Oct 14, 2014, 10:32 am
Last edit by: Prospero
Help with British Airways and Iberia Carrier Imposed Surcharges
Using AAdvantage miles for awards using British Airways generally* incurs very high carrier imposed surcharges / fees (BA charges their own BAEC flyers these for Avios redemptions as well). AA awards on IB incur considerably lower fees (~$50 one way transatlantic is quoted by one member, the link to travelisfree.com below gives a BA flight with $458 YQ, IB $96). One FTer claims $700 BA YQ fees for SAN-PRG return, which is not unusual). You are likely to find lots of availability on BA using the aa.com award booking facility.
Intra-European awards using BA have significantly lower carrier imposed charges; some members may find using AA or other partner transatlantic connecting to BA may be acceptable.
NOTE: Paying YQ may trigger a host of other taxes and fees otherwise not charged on awards that do not include carrier imposed surcharges such as YQ. Flights within the Americas are YQ exempt.
As this is still flying on an award, these carrier imposed surcharges do not qualify for EQM or EQD earning.
Be sure to read the oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on thread wiki for information on searching for and finding alternative flights or those not shown on aa.com, which airlines' websites can find those, etc.
Read more about BA Carrier Imposed Surcharges on AA awards here (rrgg supplied most of these below:
Fuel Surcharge for AA award redemptions on BA are up - again.
Partner airline awards now bookable on AA.com (AB, AS, AY, BA, HA, HG, QF, RJ, US)
Does AA push most of its European Awards to BA to collect fuel surcharges?
Charts from TravelIsFree for the three alliances and how you will pay (or avoid) YQ: http://travelisfree.com/2014/04/15/m...surcharges-yq/
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
AA oneworld and Other Airline ("All Partner") Award information, rules (2015 on)
Originating a flight in the UK incurs an Air Passenger Duty, reduced for seats with less than 40" seat pitch (except those originating from originating in BFS / Northern Ireland, Scottish Highlands (INV) or Islands, and connections less than 24 hours do not incur UK Air Passenger Duty, though they do incur airport Passenger Service Charges). Separate topic, dealt with:
UK APD / Air Passenger Duty charged for UK departures (Master Thread); defines what the APD is in the wikipost.
Avoiding crazy UK "APD" taxes when transferring through LHR on separate tickets
Archived posts May 2012 - 2016 may be read here.
Using AAdvantage miles for awards using British Airways generally* incurs very high carrier imposed surcharges / fees (BA charges their own BAEC flyers these for Avios redemptions as well). AA awards on IB incur considerably lower fees (~$50 one way transatlantic is quoted by one member, the link to travelisfree.com below gives a BA flight with $458 YQ, IB $96). One FTer claims $700 BA YQ fees for SAN-PRG return, which is not unusual). You are likely to find lots of availability on BA using the aa.com award booking facility.
Intra-European awards using BA have significantly lower carrier imposed charges; some members may find using AA or other partner transatlantic connecting to BA may be acceptable.
NOTE: Paying YQ may trigger a host of other taxes and fees otherwise not charged on awards that do not include carrier imposed surcharges such as YQ. Flights within the Americas are YQ exempt.
As this is still flying on an award, these carrier imposed surcharges do not qualify for EQM or EQD earning.
Be sure to read the oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on thread wiki for information on searching for and finding alternative flights or those not shown on aa.com, which airlines' websites can find those, etc.
Read more about BA Carrier Imposed Surcharges on AA awards here (rrgg supplied most of these below:
Fuel Surcharge for AA award redemptions on BA are up - again.
Partner airline awards now bookable on AA.com (AB, AS, AY, BA, HA, HG, QF, RJ, US)
Does AA push most of its European Awards to BA to collect fuel surcharges?
Charts from TravelIsFree for the three alliances and how you will pay (or avoid) YQ: http://travelisfree.com/2014/04/15/m...surcharges-yq/
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
AA oneworld and Other Airline ("All Partner") Award information, rules (2015 on)
Originating a flight in the UK incurs an Air Passenger Duty, reduced for seats with less than 40" seat pitch (except those originating from originating in BFS / Northern Ireland, Scottish Highlands (INV) or Islands, and connections less than 24 hours do not incur UK Air Passenger Duty, though they do incur airport Passenger Service Charges). Separate topic, dealt with:
UK APD / Air Passenger Duty charged for UK departures (Master Thread); defines what the APD is in the wikipost.
Avoiding crazy UK "APD" taxes when transferring through LHR on separate tickets
Archived posts May 2012 - 2016 may be read here.
Carrier Imposed Surcharge / YQ: AA award on BA / British (& IB) & avoiding it
Sep 9, 2019, 8:51 am
#271
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,466
I am looking to book a muti-city AA economy milesaaver award for Aug 2020. The dates are not open yet to book, I am trying to figure out the fees on the portion using BA. If I do a search for flights BNA-KRK 07/21/2020 and BRU-BNA 08/01/2020, I am getting fees of $306.13. If I split it into two one way tickets I am getting BNA-KRK $5.60 and BRU-BNA $172.43. Why the $128.10 discrepancy between the muti-city fare and the two one ways?
I can't find any way around using BA for the award ticket on the return. No AA flights that I can find. I am assuming the awards will be very similar when they open for my true dates for the outbound late August and the return mid september of next year. Just trying to see what my options will be.
I can't find any way around using BA for the award ticket on the return. No AA flights that I can find. I am assuming the awards will be very similar when they open for my true dates for the outbound late August and the return mid september of next year. Just trying to see what my options will be.
So booking a roundtrip on the same PNR, the surcharges for the return BA segment is priced at the US originating rate, since your award started in BNA. Booking two one-ways, the surcharge is less on the return because the award is starting in BRU, which has a lower rate than the US.
Sep 9, 2019, 9:09 am
#272
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: sdf
Programs: HHonors Gold/AAdvantage /Delta Skymiles
Posts: 248
Sep 9, 2019, 9:51 am
#273
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,466
The only (minor) drawback is that if you need to cancel everything, it would cost $150 + $25 for separate PNRs as opposed to just $150 for one PNR. Obviously the savings booking it as separate one-ways greatly outweighs that, so no real drawbacks at all in this case.
Sep 9, 2019, 1:43 pm
#275
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,614
I am looking to book a muti-city AA economy milesaaver award for Aug 2020. The dates are not open yet to book, I am trying to figure out the fees on the portion using BA. If I do a search for flights BNA-KRK 07/21/2020 and BRU-BNA 08/01/2020, I am getting fees of $306.13. If I split it into two one way tickets I am getting BNA-KRK $5.60 and BRU-BNA $172.43. Why the $128.10 discrepancy between the muti-city fare and the two one ways?
I can't find any way around using BA for the award ticket on the return. No AA flights that I can find. I am assuming the awards will be very similar when they open for my true dates for the outbound late August and the return mid september of next year. Just trying to see what my options will be.
I can't find any way around using BA for the award ticket on the return. No AA flights that I can find. I am assuming the awards will be very similar when they open for my true dates for the outbound late August and the return mid september of next year. Just trying to see what my options will be.
If there is a moral here, it is to check availability as often as you time allows.
.
Sep 10, 2019, 8:45 pm
#276
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
For the past six weeks I was seeking two J level MileSaver awards, for travel from MUC to CLT next May. Nearly all of my searches came up with itineraries in and out of LHR on BA, and they naturally carried those heavy fees that BA imposes. Finally last Friday I was able to obtain tickets that carry a routing of MUC to LHR on BA, and then on AA to CLT through PHL. The total taxes and fees for each ticket were US $129.03. That's still a bit pricey but an aggregate saving of $550.00 +/-, when compared to the BA flights.
If there is a moral here, it is to check availability as often as you time allows.
.
If there is a moral here, it is to check availability as often as you time allows.
.
Sep 10, 2019, 9:16 pm
#277
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,583
For the past six weeks I was seeking two J level MileSaver awards, for travel from MUC to CLT next May. Nearly all of my searches came up with itineraries in and out of LHR on BA, and they naturally carried those heavy fees that BA imposes. Finally last Friday I was able to obtain tickets that carry a routing of MUC to LHR on BA, and then on AA to CLT through PHL. The total taxes and fees for each ticket were US $129.03. That's still a bit pricey but an aggregate saving of $550.00 +/-, when compared to the BA flights.
If there is a moral here, it is to check availability as often as you time allows.
.
If there is a moral here, it is to check availability as often as you time allows.
.
Sep 11, 2019, 5:00 am
#278
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,614
I fully realize that others may not have the time to check constantly, but if they can, it will probably prove to be fruitful. I should also add that in our experience, the TATL saver routings can be very circuitous.
Sep 11, 2019, 6:19 am
#279
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: I 35 south bound, finally stopped
Programs: LT Plt, 4mm, *A GLD, burned out medical provider, executing our estate plan
Posts: 1,665
Had a J saver award AUS-MUC and return on the BA nonstop from AUS. Things changed and it became more convenient to go in to FRA and out of MUC. The flight changed, so I could do the swap with no penalty. AA EXP line changed the flights, still got the AA metal saver J to FRA and got back $600. The YQ and APD really add up.
Sep 16, 2019, 7:34 am
#280
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: sdf
Programs: HHonors Gold/AAdvantage /Delta Skymiles
Posts: 248
Change fee for switching from BA to AA metal?
If I book a an AA economy milesaaver award which, is only showing BA availability, thus the high surcharge, can I keep searching for availability on AA metal and if it opens change with no fee?
Sep 16, 2019, 7:43 am
#281
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,466
Sep 16, 2019, 7:57 am
#282
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
I had 2 different trips this summer to Europe, AA Saver ended up opening only on 1/4 , had I done what you suggested I would have been out a pretty penny. Instead I booked using my UA miles and avoided the UK completely
My point is you cant rely on AA saver ever opening up 2/4 of the flights were 1/2 empty and Saver never opened up, another way to get the fees down is to fly via Spain , still more then an all AA will be but alot less then via The UK
Nov 17, 2019, 11:09 am
#284
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: DEN
Programs: Hilton Diamond Hyatt Globalist Marriott Gold AA EXP
Posts: 1,012
Finding low fuel surcharges on BA using AA miles
I’m looking for DEN to Europe in March. Eastbound to anywhere is showing 57k plus $650 for BA flights in Biz. No surprise there. We know this is all fuel charges bc US departure taxes are $5.
but westbound I’m finding CPH to DEN thru LHR for 57k plus $232, which isn’t that much more than just departure tax from LHR on UA or AA metal. Also $257 from HEL and similar from WAW.
how do they avoid the onerously high fuel charges westbound, but not eastbound?
are there any other origin airports that connect on BA for even less in $ eastbound?
but westbound I’m finding CPH to DEN thru LHR for 57k plus $232, which isn’t that much more than just departure tax from LHR on UA or AA metal. Also $257 from HEL and similar from WAW.
how do they avoid the onerously high fuel charges westbound, but not eastbound?
are there any other origin airports that connect on BA for even less in $ eastbound?
Nov 17, 2019, 11:22 am
#285
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
Using award travel on BA will incur surcharges, on the return portion, if you are not originating from LHR, but rather connect/transit on same ticket, the charge is lower. Suggestion for Eastbound, look for NON BA flights, difficult, but that will eliminate it. On the return, same as well, and also ensure you do not originate from UK.