Question re fares and refunds for lower price...
 

I have searched and can't find an answer to this question, so hopefully someone can offer some advice.

I am taking my wife and four kids to Orlando for a week during Thanksgiving 2006. Have the hotel booked already, burnt 200k Priority Club points.

I have enough AA miles for three free tickets, and I have to pay for three tickets. Currently the tickets are $360 each.

If the price lowers any time between now and the trip, am I eligible for a refund, or is the Low Price Guarantee only if I could find the tix at expedia for lower the same day of booking?

Thanks for all your help in advance.

Low price guarantee is only same day (24 hours, I think). If the price goes down by more than the change fee, you can get a voucher for the difference. Be sure to purchase the tickets for those who you want to have more miles in their FF account.

You're eligible for a credit for the difference ... but you have to pay the change fee, sadly.

http://www.aa.com/content/agency/Boo...wer_fare.jhtml

Rollover Qualification
November 4, 2004

After a customer is ticketed and prior to commencement of travel, a customer with a 001 ticket/VCR qualifies for a rollover when American Airlines does either of the following:

# Reduces an existing non-refundable fare to a lower amount than the passenger's ticketed fare.

# Introduces a new fare or a lower fare that was not offered at the time of original ticketing.

# Removes previously existing travel embargo dates on a lower fare than that for which the passenger is ticketed and travel is scheduled over those dates.

# Extends a last travel date on a lower fare than that for which the passenger is ticketed, and travel is scheduled within the last travel date.

# Discontinues a surcharge of the ticketed fare.


Then, provided there is no voluntary change to origin, destination, stopover points, flights, or dates, with the exception of booking inventory shown on the original ETR/ticket, or any ticket issued in exchange for the original ticket, it will be accepted in exchange for a ticket/ETR at the new lower fare as long as all requirements of the new fare are met.AA

A customer does not qualify for a rollover -When there is a voluntary change made to the itinerary making the new fare lower (this is a ticket reissue) or fare rules are not followed.

Additionally, the passenger's confirmed itinerary must meet the conditions of the new/reduced fare as shown below, and no voluntary changes are made to the itinerary as shown on the ticket.

Advance Reservations/Ticketing Requirement:

The travel commencement date must meet the advance reservations/ticketing requirements of the new fare at the time the reservation was originally ticketed.

Example: Original itinerary was ticketed June 16. New fare added June 19 - Requires seven day advance. Itinerary travel commences June 23.


Passenger meets advance purchase requirements for rollover, based on above example.
-Minimum/Maximum Stay
-Blackouts
-Booking Code - Currently confirmed in the inventory of the new fare or is rebooked in the inventory of new fare.
Rollover Applicability
Rollovers Apply On The Following Flights Only:

# American Airline

# American Eagle

# AmericanConnection®

# AA Codeshare Partner

# Local and joint fares and AA international fares issued on AA ticket stock (001). this applies regardless of the method of fare construction used to obtain the lower fare.
Rollover Processing
Provided all the rollover criteria are met, the ticket/ETR may be rolled over on or before the date of departure, but no later than the last ticket date if any of the new fare as shown in the applicable fare quote.

Domestic Itineraries:

# All markets within the 50 U.S.

# All markets between the 50 U.S. and Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands


For tickets issued prior to November 4, 2004:
The customer may receive a refund by accepting a travel voucher or MCO for the difference between the two fares (to be issued in the passenger's name). No change fee applies.

For tickets issued on/after November 4, 2004:
The customer will receive the difference in the fares less the applicable change fee in the form of an AA travel voucher or MCO.
# All markets between the 50 U.S. and Canada.

# All markets between Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada.


For tickets issued prior to December 19, 2004:
# The customer may receive a refund by accepting a travel voucher or MCO for the difference between the two fares to be issued in the passenger's name. No change fee applies.


For tickets issued on/after December 19, 2004:
# The customer will receive the difference in the fares less the applicable change fee in the form of an AA travel voucher or MCO.


International Itineraries:

Rollovers for international itineraries can be refunded to original form of payment only. If customer used a voucher and credit card to pay for original ticket, the credit card will be refunded first, then the remainder to voucher.

Note: All Caribbean destinations except Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands are considered international itineraries.

Travel Agencies And Rollovers:

For domestic itineraries, Travel Agents may issue a non-refundable MCO. The MCO must be made payable to AA for transportation only and show "non-refundable, valid AA only" in the endorsement box.

One would think for Thanksgiving, AA will give thanks that they won't have to lower the fares at all. But instead raise them as much and as fast as they can, looking at traditional supply/demand for these seats. So your tix have to go down to under $259 to bother. Then you get a voucher for $1 that costs you $10 to use.