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AA "Special Fare" (AA Vacations, TYP, MR, etc.) Questions, EQD, Issues (merged)

Old Sep 8, 2017, 4:48 pm
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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.
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AA "Special Fare" (AA Vacations, TYP, MR, etc.) Questions, EQD, Issues (merged)

Old Jun 15, 2018, 8:52 am
  #241  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Everywhere
Programs: AA EXP - 3.7MM, Bonv LIFETIME Titan, HH Dmd, Hyatt Glob., Priority Clb Dmd, Ntnl Exec El., Sixt PLT
Posts: 1,677
Originally Posted by donotblink
I recently took a vacation to Barcelona. All of my flights were supposed to post as special fares booked in O*, I did a load factor upgrade on my outbound and a mileage upgrade on my return, I also missed my connection on the return and was rebooked for the connecting flight in I instead of C.
The outbound with the load factor upgrade posted as special fares, but the return posed as a regular fare, with the reticketed connection not having posted at all yet.
I'm planning to call in an hour and 15 minutes when advantage customer service opens, to try to get them to give me a special fare for the BCN -> ORD, but I'm hoping that I can keep I class when the ORD -> LGA posts.
- I my experience re-ticketing often removes "Special Fare" resulting in remaining segments to be credited as fare-based. Let's say you buy a vacation package for two people using Y* fare. Then you call and split itinerary, apply SWU to both and then confirm upgrades at separate time. Depending whether upgrades are processed by AA or at the gate one of the passengers would get mileage-based credit while another based on the fare paid. Luckily, a call to AA would usually fix this.
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Old Jun 15, 2018, 12:26 pm
  #242  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,546
Originally Posted by redtop43
I've never booked a package before, but I might soon. I was looking for a particular trip but the flights I wanted didn't come up. They show on a normal flight search, but not in "Vacations." Is that to be expected? Also is there a way to book first class in one direction and coach in the other?

If I understand correctly, I would get EQM's as usual (i.e. actual miles flown x class of service bonus, if any). It looks like award miles are the actual miles flown (not related to either class of service or price paid) and EQD's are 15-30% times miles flown depending on booking class?
I got answers to some of my questions on the phone, and am posting them here for the benefit of others. Only some flights have "bulk fares" that can be included in a package. Also, you can't book F one way and Y the other. However, apparently you can (on the phone) book a package and include non-bulk fares, but you won't save as much.

I'll have to poke around and see how it comes out with a variety of options including both AA vacations and maybe booking the hotel+car on Hotwire and flight on AA.
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Old Jun 17, 2018, 6:44 pm
  #243  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,546
I played with some fares. Basically I tried a car+hotel vacation, and then added air.

When I added coach, the price of the package increased $452, while booking the included flights stand-alone was $454. In F, the package increased $1140 while standalone first was $1172.

So the savings, at least as respects airfare, of including in a package is negligible.
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Old Jun 28, 2018, 11:25 am
  #244  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 394
I found a package on AA vacations that books into *S fare, is that a special fare as well? anything with the *?
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Old Jun 28, 2018, 11:26 am
  #245  
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Join Date: Feb 2001
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Originally Posted by chitink
I found a package on AA vacations that books into *S fare, is that a special fare as well? anything with the *?
Yep, special fare.
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Old Jun 28, 2018, 11:26 am
  #246  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: GNV
Programs: AA EP (life Gold), Global Entry, TSA Pre-Check, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 392
if it has an asterik, it's a special fare.
chitink likes this.
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Old Jul 8, 2018, 10:38 am
  #247  
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Delta Silver Medallion, Marriott Bonvoy Gold, World of Hyatt Discoverist, Ultimate Rewards, AMEX
Posts: 18
What is the elite qualifying dollar percentage for premium economy special fares on American Airlines? The American Airlines website does not show any percentages for premium economy. However, some of the premium American Airlines premium economy fares on British Airways show up as P fare code which according to the AA website is first class.
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Old Jul 8, 2018, 12:40 pm
  #248  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: W29
Programs: It's Complicated...
Posts: 6,796
Originally Posted by travelling companion
What is the elite qualifying dollar percentage for premium economy special fares on American Airlines? The American Airlines website does not show any percentages for premium economy. However, some of the premium American Airlines premium economy fares on British Airways show up as P fare code which according to the AA website is first class.
20%. Make sure you are looking at the correct chart https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...cial-fares.jsp Not sure why they dont put the current one first.....
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Old Jul 8, 2018, 12:54 pm
  #249  
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Delta Silver Medallion, Marriott Bonvoy Gold, World of Hyatt Discoverist, Ultimate Rewards, AMEX
Posts: 18
Thank you! Just realized that the current chart is not the one they highlight on the website.
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Old Jul 20, 2018, 10:45 am
  #250  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: CLE
Posts: 94
Does anyone know if using 500-mile upgrades changes a segment from distance to fare? Have only seen one anecdotal report about using stickers to upgrade.

Apologies if someone else has commented on this - just couldn't find anything about it here.
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Old Jul 20, 2018, 11:05 am
  #251  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: DL DM, AA EXP, various hotel
Posts: 2,227
Originally Posted by ginoa724
Does anyone know if using 500-mile upgrades changes a segment from distance to fare? Have only seen one anecdotal report about using stickers to upgrade.

Apologies if someone else has commented on this - just couldn't find anything about it here.
In my experience it has had no effectwhich may make sense in that the ticket is not reissued.
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Old Jul 21, 2018, 8:44 pm
  #252  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, Hilton
Posts: 159
Hello,

I have gone through most of the pages and I am still confused. Try to book PE with AA metal ORD-DFW-NRT-DFW-ORD through AAV. The outbound domestic is H* and international is P*, but the inbound is P (without *) and Y. Is the inbound going to be fare based since * is missing? If so, how can AA split the fare?

Thanks.
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Old Jul 23, 2018, 1:52 pm
  #253  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 37
Originally Posted by gogomustangs
Hello,

I have gone through most of the pages and I am still confused. Try to book PE with AA metal ORD-DFW-NRT-DFW-ORD through AAV. The outbound domestic is H* and international is P*, but the inbound is P (without *) and Y. Is the inbound going to be fare based since * is missing? If so, how can AA split the fare?

Thanks.
I am having a similar problem too for the most part. Trying to book a PE flight from Chicago to Hanoi via Narita, as ORD-DFW-NRT-HAN-NRT-ORD through AAV. When trying to book PE i do not get the * for special fare, however, when booknig the same route in normal economy it gives the *asterisk for special fare. How come it won't book as *special fare for PE? I can't seem to find any PE *special fare to Asia and need help finding as trying to take a mileage run to qualify for EXP this year. Thanks.
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Old Jul 23, 2018, 2:16 pm
  #254  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: GNV
Programs: AA EP (life Gold), Global Entry, TSA Pre-Check, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 392
Originally Posted by ginoa724
Does anyone know if using 500-mile upgrades changes a segment from distance to fare? Have only seen one anecdotal report about using stickers to upgrade.
nope, it does not.

Originally Posted by gogomustangs
The outbound domestic is H* and international is P*, but the inbound is P (without *) and Y. Is the inbound going to be fare based since * is missing? If so, how can AA split the fare?
fares are priced per segment.

Originally Posted by mrosskam
When trying to book PE i do not get the * for special fare, however, when booknig the same route in normal economy it gives the *asterisk for special fare. How come it won't book as *special fare for PE? I can't seem to find any PE *special fare to Asia and need help finding as trying to take a mileage run to qualify for EXP this year. Thanks.
They can be found. It's not a matter of never, it's a matter of finding one. It's even becoming more rare to find one in Economy than even earlier this year.
If you want mileage-based EQDs, you can fly a partner which will give you similar (of course you have to watch fare class and which partner, etc.
Have a look at CX, JL, etc, if going to Asia.
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Old Jul 23, 2018, 2:42 pm
  #255  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 37
Originally Posted by Whodunit68
nope, it does not.


fares are priced per segment.


They can be found. It's not a matter of never, it's a matter of finding one. It's even becoming more rare to find one in Economy than even earlier this year.
If you want mileage-based EQDs, you can fly a partner which will give you similar (of course you have to watch fare class and which partner, etc.
Have a look at CX, JL, etc, if going to Asia.
Normally I would book through JL/CX, however, AA is pricing it over $1k lower than both those carriers for PE right now. This is becoming a pain to find.
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