Jun 4, 2014, 6:07 pm
Last edit by: TWA884
ITA Matrix Search: http://matrix.itasoftware.com
You can sometimes see flights, fares and detailed fare rules that may not be reflected on an airline's website. Please read the thread for some tips and tricks, screen shots, etc.
A related thread, ITA-Matrix-PowerTools - Userscript for Orbitz/DL/UA/AA/BA/CZ/IB/LA/LH/LX/TK, discusses a user script which is maintained by fellow flyertalk members to enhance the already powerful Matrix of ITA Software by providing new features and booking links.
Additional details and tips on the use of ITA's advanced routing code feature can be found in the following long-standing Mileage Run Discussion threads:
You can sometimes see flights, fares and detailed fare rules that may not be reflected on an airline's website. Please read the thread for some tips and tricks, screen shots, etc.
A related thread, ITA-Matrix-PowerTools - Userscript for Orbitz/DL/UA/AA/BA/CZ/IB/LA/LH/LX/TK, discusses a user script which is maintained by fellow flyertalk members to enhance the already powerful Matrix of ITA Software by providing new features and booking links.
Additional details and tips on the use of ITA's advanced routing code feature can be found in the following long-standing Mileage Run Discussion threads:
ITA Software Matrix Airfare Search Consolidated Information and Help Thread
Mar 5, 2015, 6:41 pm
#901
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 12
At this point I would assume it's a matrix error. SQ is unwilling to sell anything below an M bucket (but matrix is quoting cheaper buckets). You're not doing anything wrong, there is one of two things going "wrong" with matrix. 1) some obscure rule (that Matrix is failing to observe) applies to the cheaper buckets and is broken by this itinerary (forcing you to buy a more expensive bucket without such restrictions), 2) there's a sync/caching issue with the availability of the cheaper buckets.
Considering you've seen this result for a while (and I just saw it a few hours later) I'm guessing it's number 1... unfortunately there's no easy way to look up the rules and see what you're missing or if you could adjust for it.
Considering you've seen this result for a while (and I just saw it a few hours later) I'm guessing it's number 1... unfortunately there's no easy way to look up the rules and see what you're missing or if you could adjust for it.
Mar 5, 2015, 10:07 pm
#902
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 498
Unfortunately, yes... sometimes it happens. Between this and the errors that seem to come and go I've started opting for Hipmunk in simple enough cases... it's able to search both airline published fares (like matrix) and discount travel agents like hotwire/cheaptickets/pricline/etc..
Mar 5, 2015, 10:19 pm
#903
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 12
Unfortunately, yes... sometimes it happens. Between this and the errors that seem to come and go I've started opting for Hipmunk in simple enough cases... it's able to search both airline published fares (like matrix) and discount travel agents like hotwire/cheaptickets/pricline/etc..
Mar 8, 2015, 3:49 am
#905
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: ASIA
Programs: TK Elite, ALL Plus Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,530
I was playing around with ITA today and seem have an issue.
When searching a random date for SIN-FRA, I get a certain fare listing for all airlines.
When searching SIN (+ other airports 500miles) - FRA (+ other airports 500miles) for the same dates, I get fares that are more expensive than just the SIN-FRA fare.
Shouldnt at least the cheaper SIN-FRA fares be listed there too?
(Do I make sense?)
When searching a random date for SIN-FRA, I get a certain fare listing for all airlines.
When searching SIN (+ other airports 500miles) - FRA (+ other airports 500miles) for the same dates, I get fares that are more expensive than just the SIN-FRA fare.
Shouldnt at least the cheaper SIN-FRA fares be listed there too?
(Do I make sense?)
Mar 8, 2015, 10:49 am
#906
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1
Who can ticket using booking and fare codes?
I am looking to book the following flights using these booking and fare codes i received from Matrix.itasoftware.com.
I tried to get Expedia to do the booking and I called the airline Avianca directly but was not able to get either to use these codes. The agents at Avianca are really no knowledgeable and seem to no know how to sue these codes. Any advice on how I can buy a ticket using these codes?
Thanks,
Randy.
DETAILS: Quito/Galapagos Islands
From http://matrix.itasoftware.com
ITINERARY
Quito (UIO) to Galapagos Islands (GPS) - Sun, Mar 15
Avianca 1686 Dep: 10:15AM Arr: 11:20AM 2h 5m Airbus A319 Coach (L)
OPERATED BY AEROGAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Cristobal (SCY) to Quito (UIO) - Wed, Mar 25
Avianca 1631 Dep: 1:20PM Arr: 4:10PM 1h 50m Airbus A319 Coach (L)
OPERATED BY AEROGAL
Layover in GYE 1h 10m
Avianca 1665 Dep: 5:20PM Arr: 6:15PM 55m Airbus A319 Coach (U)
OPERATED BY AEROGAL
FARE AND BOOKING DETAILS
Provide this information to a travel agent to help them match the fares
found.
Make sure to provide the exact booking and fare codes shown.
Fare 1: Carrier AV LEO00RIJ UIO to GPS $146.00
Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code L
Covers UIO-GPS (Economy)
Fare 2: Carrier AV LEO00RIJ SCY to GYE $125.00
Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code L
Covers SCY-GYE (Economy)
Fare 3: Carrier AV UZO00RFC GYE to UIO $24.00
Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code U
Covers GYE-UIO (Economy)
Ecuador Government Transportation Tax (EC) $35.40
Ecuador Airport Tax (OR) $29.46
Ecuador Security Fee (WT) $7.56
Subtotal per passenger $367.42
Number of passengers x3
Total airfare & taxes $1,102.26
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fare construction (can be useful to travel agents)
UIO AV GPS Q37.00 109.00LEO00RIJ /-SCY AV X/GYE Q37.00 88.00LEO00RIJ AV UIO
Q11.00 13.00UZO00RFC USD 295.00 END XT 35.40EC 29.46OR 7.56WT
This ticket is non-refundable.
Changes to this ticket will incur a penalty fee.
I tried to get Expedia to do the booking and I called the airline Avianca directly but was not able to get either to use these codes. The agents at Avianca are really no knowledgeable and seem to no know how to sue these codes. Any advice on how I can buy a ticket using these codes?
Thanks,
Randy.
DETAILS: Quito/Galapagos Islands
From http://matrix.itasoftware.com
ITINERARY
Quito (UIO) to Galapagos Islands (GPS) - Sun, Mar 15
Avianca 1686 Dep: 10:15AM Arr: 11:20AM 2h 5m Airbus A319 Coach (L)
OPERATED BY AEROGAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Cristobal (SCY) to Quito (UIO) - Wed, Mar 25
Avianca 1631 Dep: 1:20PM Arr: 4:10PM 1h 50m Airbus A319 Coach (L)
OPERATED BY AEROGAL
Layover in GYE 1h 10m
Avianca 1665 Dep: 5:20PM Arr: 6:15PM 55m Airbus A319 Coach (U)
OPERATED BY AEROGAL
FARE AND BOOKING DETAILS
Provide this information to a travel agent to help them match the fares
found.
Make sure to provide the exact booking and fare codes shown.
Fare 1: Carrier AV LEO00RIJ UIO to GPS $146.00
Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code L
Covers UIO-GPS (Economy)
Fare 2: Carrier AV LEO00RIJ SCY to GYE $125.00
Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code L
Covers SCY-GYE (Economy)
Fare 3: Carrier AV UZO00RFC GYE to UIO $24.00
Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code U
Covers GYE-UIO (Economy)
Ecuador Government Transportation Tax (EC) $35.40
Ecuador Airport Tax (OR) $29.46
Ecuador Security Fee (WT) $7.56
Subtotal per passenger $367.42
Number of passengers x3
Total airfare & taxes $1,102.26
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fare construction (can be useful to travel agents)
UIO AV GPS Q37.00 109.00LEO00RIJ /-SCY AV X/GYE Q37.00 88.00LEO00RIJ AV UIO
Q11.00 13.00UZO00RFC USD 295.00 END XT 35.40EC 29.46OR 7.56WT
This ticket is non-refundable.
Changes to this ticket will incur a penalty fee.
Mar 8, 2015, 12:57 pm
#907
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
I am looking to book the following flights using these booking and fare codes i received from Matrix.itasoftware.com.
I tried to get Expedia to do the booking and I called the airline Avianca directly but was not able to get either to use these codes. The agents at Avianca are really no knowledgeable and seem to no know how to sue these codes. Any advice on how I can buy a ticket using these codes?
Thanks,
Randy.
I tried to get Expedia to do the booking and I called the airline Avianca directly but was not able to get either to use these codes. The agents at Avianca are really no knowledgeable and seem to no know how to sue these codes. Any advice on how I can buy a ticket using these codes?
Thanks,
Randy.
Just to be clear, did you call the Avianca desk in Quito? If you called a desk in a different location, the prices may be different.
I did have a quick go at pricing it online with American Express travel, and also failed. If you are an AmEx card holder, you could try calling AmEx to get it booked. Anyway, I went and took a look at the fare you found. I noticed the following in the SALES RESTRICTIONS field:
Code:
Category 15: Sales restrictions
TICKETS MAY ONLY BE SOLD IN ECUADOR.
NOTE -
--APPLIES FOR ECUADORIAN RESIDENTS ONLY--
RESIDENCE IN ECUADOR SHALL BE ACCREDITED WITH
ECUADORIAN ID OR ALIEN CARD OTHERWISE AN
ADDITIONAL CHARGE OF USD 150 WILL BE APPLIED OR
BOARDING WILL BE DENIED.
I was able to price a similar journey on the Avicana website for 328 GBP, which is quite a premium over the "residents" fare, but unfortunately the 1315 nonstop does not appear.
NB, if you do live in Ecuador and you did try calling Avicana in Ecuador, I can only suggest trying again.
Mar 11, 2015, 6:52 am
#909
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
I am using it as I write this to prepare an itinerary ... works alright for me today.
I admit that these days it can require a bit of cajoling but there is nothing that comes close to doing what I need to do to prepare an itinerary.
I admit that these days it can require a bit of cajoling but there is nothing that comes close to doing what I need to do to prepare an itinerary.
Mar 11, 2015, 7:24 am
#910
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
It never works for me. It just hangs and churns.
Mar 11, 2015, 12:08 pm
#913
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MSP/DEN/GVA
Programs: DL PM, FB PM, Gamer/Trickster.
Posts: 189
I also declare Matrix to be dead.
The inability to search by alliance without it "unknown error"ing, the hanging, the random wrong dates it gives, etc etc. Thanks, Google....
Edit: Now matrix isn't even loading on IE, and doesn't populate airports in Firefox or Chrome. Ughhhhhhhhhhhh
"For faster [and crappier] results, try Google Flights!"
The inability to search by alliance without it "unknown error"ing, the hanging, the random wrong dates it gives, etc etc. Thanks, Google....
Edit: Now matrix isn't even loading on IE, and doesn't populate airports in Firefox or Chrome. Ughhhhhhhhhhhh
"For faster [and crappier] results, try Google Flights!"
Last edited by flargley; Mar 11, 2015 at 12:14 pm
Mar 11, 2015, 2:42 pm
#915
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ORD
Programs: status free since 2017
Posts: 2,188
Google Flights isn't ITA but it works okay. It's limited to 5 cities on origin/dest but I really miss advanced routing codes. They can limit number of cities on the search but some advanced mode would be really nice.
