Sep 8, 2017, 4:48 pm
Last edit by: thorofare
American Airlines "Special Fares" and EQD Earning
Link to aa.com Special fares: Earning Award Miles and Elite Qualifying Credits
"Special Fares" include some fares sold by other than AA, such as those sold in conjunction with a travel lodging package by AA Vacations, and those purchased with credit card points, such as Thank You Points and Membership Rewards points.
Like oneworld partner (and Alaska Airlines through 31 Dec 2017) fares, these earn Elite Qualifying Dollars based on a percentage of base miles / miles flown / flight distance and the fare class purchased.
Flights booked using Thank You Points, Membership Rewards, etc. where the cardholder is essentially buying your ticket most often are special fares as well.
NOTE: EQD credit varies for "Special Fares" (e.g. AA Vacations), and the chart for those changed on 1 Jan 2019. See here.
Link to aa.com Special fares: Earning Award Miles and Elite Qualifying Credits
"Special Fares" include some fares sold by other than AA, such as those sold in conjunction with a travel lodging package by AA Vacations, and those purchased with credit card points, such as Thank You Points and Membership Rewards points.
Like oneworld partner (and Alaska Airlines through 31 Dec 2017) fares, these earn Elite Qualifying Dollars based on a percentage of base miles / miles flown / flight distance and the fare class purchased.
Flights booked using Thank You Points, Membership Rewards, etc. where the cardholder is essentially buying your ticket most often are special fares as well.
NOTE: EQD credit varies for "Special Fares" (e.g. AA Vacations), and the chart for those changed on 1 Jan 2019. See here.
AA "Special Fare" (AA Vacations, TYP, MR, etc.) Questions, EQD, Issues (merged)
Oct 25, 2018, 12:48 pm
#316
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
I think we are just interpreting what little terms AA has posted for special fares differently.
My interpretation: AA is saying that (in layman's terms) in some cases we have no idea how much you paid for your ticket, and in these cases miles will be awarded according to the special fares chart. Most of these instances involve bulk fares, consolidator fares, package bookings, etc. etc. But we are in no way guaranteeing that all bulk fares etc. will post as special fares. If we catch a whiff of how much your ticket costs, we will post it by fare.
My interpretation: AA is saying that (in layman's terms) in some cases we have no idea how much you paid for your ticket, and in these cases miles will be awarded according to the special fares chart. Most of these instances involve bulk fares, consolidator fares, package bookings, etc. etc. But we are in no way guaranteeing that all bulk fares etc. will post as special fares. If we catch a whiff of how much your ticket costs, we will post it by fare.
I think you are conflating two completely different reasons for distance-posting: "we don't have the fare" vs. "these fares are specifically classified as special fares." Sure, if they don't have the fare because of IRROPS or something, it might post by distance, but if they go find a fare for it you have no recourse. But if it was sold as a bulk fare, AA policy is really extremely clear on that point. And there's no ambiguity whatsoever about what is and isn't a bulk fare...it's in the fare rules.
In my personal experience, I booked a special fare via AA Vacations, it incorrectly posted by fare, and it took 3 phone calls and about 5 emails to get it correctly sorted, in spite of the fact that for AA Vacations the terms are clearly spelled out (unlike bulk fares). They threw every excuse in the book at me.
1. And yet, eventually they did follow their policy and credit you by distance.
2. "AA tried to screw me over even though the policy was in my favor" is a bit of a dog-bites-man story. And it certainly has nothing to do with whether pax have recourse if they mis-post a bulk ticket.
3. You're relating a story about an area that even you say is unambiguous. That's no evidence whatsoever for their being any ambiguity in what is or isn't a bulk fare.
Also, I'd like to return to the final point from my last post: the more I think about this, the more I think we're arguing over what will happen in a circumstance that doesn't actually occur. Do we have any data points we consider reliable where AA posted a true bulk ticket by fare? I haven't seen any, and I went through this whole dang thread looking for them.
Oct 29, 2018, 11:13 am
#317
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: BNA and FLL
Programs: National Executive Elite, IHG Diamond Elite, Hilton Gold, SW A List, Marriott Gold
Posts: 964
I’ve read back a couple pages but just wanted to ask to be sure.
Is it pretty safe to presume that if an AA Vacations fare has the * next to the class code that it will for sure post according to the special fares chart on AA.com?
I found a great deal for a MR for the end of this year and I want to book it but I need to make sure it posts according to the chart as I will be cutting it close on EQDs.
Is it pretty safe to presume that if an AA Vacations fare has the * next to the class code that it will for sure post according to the special fares chart on AA.com?
I found a great deal for a MR for the end of this year and I want to book it but I need to make sure it posts according to the chart as I will be cutting it close on EQDs.
Oct 29, 2018, 2:19 pm
#318
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: GNV
Programs: AA EP (life Gold), Global Entry, TSA Pre-Check, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 392
I’ve read back a couple pages but just wanted to ask to be sure.
Is it pretty safe to presume that if an AA Vacations fare has the * next to the class code that it will for sure post according to the special fares chart on AA.com?
I found a great deal for a MR for the end of this year and I want to book it but I need to make sure it posts according to the chart as I will be cutting it close on EQDs.
Is it pretty safe to presume that if an AA Vacations fare has the * next to the class code that it will for sure post according to the special fares chart on AA.com?
I found a great deal for a MR for the end of this year and I want to book it but I need to make sure it posts according to the chart as I will be cutting it close on EQDs.
From https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...cial-fares.jsp, you will find: "Vacation packages, including select American Airlines Vacations® packages. For Vacations, special fares are marked with an asterisk (*) after the booking code in the AAVacations.com booking path."
Nov 1, 2018, 4:30 pm
#320
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SBA
Programs: UA & AA 1 million miler
Posts: 1,134
I purchase a “flight + hotel” package at Orbitz. When I picked my flights, it was showing “Special Fare”.
I upgraded my seats by my SWUs later on.
I already flew the outbound flight and the miles were posted, but EQD was fare based not distance.
When I booked the package, I saw the total package price was cheaper than airfare only (same booking code) at AA.com. That didn’t make sense, but that’s why I bought the package rather than flight only.
I called AAdvantage and asked about that, but they need to review the tickets and they will let me know.
She asked me how much the air tickets were, but I didn’t really know just because the package price doesn’t show the airfare portion separately...
Did anyone book Orbitz package and got distance base EQD?
I upgraded my seats by my SWUs later on.
I already flew the outbound flight and the miles were posted, but EQD was fare based not distance.
When I booked the package, I saw the total package price was cheaper than airfare only (same booking code) at AA.com. That didn’t make sense, but that’s why I bought the package rather than flight only.
I called AAdvantage and asked about that, but they need to review the tickets and they will let me know.
She asked me how much the air tickets were, but I didn’t really know just because the package price doesn’t show the airfare portion separately...
Did anyone book Orbitz package and got distance base EQD?
Nov 5, 2018, 11:24 am
#321
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Looks like AA basically gutted EQD (and RDM) earning for special fares in deep-discount economy. Starting 1/1/2019, Q and O fares are going from 10% EQD to 5% EQD (and 50% RDM to 25% RDM). There goes the ability to earn outsized EQD value by booking cheap Special Fares to Asia.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...cial-fares.jsp
With the changes announced today, I'm sort of glad I decided to jump ship this year.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...cial-fares.jsp
With the changes announced today, I'm sort of glad I decided to jump ship this year.
Nov 5, 2018, 11:43 am
#322
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL DM, AA PlatPro, Hilton DM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 1,532
Looks like AA basically gutted EQD (and RDM) earning for special fares in deep-discount economy. Starting 1/1/2019, Q and O fares are going from 10% EQD to 5% EQD (and 50% RDM to 25% RDM). There goes the ability to earn outsized EQD value by booking cheap Special Fares to Asia.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...cial-fares.jsp
With the changes announced today, I'm sort of glad I decided to jump ship this year.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...cial-fares.jsp
With the changes announced today, I'm sort of glad I decided to jump ship this year.
Nov 5, 2018, 12:43 pm
#323
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
F
Business-class special fares often don’t make sense, since you’ll earn more under a fare system. For example, JFK-HKG is roughly 16,000 miles round trip. A special fare in I would receive 3,200 EQD, much lower than the typical fare in discounted business between those two cities. This is just one example, but I think in general the proposition holds true.
Premium economy is better, since you still earn 20% EQD, and AA has had great PE fares, particularly to Asia. But even so, PE is usually at least twice the price of the least expensive economy fare. Under the old system, those cheapest fares earned half the EQD of PE; now they earn a mere quarter. This makes PE relatively more lucrative, but not absolutely.
Premium economy is better, since you still earn 20% EQD, and AA has had great PE fares, particularly to Asia. But even so, PE is usually at least twice the price of the least expensive economy fare. Under the old system, those cheapest fares earned half the EQD of PE; now they earn a mere quarter. This makes PE relatively more lucrative, but not absolutely.
Nov 8, 2018, 11:27 am
#324
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP, UA GM (2013 Gold, 2014 Silver), Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 435
I have the same question, and wasn’t able to find a link to see the fare rules on the flight selection page. I didn’t go any further because the prices were much higher than aa.com, aavacations, Amex, etc.
Nov 8, 2018, 12:45 pm
#325
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL DM, AA PlatPro, Hilton DM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 1,532
Business-class special fares often don’t make sense, since you’ll earn more under a fare system. For example, JFK-HKG is roughly 16,000 miles round trip. A special fare in I would receive 3,200 EQD, much lower than the typical fare in discounted business between those two cities. This is just one example, but I think in general the proposition holds true.
Nov 11, 2018, 6:49 pm
#326
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: AA, Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 501
F
Business-class special fares often don’t make sense, since you’ll earn more under a fare system. For example, JFK-HKG is roughly 16,000 miles round trip. A special fare in I would receive 3,200 EQD, much lower than the typical fare in discounted business between those two cities. This is just one example, but I think in general the proposition holds true.
Premium economy is better, since you still earn 20% EQD, and AA has had great PE fares, particularly to Asia. But even so, PE is usually at least twice the price of the least expensive economy fare. Under the old system, those cheapest fares earned half the EQD of PE; now they earn a mere quarter. This makes PE relatively more lucrative, but not absolutely.
Business-class special fares often don’t make sense, since you’ll earn more under a fare system. For example, JFK-HKG is roughly 16,000 miles round trip. A special fare in I would receive 3,200 EQD, much lower than the typical fare in discounted business between those two cities. This is just one example, but I think in general the proposition holds true.
Premium economy is better, since you still earn 20% EQD, and AA has had great PE fares, particularly to Asia. But even so, PE is usually at least twice the price of the least expensive economy fare. Under the old system, those cheapest fares earned half the EQD of PE; now they earn a mere quarter. This makes PE relatively more lucrative, but not absolutely.
Nov 11, 2018, 9:04 pm
#327
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
I just flew PE on AA/JAL codeshare, which I booked using points via ThankYou portal. There was no mention of wholesale fares, and it is counting as (P) Method: fares as it posts - was that expected, or do I need to ask the airline to update? I don't need the EQD, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have more.
Nov 11, 2018, 10:23 pm
#328
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
I just flew PE on AA/JAL codeshare, which I booked using points via ThankYou portal. There was no mention of wholesale fares, and it is counting as (P) Method: fares as it posts - was that expected, or do I need to ask the airline to update? I don't need the EQD, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have more.
Nov 12, 2018, 11:50 am
#329
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
The first part is correct; the second part, less so. Tickets purchased from the portal may or may not be bulk fares. But there is really a hard rule about when they are: when the fare rules say so. You can check the fare rules before purchase; see above.
Nov 12, 2018, 12:13 pm
#330
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
My interpretation: AA is saying that (in layman's terms) in some cases we have no idea how much you paid for your ticket, and in these cases miles will be awarded according to the special fares chart. Most of these instances involve bulk fares, consolidator fares, package bookings, etc. etc. But we are in no way guaranteeing that all bulk fares etc. will post as special fares. If we catch a whiff of how much your ticket costs, we will post it by fare.