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)
Jul 30, 2018, 8:40 am
#256
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 551
Just finished a trip that lost its fare information in the ether, and the EQDs were posted by distance.
Somewhere AA lost my fare basis:
1. Fare was originally a round trip ticket constructed from cheap economy one way fares YYZ-DCA-LGA-CLT-LAS and LAS-PHX-PHL-YYZ. I think it was two one way fares per direction in Q fares and may have been originally priced in CAD.
2. Applied USD voucher to flight
3. Called to upfare outbound to first (D fare) and simplify schedule YYZ-DFW-LAS while leaving return flights unchanged. Spend 40 minutes on hold while they tried to calculate the price. For some reason my ticket was like .92 cents more to upfare than my companion.
4. Cleared 500 mile upgrade on LAS-PHX return, (although this leg still posted as Q distance rather than R.)
5. Ended up getting about $1000 EQDs for a $600 flight.
Somewhere AA lost my fare basis:
1. Fare was originally a round trip ticket constructed from cheap economy one way fares YYZ-DCA-LGA-CLT-LAS and LAS-PHX-PHL-YYZ. I think it was two one way fares per direction in Q fares and may have been originally priced in CAD.
2. Applied USD voucher to flight
3. Called to upfare outbound to first (D fare) and simplify schedule YYZ-DFW-LAS while leaving return flights unchanged. Spend 40 minutes on hold while they tried to calculate the price. For some reason my ticket was like .92 cents more to upfare than my companion.
4. Cleared 500 mile upgrade on LAS-PHX return, (although this leg still posted as Q distance rather than R.)
5. Ended up getting about $1000 EQDs for a $600 flight.
Jul 30, 2018, 2:43 pm
#257
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA
Programs: AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 310
On the Amex MR Portal, I recently booked ATL-LAX-SYD roundtrip via AA metal, deeply discounted (Class O). This is what I see on wheretocredit.com.
I struggle with calculating US carrier mileage accrual (I've been wrong the last 2 times). Can I get a sanity check?
I calculate getting $528 EQDs (airfare cost; no fees/taxes), 4 EQS, and 18,868 EQMs. I'm an AA peasant, going for AA Gold.
From what I read here, there's a chance that it will get stamped as Special Fare. When I looked that up, it looked like I'd get 10% mileage for EQDs if that was the case (meaning $1886 EQDs instead of $528). I don't see an asterisk on my Class O designation on my itinerary.
I struggle with calculating US carrier mileage accrual (I've been wrong the last 2 times). Can I get a sanity check?
I calculate getting $528 EQDs (airfare cost; no fees/taxes), 4 EQS, and 18,868 EQMs. I'm an AA peasant, going for AA Gold.
From what I read here, there's a chance that it will get stamped as Special Fare. When I looked that up, it looked like I'd get 10% mileage for EQDs if that was the case (meaning $1886 EQDs instead of $528). I don't see an asterisk on my Class O designation on my itinerary.
Jul 30, 2018, 4:06 pm
#258
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,466
On the Amex MR Portal, I recently booked ATL-LAX-SYD roundtrip via AA metal, deeply discounted (Class O). This is what I see on wheretocredit.com.
I struggle with calculating US carrier mileage accrual (I've been wrong the last 2 times). Can I get a sanity check?
I calculate getting $528 EQDs (airfare cost; no fees/taxes), 4 EQS, and 18,868 EQMs. I'm an AA peasant, going for AA Gold.
From what I read here, there's a chance that it will get stamped as Special Fare. When I looked that up, it looked like I'd get 10% mileage for EQDs if that was the case (meaning $1886 EQDs instead of $528). I don't see an asterisk on my Class O designation on my itinerary.
I struggle with calculating US carrier mileage accrual (I've been wrong the last 2 times). Can I get a sanity check?
I calculate getting $528 EQDs (airfare cost; no fees/taxes), 4 EQS, and 18,868 EQMs. I'm an AA peasant, going for AA Gold.
From what I read here, there's a chance that it will get stamped as Special Fare. When I looked that up, it looked like I'd get 10% mileage for EQDs if that was the case (meaning $1886 EQDs instead of $528). I don't see an asterisk on my Class O designation on my itinerary.
Jul 30, 2018, 10:23 pm
#259
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA
Programs: AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 310
Aww that's disappointing. Guess I'll find out in October how close I get to Gold, and try to figure out a small mileage run to clean up the remainder.
Jul 31, 2018, 7:36 am
#260
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: DL DM, AA EXP, various hotel
Posts: 2,227
That's not really true. At least Chase and Citi make their fare rules available which clearly list special fares as "bulk." Those basically post as special fares 100% of the time (unless you have your ticket reissued for some reason).
Jul 31, 2018, 11:12 am
#261
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 168
Is there a sure-fire method of parsing out the special fares? I've got a flight booked through Chase, LGA-ORD-PHX-HNL. The fare rules mention bulk fare repeatedly for all 3 segments, and the LGA-ORD segment even mentions wholesale. However, the price does display in my trip summary in my AAdvantage account. I've read that wholesale is a 100% indicator of special fare, but then I've also read that a price showing on AA.com is a 100% indicator that it's not a special fare and will post EQD by fare rather than distance. Does anyone have enough experience with these to clarify?
Jul 31, 2018, 2:22 pm
#262
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: DL DM, AA EXP, various hotel
Posts: 2,227
Is there a sure-fire method of parsing out the special fares? I've got a flight booked through Chase, LGA-ORD-PHX-HNL. The fare rules mention bulk fare repeatedly for all 3 segments, and the LGA-ORD segment even mentions wholesale. However, the price does display in my trip summary in my AAdvantage account. I've read that wholesale is a 100% indicator of special fare, but then I've also read that a price showing on AA.com is a 100% indicator that it's not a special fare and will post EQD by fare rather than distance. Does anyone have enough experience with these to clarify?
I've never seen a fare from Chase that is listed as bulk or wholesale that shows the price...
Aug 2, 2018, 12:50 pm
#263
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA
Programs: AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 310
However, the price does display in my trip summary in my AAdvantage account. I've read that wholesale is a 100% indicator of special fare, but then I've also read that a price showing on AA.com is a 100% indicator that it's not a special fare and will post EQD by fare rather than distance.
Aug 2, 2018, 10:54 pm
#264
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Alaska Gold 75K, AA EXP, United 1K
Posts: 472
Is there a sure-fire method of parsing out the special fares? I've got a flight booked through Chase, LGA-ORD-PHX-HNL. The fare rules mention bulk fare repeatedly for all 3 segments, and the LGA-ORD segment even mentions wholesale. However, the price does display in my trip summary in my AAdvantage account. I've read that wholesale is a 100% indicator of special fare, but then I've also read that a price showing on AA.com is a 100% indicator that it's not a special fare and will post EQD by fare rather than distance. Does anyone have enough experience with these to clarify?
Aug 3, 2018, 4:51 pm
#265
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vail, CO
Programs: AA EXP/1mm, Marriott Titanium/LT Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 626
I have an interesting one. Booked AAV LAX-LHR in PE - at time of booking fare code was P*. I also received (and of course saved) email receipt saying P*. However about 5 days later I received another emailed receipt that was just P. Has anyone seen this before? I would think and hope they would honor the original P* - otherwise I would not have used AAV - would have booked a hotel direct through SPG to get my elite benefits
Aug 3, 2018, 4:57 pm
#266
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: GNV
Programs: AA EP (life Gold), Global Entry, TSA Pre-Check, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 392
I have an interesting one. Booked AAV LAX-LHR in PE - at time of booking fare code was P*. I also received (and of course saved) email receipt saying P*. However about 5 days later I received another emailed receipt that was just P. Has anyone seen this before? I would think and hope they would honor the original P* - otherwise I would not have used AAV - would have booked a hotel direct through SPG to get my elite benefits
Aug 3, 2018, 6:22 pm
#267
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
All,
Been playing around with AA Vacations, using Flight and Car with business class fares and getting no flights available (tried for locales such as AMS, CDG, LHR) returned. When I do the search for Flight and Hotel, then all of a sudden flights (and hotels) are available. Any thoughts on what might be going on?
Safe Travels
Been playing around with AA Vacations, using Flight and Car with business class fares and getting no flights available (tried for locales such as AMS, CDG, LHR) returned. When I do the search for Flight and Hotel, then all of a sudden flights (and hotels) are available. Any thoughts on what might be going on?
Safe Travels
Aug 3, 2018, 7:40 pm
#268
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,700
I believe for international premium cabin(s) you need to have a hotel along with the air. Air/car doesn't work.
All,
Been playing around with AA Vacations, using Flight and Car with business class fares and getting no flights available (tried for locales such as AMS, CDG, LHR) returned. When I do the search for Flight and Hotel, then all of a sudden flights (and hotels) are available. Any thoughts on what might be going on?
Safe Travels
Been playing around with AA Vacations, using Flight and Car with business class fares and getting no flights available (tried for locales such as AMS, CDG, LHR) returned. When I do the search for Flight and Hotel, then all of a sudden flights (and hotels) are available. Any thoughts on what might be going on?
Safe Travels
Aug 3, 2018, 9:23 pm
#269
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vail, CO
Programs: AA EXP/1mm, Marriott Titanium/LT Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 626
Aug 4, 2018, 8:58 am
#270
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: AA-EXP, LATAM Gold+, BA-Blues
Posts: 720