US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - New non-refundable fares?

As those of you who fly around Upstate NY know, it is expensive. All mid week trips price out over $400 and are usually booked in Y. This is partially due to the corporate discount only on Y/B/M fares and some routes not having B or M fares. Yesterday I went to make reservation for ALB-BUF on Monday returning on Tues. I expected the fare to be a Y fare and return in the $450+ range. That is what my trip cost 2 weeks ago. To my surprise, it comes back at $250. Suspicion quickly sets in. I check and I find out it is a non-refundable ticket. I’ve never had a trip w/o a Sat night stay be non-refundable to anywhere within 300 miles of ALB. I check the fare structure for the route and there is now a LRA3N fare. It’s non-refundable, 3-day advance purchase and no min stay. The refundable is only $20 more but our corporate reservation system freaks out when I try to book refundable when non-refundable is available.

I check other routes and there is some of the same on ALB-ROC. I check ALB-PVD and find more of the same but also a LRA3 fare. This is a refundable ticket but and CHANGES must be made 3 days before the flight. That’s a new one.

Are other people seeing changes to the fare structures on their routes?

I've been looking for some fares out of DC, and I've also seen some pretty cheap mid-week fares.

You should just drive to BUF from ALB. You will get there quicker by the time you change plains with a layover.

ALB-BUF on a plane? Wow, I guess if someone's paying then sure but not out of my pocket. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

-JC

I just looked up the travel times, and Albany to Buffalo is only a 4 to 4 1/2 drive.

If you fly and have to change planes on route (and arrive at the airport 1 hour early, it can't be faster than driving.

But flying is so much more fun! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I just checked the current fares from ALB-BUF looking for no-sat night stay.

They have a $138+ r/t (you can take the non-stop flight too, btw). I was able to book this for a same day return as well.

Its a T-Fare (TRA30N). 30 Day adv purchase required.

Also saw this:
FUEL SURCHG OF USD 9.30 PER ADT/CHD APPLIES IN EACH DIRECTION. APPLIES TO DOMESTIC SECTOR. SURCHG MAY BE CONVERTED AT BSR.

...I don't normally read all the fare rules every time - but am interested to know if this is already included in the $138 or whether its in addition (so another almost $20 for the r/t).

-Chris

Fare base is 118.00 + 9.30 each way.

When using the calendar search on usairways.com it always shows you the fares with the fuel surcharges included.

-JC

ALBBUF-US 26MAR04 *RULE DISPLAY* TARIFF 0011 RULE 2020
-FARE BASIS USD TAX TOTAL PTC FT
TRA30N R 109.77 8.23 118.00 ADT NL
TRA30N/IN00 R 0.00 0.00 0.00 INF NL
TRA30N/INF50 R 54.88 4.12 59.00 INS NL
BOOKING CODES T
FIRST TRAVEL -21MAR04
SEASONS - NO RESTRICTION
PENALTIES - CANCEL-NON REF
CHANGE-100.00 USD
FOR ALL CONDITIONS SEE TEXT RULE
DAY/TIME - NO RESTRICTION
ADV RES/TKT - RES REQ 30 DAYS BEFORE DEPART
TKTG WITHIN 1 DAY AFTER RESERVATIONS
OR AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE DEPART
WHICHEVER IS EARLIER
WAITLISTING NOT PERMITTED ALL SEGMENTS
FURTHER RESTR APPLY SEE TEXT RULE
MIN STAY - NO RESTRICTION
MAX STAY - NO RESTRICTION
BLACKOUTS - NO RESTRICTION
SURCHARGES - 9.30 USD FUEL ONE WAY

Yes, it is $138 plus security, segment and airport fees.

Note that the $118 figure includes the 7.5% federal excise tax, but the $9.30 fuel surcharge does not. The real base fare is $109.77.

7.5% on the $9.30 is $10.00, which is why it's called the "$10 fuel surcharge" even though it looks more like a $9.30 fuel surcharge.

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"AM or BM?" -- Kelly Bundy, Married With Children