Jan 4, 2014, 10:43 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: skunker

Fare feels too good to be true? Don't call the airline!
Double-check that the fare is actually in Business or First as some online search engines or OTAs confuse booking classes on some airlines.
Post as much detail as possible about the First/Business fare, including: fare class, fare basis, one-way/round-trip, sales channel, sample dates and total price (including taxes).
When posting fare rules, please enclose them in a [COÐE][/COÐE] block. Note the use of the eth (Ð) instead of a capital D here to prevent the forum software from trying to insert an actual block. Be sure you use the capital D.
Refrain from posting fare requests or engaging in off topic debates such as fare trends, specific aircraft configuration or visa requirements
The deeply discounted international fares discussed here are almost always specific to a certain point of origin, and only very rarely work in reverse (e.g. a SFO-LHR-SFO fare usually won't work LHR-SFO-LHR). Domestic fares more commonly work in reverse.
Please include important information such as operating airline, fare classes, city pairs, etc. in the body of your post rather than the post title field as it is not visible to those reading FT on mobile devices. This is not the "trick it" thread. Please do not speak in code.
Please do not post large images. Not everyone has infinite resolution, and it makes the rest of the thread very difficult to read. If it's not important enough to type in, it's not important enough to be here.
Last but not least: don't call the airline!

Note: There is a known miscoding on ITA and elsewhere, where fares on EI (Aer Lingus) are showing as being in first class. This is not correct, as Aer Lingus does not offer first class. If you see this fare, please ignore it and do not post it here as it is completely unbookable in every sense of the term. The mods are summarily deleting these posts in order to unclutter the thread.

Note: There is a known miscoding on ITA and elsewhere, where Z fares on EY (Etihad) are showing as being in first class. This is not correct, as Z fares are discount business on EY. These fares will not receive chaffeur service. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/etihad-airways-etihad-guest/1622229-removal-chauffeur-service-some-business-class-passengers.html

List of known, active deals:

JNB-DXB-SFO in EK F, $4k-ish one-way
MLE-HKG-US (various) in C, $1400 +/- available only on CX's website.
CMB-MIA, other US cities, for about $4400 in F, round-trip/return

BA AARP $400 discount for J/F bookings is now valid again for booking until 31 Oct 2014 but departure to EOS seems to get the discount. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1435816-ba-fare-discounts-aarp-4.html

Good Deal Premium Fares 2014

Closed Thread Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Oct 21, 2014, 8:08 am

#3226

1k650

Join Date: May 2003

Programs: UA1k; Bonvoy Titanium; Hilton Gold; IHG Gold; AA Plat Pro

Posts: 1,794

Quote:

Originally Posted by MegatopLover

I tried to replicate for late August 2015, but LAX-MAN fares came back closer to $2800-- not bad, but not a steal at $2000. Any idea what the restrictions are?

$450 change / refund.

Other cities are still around $2100 - I cannot find <$2k fares.

Oct 21, 2014, 8:21 am

#3227

Bowgie

Join Date: Jun 2004

Location: San Diego

Programs: IHG Spire Amb, HH Diamond, DL Diamond and 1MM

Posts: 3,610

Nice Biz Fare on ITA, But Can't Book It

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankmu

I'm seeing a weird "bug" on Google Flights. Looking at PDX-BCN 12/28 to 1/6; shows $1317 on Delta, but when I click on the fare, it jumps up to $2191.

Yes, also LAX-VLC (Valencia) for about $1250 rt in biz in July on KL/AF/DL -- but this ITA Matrix fare does not appear bookable on DL, KL, AF's web sites, nor on any OTA I tried.

Oct 21, 2014, 8:58 am

#3228

1k650

Join Date: May 2003

Programs: UA1k; Bonvoy Titanium; Hilton Gold; IHG Gold; AA Plat Pro

Posts: 1,794

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowgie

Yes, also LAX-VLC (Valencia) for about $1250 rt in biz in July on KL/AF/DL -- but this ITA Matrix fare does not appear bookable on DL, KL, AF's web sites, nor on any OTA I tried.

I called my travel agent, and she could not see this. Must be a bug in ITA and Google flights.

Has anyone been able to book it ?

SFO fares are around $2.5k, FYI.

Last edited by 1k650; Oct 21, 2014 at 10:41 am

Oct 21, 2014, 9:30 am

#3229

Yahtzee

Join Date: May 2009

Location: Boston, MA

Programs: AA Million Miler, Mosaic, Delta Platinum

Posts: 1,561

There's an odd little fare out there for travel in Upper Class between BOS and AMS on Virgin (with BA or KLM tacked on) for $2,000. Appears to be bookable on orbitz.

Oct 21, 2014, 11:15 am

#3230

JBJ2435

Join Date: Feb 2013

Location: LAX

Programs: DL DM, 2 MM; OW Emerald; MVP Gold 100k;Marriott/SPG LTPlat; HH Diamond

Posts: 968

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yahtzee

There's an odd little fare out there for travel in Upper Class between BOS and AMS on Virgin (with BA or KLM tacked on) for $2,000. Appears to be bookable on orbitz.

Says you have to call VS to book, can't replicate it on dl.com...too bad no deals from LAX, I've been trying to find a decent fare to AMS for a while now.

Oct 21, 2014, 11:28 am

#3231

EKinBigD

Suspended

Join Date: Aug 2014

Programs: Emirates

Posts: 104

CAI-EZE Biz OW AA/BA ~ $1,741

British Airways BA 154

Cairo (CAI)
October 28, 2014 08:55 AM

Travel Time : 5 h 20 m
Cabin Class : Business
Seat : unassigned

London (LHR)
October 28, 2014 12:15 PM

Booking Code : D
Plane Type : 321
American Airlines6216

Operated by British Airways

London (LHR)
October 28, 2014 02:50 PM

Travel Time : 10 h 10 m
Cabin Class : Business
Seat : unassigned

Miami (MIA)
October 28, 2014 09:00 PM

Booking Code : D
Plane Type : 777
American Airlines 931

Miami (MIA)
October 28, 2014 11:55 PM

Travel Time : 8 h 58 m
Cabin Class : Business
Seat : 9D

Buenos Aires (EZE)
October 29, 2014 09:53 AM

Booking Code : D
Plane Type : 777

11,020 miles

Last edited by EKinBigD; Oct 21, 2014 at 3:30 pm

Oct 21, 2014, 12:14 pm

#3232

skunker

Join Date: May 2006

Location: SAN

Programs: Lots of faux metal

Posts: 6,422

Quote:

Originally Posted by EKinBigD

This one can be done sooooo much better and as a R/T, but you will need to contact a TA to fully optimize it.

Oct 21, 2014, 12:20 pm

#3233

mosquito

Join Date: Mar 2008

Posts: 246

Any BA fares ex SFO/SJC sub $2500 still available? Seeing $3200 - SFO-CDG, but my favorite SJC-ORY fare for $2200 seems to be gone.

Oct 21, 2014, 12:25 pm

#3234

skunker

Join Date: May 2006

Location: SAN

Programs: Lots of faux metal

Posts: 6,422

My good deed for the day:

More can be done. Again, you will most likely need a TA to book this. Contact Sykes, he booked mine last year.

Quote:

Itinerary
Cairo (CAI) to Buenos Aires (AEP) - Wed, Feb 4
Cairo (CAI) to Doha (DOH) - Wed, Feb 4
Qatar Airways(Q.C.S.C) 1302 Dep: 6:40PM Arr: 10:40PM 3h 0m Boeing 777 First (P)
Layover in DOH 3h 45m

Doha (DOH) to London (LHR) - Thu, Feb 5
Qatar Airways(Q.C.S.C) 9 Dep: 2:25AM Arr: 7:05AM 7h 40m Airbus A340 Business (D)
Layover in LHR 3h 30m

London (LHR) to New York (JFK) - Thu, Feb 5
American Airlines Inc. 101 Dep: 10:35AM Arr: 1:35PM 8h 0m Boeing 777 Business (D)
Layover in JFK 2h 0m

New York (JFK) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) - Thu, Feb 5
American Airlines Inc. 65 Dep: 3:35PM Arr: 6:40PM 4h 5m Boeing 737 First (F)
Layover in DFW 1h 35m

Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Sao Paulo (GRU) - Thu, Feb 5
American Airlines Inc. 963 Dep: 8:15PM Arr: 10:25AM 10h 10m Boeing 777 Business (D)
Layover in GRU Fri, Feb 6 1h 50m

Sao Paulo (GRU) to Buenos Aires (AEP) - Fri, Feb 6
TAM Linhas Aereas S.A. 8010 Dep: 12:15PM Arr: 2:06PM 2h 51m Airbus A320 Business (J)

Buenos Aires (AEP) to Cairo (CAI) - Tue, Feb 10
Buenos Aires (AEP) to Sao Paulo (GRU) - Tue, Feb 10
TAM Linhas Aereas S.A. 8005 Dep: 3:05PM Arr: 6:55PM 2h 50m Airbus A320 Business (J)
Layover in GRU 4h 45m

Sao Paulo (GRU) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) - Tue, Feb 10
American Airlines Inc. 962 Dep: 11:40PM Arr: 6:05AM 10h 25m Boeing 777 Business (D)
Layover in DFW Wed, Feb 11 3h 55m

Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to New York (JFK) - Wed, Feb 11
American Airlines Inc. 64 Dep: 10:00AM Arr: 2:40PM 3h 40m Boeing 737 First (F)
Layover in JFK 3h 40m

New York (JFK) to London (LHR) - Wed, Feb 11
American Airlines Inc. 100 Dep: 6:20PM Arr: 6:20AM 7h 0m Boeing 777 Business (D)
Layover in LHR Thu, Feb 12 2h 45m

London (LHR) to Doha (DOH) - Thu, Feb 12
Qatar Airways(Q.C.S.C) 10 Dep: 9:05AM Arr: 6:50PM 6h 45m Airbus A340 Business (D)
Layover in DOH 2h 0m

Doha (DOH) to Cairo (CAI) - Thu, Feb 12
Qatar Airways(Q.C.S.C) 1305 Dep: 8:50PM Arr: 11:35PM 3h 45m Airbus A320 First (P)

Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees) $3,780.53
Total cost for 1 passenger $3,780.53

Oct 21, 2014, 12:37 pm

#3235

riddlerandy

Join Date: Apr 2013

Posts: 64

Quote:

Originally Posted by skunker

My good deed for the day:

More can be done. Again, you will most likely need a TA to book this. Contact Sykes, he booked mine last year.

Thanks

Oct 21, 2014, 1:21 pm

#3236

Docterror

Join Date: Sep 2014

Posts: 20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armodeen

A3 OSL - AUH July/August 2015 Business (Z) $615/£380 bookable on cheapO, expedia etc.

Matrix reckons it should be possible to find fares as low as $476/£295 but I don't have time at the moment to look into it further.

Awesome. Just booked it. Thanks!

Oct 21, 2014, 1:23 pm

#3237

Nikolaos

Join Date: Dec 2010

Programs: US CP, MR Plat, SPG Plat, HHonors Gold, National X

Posts: 917

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armodeen

Anyone had any luck in pricing the 2 (free per ticket rules) stopovers??

Oct 21, 2014, 2:03 pm

#3238

Guilherme Furtado

Join Date: Oct 2014

Posts: 2

GRU-LAX

Super cheap flights from GRU to LAX with stopovers in JFK with Delta (Z) and AA (I).

2100 usd taxes included!!

Dates in November and December.

if flying Delta, you can do LAX-ATL-DTW-GRU in the way back to Brazil.

Last edited by Guilherme Furtado; Oct 21, 2014 at 2:19 pm

Oct 21, 2014, 2:13 pm

#3239

TheBOSman

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2011

Location: Austin, Texas

Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!

Posts: 26,062

Good Deal Premium Fares 2014

L on AA is an economy code, do you mean I?

Oct 21, 2014, 2:32 pm

#3240

1k650

Join Date: May 2003

Programs: UA1k; Bonvoy Titanium; Hilton Gold; IHG Gold; AA Plat Pro

Posts: 1,794

Quote:

Originally Posted by mosquito

Any BA fares ex SFO/SJC sub $2500 still available? Seeing $3200 - SFO-CDG, but my favorite SJC-ORY fare for $2200 seems to be gone.

The fares were pulled yesterday.

Try Skyteam for SJC-BCN <$2200. Can route via LAX for Alitalia lie-flat, with great Italian wines.