Booking a revenue F ticket on AC to earn SQx?
Aug 14, 2022, 8:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,580
Booking a revenue F ticket on AC to earn SQx?
I am considering (if the price is right) going on paid F class from Canada to South Africa next year- perhaps on LH or LX.
Issue is me getting SQDs - so it must be an AC booked ticket - 014 ticket.
But expert flyer does not offer F class fares for AC tickets; my travel agent concurs.
So how would I book a F class ticket on a Star Alliance carrier and get my SQDs.
(of course, through Aeroplan points- one can book a F class ticket).
Issue is me getting SQDs - so it must be an AC booked ticket - 014 ticket.
But expert flyer does not offer F class fares for AC tickets; my travel agent concurs.
So how would I book a F class ticket on a Star Alliance carrier and get my SQDs.
(of course, through Aeroplan points- one can book a F class ticket).
Aug 14, 2022, 9:47 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: ZRH
Programs: AC SE 100K
Posts: 924
Totally not possible. There are no published fares on AC. the only way you could do it is with outbound AC and return LX/LH. Since AC is first carrier, the entire ticket would be 014 - but you could not get F both ways - - but you should be able to do it one way . . . as fares are combinable . .
Aug 14, 2022, 10:30 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, AC SE
Posts: 346
I am skeptical of the blanket answer.
A fare does not have to be from the same carrier that issues the ticket. Many fares even explicitly allow others. For example UA TPAC fare rules often have the text: "TICKETS MUST BE ISSUED ON UA OR NH"
The other requirement (AC's requirement) is that at least one segment must be an AC segment.
Now, on an e.g. LH fare TATL, LH will most likely be the marketing carrier TATL and will therefore ~always be the default validating carrier. It will require manually specifying 014, if it is allowed.
Slightly off topic, but I set up and fly some weird 014 tickets that combine AC with non-AC non-partner (e.g. AS) fares just because of how SQD is calculated.
Edit: I checked some LH F fares to South Africa and found some that explicitly allow issuing on AC...
A fare does not have to be from the same carrier that issues the ticket. Many fares even explicitly allow others. For example UA TPAC fare rules often have the text: "TICKETS MUST BE ISSUED ON UA OR NH"
The other requirement (AC's requirement) is that at least one segment must be an AC segment.
Now, on an e.g. LH fare TATL, LH will most likely be the marketing carrier TATL and will therefore ~always be the default validating carrier. It will require manually specifying 014, if it is allowed.
Slightly off topic, but I set up and fly some weird 014 tickets that combine AC with non-AC non-partner (e.g. AS) fares just because of how SQD is calculated.
Edit: I checked some LH F fares to South Africa and found some that explicitly allow issuing on AC...
Last edited by Quail; Aug 14, 2022 at 11:36 am
Aug 14, 2022, 6:23 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 1,501
My goal- get SQD with AC by somehow going on the UA flight from EWR to JNB; and that allows the most direct route from YOW to JNB on a Star Alliance carrier- rather than spending extra time and miles going via LH or LX via Frankfurt/Munich/Zurich.
Aug 14, 2022, 10:08 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: YYZ/LHR/SFO/SIN
Programs: AC SE100K
Posts: 282
Totally not possible. There are no published fares on AC. the only way you could do it is with outbound AC and return LX/LH. Since AC is first carrier, the entire ticket would be 014 - but you could not get F both ways - - but you should be able to do it one way . . . as fares are combinable . .
Aug 14, 2022, 10:31 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, AC SE
Posts: 346
UA files fares YOW-JNB, including ones that allow AC plating. Yes, for 014 an AC segment must be included, but Jazz flights are scheduled for YOW-EWR next year. So doesn't seem like this is a problem at all, even with the most direct routing.
If the Jazz flights weren't available then a domestic connection would likely have done the trick with the same fare, i.e. basically the same price.
AC does codeshare YOW-EWR, for example AC4386 and AC4398. But UA's cheaper business class fares YOW-JNB do not allow AC marketed/UA operated, only AC marketed/operated or UA marketed/AC operated. So the codeshares don't help in practice.
If the Jazz flights weren't available then a domestic connection would likely have done the trick with the same fare, i.e. basically the same price.
AC does codeshare YOW-EWR, for example AC4386 and AC4398. But UA's cheaper business class fares YOW-JNB do not allow AC marketed/UA operated, only AC marketed/operated or UA marketed/AC operated. So the codeshares don't help in practice.
Aug 15, 2022, 4:15 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 1,501
UA files fares YOW-JNB, including ones that allow AC plating. Yes, for 014 an AC segment must be included, but Jazz flights are scheduled for YOW-EWR next year. So doesn't seem like this is a problem at all, even with the most direct routing.
If the Jazz flights weren't available then a domestic connection would likely have done the trick with the same fare, i.e. basically the same price.
AC does codeshare YOW-EWR, for example AC4386 and AC4398. But UA's cheaper business class fares YOW-JNB do not allow AC marketed/UA operated, only AC marketed/operated or UA marketed/AC operated. So the codeshares don't help in practice.
If the Jazz flights weren't available then a domestic connection would likely have done the trick with the same fare, i.e. basically the same price.
AC does codeshare YOW-EWR, for example AC4386 and AC4398. But UA's cheaper business class fares YOW-JNB do not allow AC marketed/UA operated, only AC marketed/operated or UA marketed/AC operated. So the codeshares don't help in practice.
Aug 15, 2022, 5:04 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: FRA
Programs: AC SE 1MM, UA 1K, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Gold Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,931
But to your point I would agree that this most likely requires a knowledgeable TA.
Last edited by ACflyerDE; Aug 15, 2022 at 5:44 am
Aug 15, 2022, 6:48 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, AC SE
Posts: 346
Feel free to PM if you want me to do it (or if you'd like me to explain the steps to do it so you can take it somewhere else) for your specific itinerary.
The default will be the TATL carrier (UA) so yes you'd need a TA for 014 because booking online nearly always gets you the default.
Aug 15, 2022, 10:08 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, AC SE
Posts: 346
TAs may select AC/override this logic easily though, per IATA Resolution 852.
