eltoddo22

As mentioned on some blogs, AA bookings made through citi thankyou points can qualify as "special fare", see:

http://thepointsguy.com/2016/08/aadv...ankyou-points/

The special fare chart for is alot better than normal earning for cheap longhaul flights with economy flights get 10% eqd's, business getting 30% eqd's.

I have booked 2 flights this way:

-SFO-ORD
-SFO-JFK-HKG-KUL

The first one appears to have successfully went through as "special fare" as it does not have price under "Cost summary".

The second flight to KUL however did end up with a price tag. I canceled this flight since it would only earn at regular revenue based rates.

I was disappointed SFO-JFK-HKG-KUL did not book as "special fare" because it was 24,000 miles @ $700. Using the special fare chart it would have counted as $2400 RQD.

I am looking for other datapoints as to when citi thankyou point bookings count as special fare. My flight to KUL contained codeshare flights, multi-city booking, and I needed to call citi thankyou desk to get it booked.

Can people share other datapoints on whether citi thankyou bookings count as "special fare" (no price under "Cost summary")?

It would be interesting to know whether it works under following conditions:

-itinerary contains codeshare flights
-multi-city bookings
-using "points plus dollar" options on citi thank you page
-using thankyou phone line to booking

Citi thankyou bookings are potentially a great solution to RQD requirement for AA next year. You only need to fly 120,000 economy miles to meet $12,000 spending requirement. We should try to determine conditions that allow bookings to count as "special fare".

nwngeek212

Here are some data points I was able to accumulate:

YVR-CDG rt, booked online portal using only points, method Distance
BOS-LAX rt, booked online portal using points+cash, method Distance
BOS-YVR ow, booked online portal using only points, method Fare

I'm inclined to believe that points+cash are more likely to be counted as special fares.

Although the first trip was booked only using points, it included codeshares, availability was rapidly changing, and the currency was CAD, which could explain why the method was fare.

When cancelling your second flight were you able to get your TYP refunded?

eltoddo22

Yes, TYP points will be refunded so long as canceled within 24 hours.

I did another booking:

JFK-CDG-DFW-SFO, using online portal, only points, all AA metal, -> method Distance

Did your BOS-YVR flight contain any codeshare flights?

nwngeek212

Interesting.. My YVR-CDG was partially on BA metal, but it still earned based on distance. I suppose I can try to book my next trip to YVR and check on the AA itinerary page whether any price is listed, and if so, cancel the ticket.

pritomd

I recently flew from ATL to MSP on TYP and when it came to AA mile earning, it was based on distance flown, and 50% at that due to the special fare. So I only got like 200-300 AA miles per direction. If it were based on the ticket price (I think the equivalent was like $200) I would have earned like 1400 AA miles (7x for Gold members). I earned more EQM than I did RQM for cryin' out loud!

So in this case, the 'special fares' hurt me in terms of AA mileage earning.

nwngeek212

ATL-MSP is a distance of 906 miles each way, which would earn 453 miles on a direct flight. Since AA doesn't fly direct would should have earned MORE than this each way by redeeming TYP.

To earn the same amount using their revenue based system, you would have needed to spend around $175 round trip, out of which around $130 would have been the fare which would net 910 miles. If the equivalent was around $200, the fare would be around $150, resulting in 1050 miles as a GLD. I would check your mileage accrual, as you should have earned at least this much if you flew through CLT.

mia

Previous discussion of pritomd's AA flight is here:


http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/citi-...l#post27385055

nall

Are there any impacts to upgrades (be it via stickers, miles, SWU, .etc) when using a special fare? An AA EXP desk agent implied this was often the case, when I called about one I had booked for a relative.

nwngeek212

While I cannot speak for special fares in general, as a Platinum, I was able to get an upgrade on a peak travel time LAX-BOS red-eye on a TYP redemption. I also earned miles according to distance on this route, so it was definitely classified as a special fare.

eltoddo22

You should still be able to request upgrades just the same. I was even able to request a SWU on special fare booking.

nwngeek212

I'll soon make a booking through the TYP portal, I'll probably do mostly points + $3-4 in cash, as that has usually resulted in a special fare for me in the past. Will keep you guys updated.

Lavezzi

Any idea on how this was calculated?



IIRC I paid using around 35k points, there was no fare displayed under my record locator.

swimdude92

here are some data points:

special fares calculated (all booked in Y):

• LGA-DFW-LAX (x10 combo of all TY points and TY Points + cash)
• JFK-MIA-SCL (TY Points + Cash)
• JFK-BCN (TY Points + Cash)

I am booking a NYC-ICN flight in J today and despite cancelling and rebooking several times using TY Points + Cash, it always shows the cost summary, and will not accure as per the special fares chart

Lavezzi

ok, im completely baffled now. Surely these should both be calculated using the same method? I now have one leg each giving me different bonus miles:

nwngeek212

Will TYP redemptions that earn by distance earn EQDs by the "special fares" chart or the chart when the fare is not available? Discount inventory class N earns at 15%, which makes a substantial difference.