High Fees on Award Trips to Madrid?

Old Mar 9, 2023, 12:56 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 236
High Fees on Award Trips to Madrid?

Searched today for DFW-MAD in J on miles. I know about the BA fees, but today the fees for an AA flight are $844 and for an IB are $935. Is this new? I don't recall anything like this in the past.

Also, when searching for DFW-TLV in J on miles, neither BA nor IB options show up any more - for any dates. Only AA flights. Any idea of why?
avatexrs is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2023, 1:06 pm
  #2  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,438
Originally Posted by avatexrs
Searched today for DFW-MAD in J on miles. I know about the BA fees, but today the fees for an AA flight are $844 and for an IB are $935. Is this new? I don't recall anything like this in the past.

Also, when searching for DFW-TLV in J on miles, neither BA nor IB options show up any more - for any dates. Only AA flights. Any idea of why?
We get one of these threads every so often. Its just the way aa.com displays the pricing, I'm guessing you're searching rountrip where aa.com will display the total possible roundtrip fees on the outbound segment even when it's AA. The higher fees are only if you combine that with a BA segment(s) on the return.

If you actually click through and select AA flights for both the outbound and return you'll see the actual fees are much lower.

For example, just did a dummy booking for random dates in April and a J award on AA DFW-MAD r/t has $48.65 total taxes and fees.

Last edited by JJeffrey; Mar 9, 2023 at 1:13 pm
JJeffrey is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2023, 7:34 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: NYS
Programs: Days of Our Lives, General Hospital
Posts: 1,495
Originally Posted by JJeffrey
We get one of these threads every so often. Its just the way aa.com displays the pricing, I'm guessing you're searching rountrip where aa.com will display the total possible roundtrip fees on the outbound segment even when it's AA. The higher fees are only if you combine that with a BA segment(s) on the return.

If you actually click through and select AA flights for both the outbound and return you'll see the actual fees are much lower.

For example, just did a dummy booking for random dates in April and a J award on AA DFW-MAD r/t has $48.65 total taxes and fees.
Even that seems high to me, unless Spain has a departure tax or fee. For one-way ROC-PHL-MAD, with the PHL-MAD sector in J (ROC-PHL is in an E145), the fee was $5.60 when I booked it in December.
kochleffel is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2023, 7:43 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,377
Originally Posted by kochleffel
Even that seems high to me, unless Spain has a departure tax or fee. For one-way ROC-PHL-MAD, with the PHL-MAD sector in J (ROC-PHL is in an E145), the fee was $5.60 when I booked it in December.
You're funny speaking about $43 or whatever. OTHO I thought the miles were rather excessive.
hhdl and alancostello like this.
GaryZ is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2023, 7:46 pm
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,438
Originally Posted by kochleffel
Even that seems high to me, unless Spain has a departure tax or fee. For one-way ROC-PHL-MAD, with the PHL-MAD sector in J (ROC-PHL is in an E145), the fee was $5.60 when I booked it in December.
Yes, a one-way on AA metal from the US straight to Europe will have $5.60 in taxes/fees.

But a roundtrip will be higher as Spain and most all other countries in the world levy local departure taxes/fees.
hhdl and lowfareair like this.
JJeffrey is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2023, 9:47 pm
  #6  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,549
Originally Posted by kochleffel
Even that seems high to me, unless Spain has a departure tax or fee. For one-way ROC-PHL-MAD, with the PHL-MAD sector in J (ROC-PHL is in an E145), the fee was $5.60 when I booked it in December.
If you think that $48 seems high, then wait until you look at taxes for a r/t for something like JFK-LHR in business class. - $347.55 ( of which $5.6 is for JFK-LHR and the remainder is for LHR-JFK )
hhdl likes this.
Dave Noble is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2023, 2:22 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,697
Plus, there are US arrival, Immigration/customs fees — along with the various departure country taxes and fees that you don’t pay on the outbound from the US
777lover is online now  
Old Mar 10, 2023, 2:44 pm
  #8  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,018
Originally Posted by 777lover
Plus, there are US arrival, Immigration/customs fees — along with the various departure country taxes and fees that you don’t pay on the outbound from the US
The $21.10 US Immigrations Departure and Arrival taxes get waived on both departure and return flights along with US airport Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs). But the TSA fee ($5.60), Inspection ($7.00), Aphis ($3.83), and US Customs ($6.52) get charged on return flights along with any foreign taxes.


Last edited by xliioper; Mar 10, 2023 at 2:54 pm
xliioper is online now  
Old Mar 10, 2023, 2:47 pm
  #9  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,549
They do get waived on AA awarrds for travel on AA - as soon as booked on a carrier such as IB or BA where there are fares disguised as carrier surcharges, these taxes are applied
Dave Noble is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2023, 4:12 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,688
Try leaving PVR Mexico it is over $84 a person on departure. I do not understand how these countries think it will not affect them. I will think twice about going to PVR for the weekend now.
Centurion is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2023, 6:21 pm
  #11  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,018
Originally Posted by Centurion
Try leaving PVR Mexico it is over $84 a person on departure. I do not understand how these countries think it will not affect them. I will think twice about going to PVR for the weekend now.
It's actually $58.70 with current exchange rates. SJD is the same. MEX is $61.76. CUN is a more palatable $31.90.
xliioper is online now  
Old Mar 10, 2023, 6:56 pm
  #12  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,549
Originally Posted by Centurion
Try leaving PVR Mexico it is over $84 a person on departure. I do not understand how these countries think it will not affect them. I will think twice about going to PVR for the weekend now.
The percentage of people travelling on points is low and for those paying cash, generally it is only total price that they care about - not individual taxes

Of those travelling on points, I posit tha most that would be using points to PVR want to go to PVR. Not much point going to somewhere with lower taxes if that is not where the person wants to go to

I suspect that the number of people making decisions on the taxes are probably very low
Dave Noble is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.