Ritz VISA Infinite $100 flight discount downgrade?
Nov 18, 2016, 7:40 am
#16
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,784
if Ticket$ < $100, Ticket$ = $100 + Random(1:40);
Nov 18, 2016, 7:48 am
#17
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
I doubt that they are inventing a price. Airlines publish dozens of fares for the same seats, they could just exclude the lowest fare buckets. Eample, AA has these published economy class fares ORD-MSP for early December, ranging from $24 to $2786:
Code:
O7AIUNN3 AA O One-Way 24.00(USD) E 12/15/16 07 OUALZNN3 AA O One-Way 26.00(USD) E 04/05/17 14 QUALZNN3 AA Q One-Way 41.00(USD) E 02/14/17 14 QVAHZSN3 AA Q One-Way 54.00(USD) E 12/31/16 21 Q7ALZNN3 AA Q One-Way 59.00(USD) E 02/15/17 07 N3AHZSN3 AA N One-Way 74.00(USD) E 12/31/16 03 N7ALZNN3 AA N One-Way 79.00(USD) E 02/15/17 07 NUAIZSN3 AA N One-Way 79.00(USD) E 11/29/16 03/09/17 14 SVAHZNN3 AA S One-Way 81.00(USD) E 01/10/17 21 SUAIZSN3 AA S One-Way 87.00(USD) E 11/29/16 05/08/17 14 S7AHZNN1 AA S One-Way 89.00(USD) E 07 SVAIZNN1 AA S One-Way 97.00(USD) E 21 S7ALZNN1 AA S One-Way 99.00(USD) E 02/15/17 07 SVAHZNN1 AA S One-Way 101.00(USD) E 01/10/17 21 S0AHZSN1 AA S One-Way 104.00(USD) E 12/31/16 GVAIZNN1 AA G One-Way 107.00(USD) E 21 G7AHZNN1 AA G One-Way 117.00(USD) E 01/10/17 07 G7ALZNN1 AA G One-Way 119.00(USD) E 02/15/17 07 G7AHZNN1 AA G One-Way 124.00(USD) E 07 GUAIZNN1 AA G One-Way 124.00(USD) E 14 GVAHZSN1 AA G One-Way 127.00(USD) E 12/31/16 21 G8AIZNN1 AA G One-Way 129.00(USD) E 12/31/16 10 G0ALZNN1 AA G One-Way 139.00(USD) E 02/15/17 VUAHZNN1 AA V One-Way 156.00(USD) E 14 SVBHZNN3 AA S Round-Trip 162.00(USD) E 01/10/17 21 V0ALZNN1 AA V One-Way 169.00(USD) E 02/15/17 SUEHZNN1 AA S Round-Trip 170.00(USD) E 12/31/16 SU / -- 14 V0AHZSN1 AA V One-Way 170.00(USD) E 12/31/16 V0AIZNN1 AA V One-Way 175.00(USD) E 01/10/17 W7AIZNN1 AA W One-Way 187.00(USD) E 07 W7AHZNN1 AA W One-Way 220.00(USD) E 01/10/17 07 W0AIZRN1 AA W One-Way 231.00(USD) E L0AHZNN1 AA L One-Way 274.00(USD) E 01/10/17 L0AHZNN1 AA L One-Way 279.00(USD) E M0AHZRN1 AA M One-Way 301.00(USD) E V0EHZSN1 AA V Round-Trip 310.00(USD) E 12/31/16 SU / -- K0AHZRN1 AA K One-Way 411.00(USD) E H0AHZRN1 AA H One-Way 483.00(USD) E YA2AA AA Y One-Way 773.00(USD) E Y AA Y One-Way 2786.00(USD) E
Nov 18, 2016, 9:53 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
Correct. If you see my first post thats my finding. I wasnt booked in deep discount but on discount fare. I dont remember the inventory letter. This has effectively killed this deal for me. It was good the time it lasted $20 per person to go to orlando on Business class (EXP upgrade) was too good to last. Heck even one time we flew 767 lie flat config :P
Last edited by mia; Nov 19, 2016 at 6:49 pm Reason: Prune quotation
Nov 18, 2016, 5:27 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: ORD
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 71
I got my card today. I sat down and started pricing several itineraries (primarily on AA) on several different days. I definitely saw issues with it only displaying flights with higher fare buckets - it literally wouldn' t show AA flights which had 'O' fare availability.
I called up Chase on the number in the welcome pamphlet and asked about any specific information they had on restrictions or fare classes eligible for the discount. The guy on the phone basically just said, "We just have the website link." I canceled the card since that was basically the only reason I pulled the trigger on it and I don't feel like trying to game the system to use the $300 travel credit .
I called up Chase on the number in the welcome pamphlet and asked about any specific information they had on restrictions or fare classes eligible for the discount. The guy on the phone basically just said, "We just have the website link." I canceled the card since that was basically the only reason I pulled the trigger on it and I don't feel like trying to game the system to use the $300 travel credit .
Nov 18, 2016, 8:44 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
I got my card today. I sat down and started pricing several itineraries (primarily on AA) on several different days. I definitely saw issues with it only displaying flights with higher fare buckets - it literally wouldn' t show AA flights which had 'O' fare availability.
I called up Chase on the number in the welcome pamphlet and asked about any specific information they had on restrictions or fare classes eligible for the discount. The guy on the phone basically just said, "We just have the website link." I canceled the card since that was basically the only reason I pulled the trigger on it and I don't feel like trying to game the system to use the $300 travel credit .
I called up Chase on the number in the welcome pamphlet and asked about any specific information they had on restrictions or fare classes eligible for the discount. The guy on the phone basically just said, "We just have the website link." I canceled the card since that was basically the only reason I pulled the trigger on it and I don't feel like trying to game the system to use the $300 travel credit .
Nov 19, 2016, 4:05 pm
#21
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ORD
Programs: status free since 2017
Posts: 2,188
I got my card today. I sat down and started pricing several itineraries (primarily on AA) on several different days. I definitely saw issues with it only displaying flights with higher fare buckets - it literally wouldn' t show AA flights which had 'O' fare availability.
I called up Chase on the number in the welcome pamphlet and asked about any specific information they had on restrictions or fare classes eligible for the discount. The guy on the phone basically just said, "We just have the website link." I canceled the card since that was basically the only reason I pulled the trigger on it and I don't feel like trying to game the system to use the $300 travel credit .
I called up Chase on the number in the welcome pamphlet and asked about any specific information they had on restrictions or fare classes eligible for the discount. The guy on the phone basically just said, "We just have the website link." I canceled the card since that was basically the only reason I pulled the trigger on it and I don't feel like trying to game the system to use the $300 travel credit .
BIG difference between the two things.
Nov 19, 2016, 8:37 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
Nov 20, 2016, 11:39 am
#23
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ORD
Programs: status free since 2017
Posts: 2,188
If it's just playing fares under $100, I'd consider it a minor downgrade. However, if they are just not booking in O regardless of fare (over or under 100) that's a pretty big reason to not have this card.
Just my 2 bits...
Just my 2 bits...
Nov 20, 2016, 2:22 pm
#24
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: ORD
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 71
I suppose it could be just the dollar amount, and not fare class. I only looked at the type of flights that I'd use it on (I take a bunch of weekend trips with the spouse that price out at $70-$120 per ticket) which were all AA 'O'. Any of my bigger ticket purchases tend to be single tickets and go on a different card for the points/coverage.
Nov 20, 2016, 2:29 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
I suppose it could be just the dollar amount, and not fare class. I only looked at the type of flights that I'd use it on (I take a bunch of weekend trips with the spouse that price out at $70-$120 per ticket) which were all AA 'O'. Any of my bigger ticket purchases tend to be single tickets and go on a different card for the points/coverage.
Jan 16, 2017, 7:48 pm
#26
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
So I had been looking at a ridiculously cheap RT to go have dinner with friends and family, at $93.50 a ticket, RT ... But for two of us that would have been $187, and you can't get the $100 off on a ticket that low. Thus I waited until the price rose to $105.40 per ticket, and did the Visa Infinite thing with the RC Visa.
Okay, the real savings is thus only $76, not $100, but it was worth it to wait for a ticket to rise in price before purchasing, and then to tell my wife that if she bails last minute, she has wasted either $5.40 or $11.90 (depending on how you want to look at it).
Plus I'm betting that the two charges are so low that we can get them scrubbed from the $300 airfares incidentals discount. For us, this $100 off on ticket pairs has made the card a keeper, because goodness knows it's a pain in the behind to try to use to make an RC worth the cost (club upgrades)!
Okay, the real savings is thus only $76, not $100, but it was worth it to wait for a ticket to rise in price before purchasing, and then to tell my wife that if she bails last minute, she has wasted either $5.40 or $11.90 (depending on how you want to look at it).
Plus I'm betting that the two charges are so low that we can get them scrubbed from the $300 airfares incidentals discount. For us, this $100 off on ticket pairs has made the card a keeper, because goodness knows it's a pain in the behind to try to use to make an RC worth the cost (club upgrades)!
Jan 16, 2017, 10:44 pm
#27
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,224
Will the airlines let you refund the tickets to a travel bank within 24 hours? If so, it seems like this would be a good way to get 50% off any flight (if they're only showing tickets over $100).
Jan 17, 2017, 6:11 am
#28
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MD/DC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, TK Gold
Posts: 1,536
Just be warned that the actual booking is done by cheapair.com - which means a long and difficult journey if something goes array with your tickets, as I'm experiencing right now.
This is far from what I would expect from a premium service.
This is far from what I would expect from a premium service.
Jan 17, 2017, 7:49 am
#29
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,224
Can't you use the trip interruption benefits the card also separately provides?
Jan 17, 2017, 8:14 am
#30
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,784
I was looking at the $63 fare on JetBlue from LGB to LAS, and decided to check on Ritz site to see how much. With the $100 discount, it was a few dollars more on Ritz site and a lot less choices on departure time. On the return flight, there was no direct flight available on Ritz and plenty of them showing on JetBlue.