Flexible return date/change fees?
Aug 6, 2017, 2:40 pm
#16
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The general website warning is simply a warning to be careful. Until you lock in a specific fare basis and look at the fare rules for the specific ticket (you can do this pre-purchase), there is no way for AA to know what the fees will be.
As to your specific issue, what is the change fee?
As to your specific issue, what is the change fee?
Aug 6, 2017, 2:59 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 87
Thanks everyone - looks like I'll just book it as close to when I "think" makes sense, and deal with any changes if necessary!
Dave Noble - not completely sure I follow your 6/12 month thing.
If I booked a return trip where the return was, say, 5.5months after the departure and then after I've already arrived, wanted to change the return flight to one month later (so 6.5 months after I first arrived), you're saying the price would jump rather significantly?
Dave Noble - not completely sure I follow your 6/12 month thing.
If I booked a return trip where the return was, say, 5.5months after the departure and then after I've already arrived, wanted to change the return flight to one month later (so 6.5 months after I first arrived), you're saying the price would jump rather significantly?
Aug 6, 2017, 3:44 pm
#18
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,856
Thanks everyone - looks like I'll just book it as close to when I "think" makes sense, and deal with any changes if necessary!
Dave Noble - not completely sure I follow your 6/12 month thing.
If I booked a return trip where the return was, say, 5.5months after the departure and then after I've already arrived, wanted to change the return flight to one month later (so 6.5 months after I first arrived), you're saying the price would jump rather significantly?
Dave Noble - not completely sure I follow your 6/12 month thing.
If I booked a return trip where the return was, say, 5.5months after the departure and then after I've already arrived, wanted to change the return flight to one month later (so 6.5 months after I first arrived), you're saying the price would jump rather significantly?
If you fly to AKL on 1st February, your return date to USA would have to be no later than 31st July
If you want to return on , say, the 14th August, then there would be a large fare difference ( from the cheapest fare ) to a fare which permits a maximum stay of 1 year
Looking on Expertflyer , excluding taxes and charges, the cheapest LAX-AKL fare (O class) is $1020 and has a max stay of 6 months. The cheapest 1 year fare is in S class and costs $1620. ( I made a mistake when I typed $800, it is $600 )
If you want a cheap 1 year ticket, I would suggest looking at a different carrier. UA, NZ and QF have a $1020 (plus tax/charge) fares , but it allow a 1 year stay
Drawbacks
UA and NZ''s fare has a $300 change fee
QF's fare has a $200 change fee
vs AA's $100 change fee
Last edited by Dave Noble; Aug 6, 2017 at 3:56 pm
Aug 7, 2017, 10:44 pm
#20
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,680
Thus a return flight can often be changed to a different date for just the change fee - as long as you make the change after the first flight, and as long as the same fare class is available for your chosen return flight. So, if you book I-class fares and change the return after departure you would pay change fee only as long as I was available on your new return flight, but if J and D were the only business class fares available then you would pay a change fee, but based on the D fare you would have paid when you first booked the tickets.
I say 'normally' because it depends on the particular fare rules for your ticket and airlines seem to mess with these more and more these days, so it is hard to be confident about just what 'normal' is.
Aug 8, 2017, 2:55 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 87
Normally changes made prior to departure are re-ticketed at the prices on that day of rebooking, but changes made after departure are priced at the fares as they were on the day of the original ticketing.
Thus a return flight can often be changed to a different date for just the change fee - as long as you make the change after the first flight, and as long as the same fare class is available for your chosen return flight. So, if you book I-class fares and change the return after departure you would pay change fee only as long as I was available on your new return flight, but if J and D were the only business class fares available then you would pay a change fee, but based on the D fare you would have paid when you first booked the tickets.
I say 'normally' because it depends on the particular fare rules for your ticket and airlines seem to mess with these more and more these days, so it is hard to be confident about just what 'normal' is.
Thus a return flight can often be changed to a different date for just the change fee - as long as you make the change after the first flight, and as long as the same fare class is available for your chosen return flight. So, if you book I-class fares and change the return after departure you would pay change fee only as long as I was available on your new return flight, but if J and D were the only business class fares available then you would pay a change fee, but based on the D fare you would have paid when you first booked the tickets.
I say 'normally' because it depends on the particular fare rules for your ticket and airlines seem to mess with these more and more these days, so it is hard to be confident about just what 'normal' is.