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
Oct 1, 2022, 4:16 pm
#331
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,377
Think you are mixing apples with oranges...maybe just tell us what dates and let the experts on here give you some real options.
Oct 1, 2022, 4:19 pm
#332
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 135
Oct 1, 2022, 4:46 pm
#333
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Omaha
Programs: AA Life Plat 4mm, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,459
Oct 1, 2022, 4:51 pm
#334
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 135
Oct 1, 2022, 5:16 pm
#335
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 135
Looks the the hangup is the return trip..no good options. I will keep trying.... snagged a PHX to LHR direct, on the outbound on the 3rd for cheap.
Edit .. i will just fly home from another city in a nearby country. I have no set plans, just looking for flights and then will make my travel plans. Any recommendation for a city to fly home from? Looking for a seven day solo escape.
Edit .. i will just fly home from another city in a nearby country. I have no set plans, just looking for flights and then will make my travel plans. Any recommendation for a city to fly home from? Looking for a seven day solo escape.
Last edited by steamboatdevil; Oct 1, 2022 at 5:37 pm
Oct 1, 2022, 5:57 pm
#336
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,531
Looks the the hangup is the return trip..no good options. I will keep trying.... snagged a PHX to LHR direct, on the outbound on the 3rd for cheap.
Edit .. i will just fly home from another city in a nearby country. I have no set plans, just looking for flights and then will make my travel plans. Any recommendation for a city to fly home from? Looking for a seven day solo escape.
Edit .. i will just fly home from another city in a nearby country. I have no set plans, just looking for flights and then will make my travel plans. Any recommendation for a city to fly home from? Looking for a seven day solo escape.
Oct 2, 2022, 10:08 am
#337
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 474
Looks the the hangup is the return trip..no good options. I will keep trying.... snagged a PHX to LHR direct, on the outbound on the 3rd for cheap.
Edit .. i will just fly home from another city in a nearby country. I have no set plans, just looking for flights and then will make my travel plans. Any recommendation for a city to fly home from? Looking for a seven day solo escape.
Edit .. i will just fly home from another city in a nearby country. I have no set plans, just looking for flights and then will make my travel plans. Any recommendation for a city to fly home from? Looking for a seven day solo escape.
Last edited by sushanna1; Oct 2, 2022 at 10:11 am Reason: Accuracy
Oct 3, 2022, 3:23 am
#340
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Trying to use miles book a flight to from PHX to Prague in DEC and the fees are insane. $1,100 in fees to book a trip with miles? I can pay $900 cash and save money over a "free" ticket. I understand there is a surcharge on BA but still, it's crazy. A couple of days ago they would give me options to fly though DFW instead of direct from PHX (avoiding the BA fees), but they no longer will show me a DFW option.
Oct 5, 2022, 8:48 am
#341
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold (BIS), AA LT Plat (CC SUBs & BD), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 3,276
Obviously BA’s award ticket surcharges are a long-standing problem, there are several threads here going back 15 or more years. I think WE all laughed when BA had the audacity to call it a “fuel” surcharge. I’ve looked but have yet to find a rational explanation of the financial arrangements for BA’s outrageous award ticket surcharges (which certainly discourage redeeming miles for flights on BA thereby saving BA lots of money by not having many award passengers).
How does BA get away with it? Why does OneWorld allow it? Do they share some of that money with the other airlines? Or is it simply the same as the answer for almost all questions that start with the word “why” best exemplified by “why does a dog lick his gonads?” (Because he can!
) Thank you.
How does BA get away with it? Why does OneWorld allow it? Do they share some of that money with the other airlines? Or is it simply the same as the answer for almost all questions that start with the word “why” best exemplified by “why does a dog lick his gonads?” (Because he can!
) Thank you.
Oct 5, 2022, 5:58 pm
#342
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,550
They are not award tcket surcharges - BA's carrier surcharges apply regardless whenr award or normal revenuw tickets
It does it, for UK/US because there is no law in US or UK prohibiting it. Where local laws prohibit/limit surcharges, then it complies
It does it, for UK/US because there is no law in US or UK prohibiting it. Where local laws prohibit/limit surcharges, then it complies
Oct 9, 2022, 6:24 am
#343
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,033
Obviously BA’s award ticket surcharges are a long-standing problem, there are several threads here going back 15 or more years. I think WE all laughed when BA had the audacity to call it a “fuel” surcharge. I’ve looked but have yet to find a rational explanation of the financial arrangements for BA’s outrageous award ticket surcharges (which certainly discourage redeeming miles for flights on BA thereby saving BA lots of money by not having many award passengers).
BA can happily release lots of award seats because they are getting some cash revenue out of them.
Oct 9, 2022, 7:27 am
#344
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,176
Made a fatal error in my searches on miles / prices and sircharge
Point remains AA charges higher miles on AA metal than on BA metal
Point remains AA charges higher miles on AA metal than on BA metal
Last edited by UKtravelbear; Oct 9, 2022 at 8:28 am
Oct 9, 2022, 7:55 am
#345
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,531
BA has plenty of passengers flying on reward tickets. BA also allows people to use avios to reduce the cash element.
Just having a look at some AA miles pricing for JFK-LHR return for next June
Flying BA = 115k points + $1745 ($1400 surcharge)
Flying AA = 217k miles + $1045 (web special) of which $ 700 is surcharge
So AA isn't averse to surcharges either. Or they price them in via higher miles requirements.
Just having a look at some AA miles pricing for JFK-LHR return for next June
Flying BA = 115k points + $1745 ($1400 surcharge)
Flying AA = 217k miles + $1045 (web special) of which $ 700 is surcharge
So AA isn't averse to surcharges either. Or they price them in via higher miles requirements.
But you're right that AA will usually charge a lot more miles for trans-Atlantic Business Class travel on AA metal (with no surcharges) than on BA metal (with hefty surcharges). So one "pays" with either more AAdvantage miles or more cash.