F fare is not much more than Y.
