Following is refund language copied from the AA site regarding using half of a round-trip ticket:

"FULL REFUND WILL BE MADE WHEN NO PORTION OF THE TKT HAS BEEN USED. THE REFUND WILL BE THE AMT PAID MINUS THE NORMAL ONE WAY FARE APPLICABLE TO THE TRANSPORTATION USED, WHEN A PORTION OF THE TKT HAS BEEN USED."

Generally, when I am forced to fly on a full-fare, refundable ticket , I try and compare the full-fare round trip refundable to two separate, one way full fare-refundable tickets. Generally, on the LAX/SJC route, the round trip and two one way tickets cost the same. This way if I need to skip one of the flights, the other leg is not affected and I can get my money back.

Last week the "regular" last-second-full- fare round trip ticket LAX/SJC of $188.00 was not available (higher price as a result of coach was almost sold out on the return flight I wanted). Instead AA was charging $274! (I considered the $274 price obscene since most of my tickets are only $88 r/t) So I booked a full fare refundable LAX to SJC ticket for $94 on AA and a SJC to LAX refundable ticket on Southwest for $94. The next day a few hours before my desired AA flight, I checked on the internet and the regular $94 one way ticket was again available. I purchased the ticket on AA and refunded my Southwest ticket.

In your situation, if you only used half of the ticket (and that half happened to be the portion priced at higher than a full-fare one-way ticket), your refund may be less than you would have received if you had bought two separate one way tickets.

Did my explanation make sense, or did I just confuse myself? Hope it helps.


[This message has been edited by onedog (edited 12-15-1999).]