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)
Nov 4, 2017, 6:30 pm
#91
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: ord
Programs: aa exp, ihg plat amb
Posts: 80
Yes, maybe 2 weeks ago I was looking at several flights to PEK or PVG with *.
Now I can't find any. Would it make any difference if I booked a flight + hotel package at Orbitz or Expedia, or does that not always work?
Now I can't find any. Would it make any difference if I booked a flight + hotel package at Orbitz or Expedia, or does that not always work?
Nov 4, 2017, 8:26 pm
#92
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,781
Is it possible to tell if something will book as a special fare via the fare rules? Going to be short EQD for this year, and considering a HKG run via ThankYou portal (a few points used just in case it helps) -- does this indicate that it's a special fare
(Full rules:
https://pastebin.com/pxnevhzY
https://pastebin.com/b7ybF9u7 )
I can't figure out how to get full fare rules off of AA.com anymore to see the same fare on a regular ticket to see if that wording appears.
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED PROMOTIONAL FARES BETWEEN AREA 1 AND AREA 3 APPLICATION AREA THESE FARES APPLY BETWEEN AREA 1/AREA 3. CLASS OF SERVICE THESE FARES APPLY FOR FIRST/BUSINESS/ECONOMY CLASS SERVICE. TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION FARES GOVERNED BY THIS RULE CAN BE USED TO CREATE ONE-WAY/ROUND-TRIP/CIRCLE-TRIP/OPEN-JAW JOURNEYS. THESE FARES MAY BE USED FOR INDIVIDUAL INCLUSIVE TOURS. CAPACITY LIMITATIONS THE CARRIER SHALL LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS CARRIED ON ANY ONE FLIGHT AT FARES GOVERNED BY THIS RULE AND SUCH FARES WILL NOT NECESSARILY BE AVAILABLE ON ALL FLIGHTS. THE NUMBER OF SEATS WHICH THE CARRIER SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE ON A GIVEN FLIGHT WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE CARRIERS BEST JUDGMENT RULES NOT APPLICABLE 35 PASSENGER EXPENSES EN ROUTE.
https://pastebin.com/pxnevhzY
https://pastebin.com/b7ybF9u7 )
I can't figure out how to get full fare rules off of AA.com anymore to see the same fare on a regular ticket to see if that wording appears.
Nov 5, 2017, 1:14 am
#93
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,550
Nope , it doesn't ; it just looks like a regular fare
Nov 5, 2017, 10:11 am
#95
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,136
If fares at AA.com are low enough, AAVacations won't book a special fare because there is a lower "true" fare. You'll see that when the package price is greater than purchasing the flight alone on AA.com. At least that's what I've noticed.
Nov 5, 2017, 2:02 pm
#96
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Delta Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 197
(There are still special fares to Australia and Europe but the ticket prices aren't amazing especially combined with the hotel....)
Nov 5, 2017, 9:55 pm
#98
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
Posts: 1,151
SO frustrating!! I constantly found flights maybe over a week ago special fare to Ho Chi Minh for LESS than the cheapest price on AA.com and I went to sleep on it ... since I had found these consistently I assumed it would always be there. Now there are NO special fares to Asia.
(There are still special fares to Australia and Europe but the ticket prices aren't amazing especially combined with the hotel....)
(There are still special fares to Australia and Europe but the ticket prices aren't amazing especially combined with the hotel....)
Regarding Asia, I can confirm that the asterisks were appearing for me in searches to HKG, PEK, and PVG earlier in the week but not Saturday/Sunday.
Nov 6, 2017, 4:20 am
#99
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,029
Nov 6, 2017, 5:24 pm
#100
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 51
Yes. Just make sure the fare rules indicate it is a special/wholesale fare (I can't remember the exact terminology). Mix of thank you points and cash doesn't matter.
Nov 6, 2017, 6:36 pm
#101
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA & UK -- AA EXP 3.5MM, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Avis President's Club
Posts: 6,411
I wonder if there's a quick way to find out if AAVacations will give you a good deal for a particular date.
I only know the s-l-o-w method. Put in your travel dates. Click the Advanced Search link. Override the hotel dates. Search. Sort by price.
Then if you want to check other dates, or other classes of service: start over completely!
Does anyone know a faster way to find out which date(s) and class(es) of service are available at a discount on AAVacations.com?
I only know the s-l-o-w method. Put in your travel dates. Click the Advanced Search link. Override the hotel dates. Search. Sort by price.
Then if you want to check other dates, or other classes of service: start over completely!
Does anyone know a faster way to find out which date(s) and class(es) of service are available at a discount on AAVacations.com?
Nov 6, 2017, 7:34 pm
#102
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,029
Regards
Nov 7, 2017, 1:36 am
#103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,781
Got it. I'll dig a bit more, thanks! I may not be able to beat the real EQD/actual dollars ratio of just getting things over with on one CX Premium Economy run, if I decide EXP is worth it (which seems a pity not to, since I'm already at ~110k EQM)
Nov 7, 2017, 3:48 am
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
I've already booked an AA Vacation package to Europe. On AA.COM, in the fare area it has under COST SUMMARY: "contact your travel agent for airfare or trip changes", NO $ amts are listed; I'm assuming that the EQD will be mileage based.
Nov 7, 2017, 12:41 pm
#105
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 51
On the aavacations.com site there is a "Your Trips" tab you use to look up the trip. You need your AA reservation/booking number (different from the AA record locator) -- you might be able to call AA Vacations and have them look it up if you don't have it. With the reservation number you will be able to see you trip details, including whether your flights have a * next to the booking code.