Amex international airline program scam?
Jan 29, 2020, 9:30 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 9
Amex international airline program scam?
Is this some kind of scam? because the IAP tickets always higher, see the pic below, they are same tickets same day and same seats, next to each other in the search result
Am I did something wrong?
Am I did something wrong?
Jan 29, 2020, 10:02 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 9
Don't know why, to me just feel like Amex scam
Jan 29, 2020, 2:08 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
The first one is probably a rounding issue on the taxes.
For the second one, are they the same fare bucket? IAP isn't always a straight discount on the lowest available fare, it is its own inventory. I can't say I've ever seen it be more than regular, but I've also had the phone team tell me IAP was unavailable, and they've also found IAP fares with a $0 cancellation fee. I've also seen weird things where if it's a DL ticket it costs differently than if it's a KL ticket operated by DL. The last one isn't your situation, just a general point that IAP isn't straightforward. I don't think it's an intentional scam though or they wouldn't be showing you the non-IAP.
For the second one, are they the same fare bucket? IAP isn't always a straight discount on the lowest available fare, it is its own inventory. I can't say I've ever seen it be more than regular, but I've also had the phone team tell me IAP was unavailable, and they've also found IAP fares with a $0 cancellation fee. I've also seen weird things where if it's a DL ticket it costs differently than if it's a KL ticket operated by DL. The last one isn't your situation, just a general point that IAP isn't straightforward. I don't think it's an intentional scam though or they wouldn't be showing you the non-IAP.
Jan 29, 2020, 2:33 pm
#7
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
It looks as if you are comparing two prices displayed by amextravel? For DTW-PKX 15 APR-12 OCT delta.com is displaying $1347.75 in Premium Select.
Jan 29, 2020, 2:55 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 9
The first one is probably a rounding issue on the taxes.
For the second one, are they the same fare bucket? IAP isn't always a straight discount on the lowest available fare, it is its own inventory. I can't say I've ever seen it be more than regular, but I've also had the phone team tell me IAP was unavailable, and they've also found IAP fares with a $0 cancellation fee. I've also seen weird things where if it's a DL ticket it costs differently than if it's a KL ticket operated by DL. The last one isn't your situation, just a general point that IAP isn't straightforward. I don't think it's an intentional scam though or they wouldn't be showing you the non-IAP.
For the second one, are they the same fare bucket? IAP isn't always a straight discount on the lowest available fare, it is its own inventory. I can't say I've ever seen it be more than regular, but I've also had the phone team tell me IAP was unavailable, and they've also found IAP fares with a $0 cancellation fee. I've also seen weird things where if it's a DL ticket it costs differently than if it's a KL ticket operated by DL. The last one isn't your situation, just a general point that IAP isn't straightforward. I don't think it's an intentional scam though or they wouldn't be showing you the non-IAP.
Jan 29, 2020, 3:01 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 9
I brought the tickets from Delta.com on Jan 24th $1184.98 in Premium Select right after I took the screen shot from amex travel
Jan 29, 2020, 3:15 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,231
Did you call Amex Platinum Travel Services?
I've found the Amextravel.com website can be quite awful. Sometimes it just doesn't even return many options. But you'll see in the main IAP thread lots of examples of solid savings from both the website and the call center.
I've found the Amextravel.com website can be quite awful. Sometimes it just doesn't even return many options. But you'll see in the main IAP thread lots of examples of solid savings from both the website and the call center.
Jan 29, 2020, 3:18 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,449
That's strange. I just last month saved 500 bucks a ticket on 4 tickets SFO-LIS on AF. Fares classes are 1/J/J/Z.
In point of fact, the saving I get from IAP, which I use for all my international travel, is the reason I pay the AF for the Platinum Card. And will continue to as long as the IAP defrays the cost of the card.
Edit-
"Did you call Amex Platinum Travel Services?
I've found the Amextravel.com website can be quite awful."
I did have to call in, not for fares but because the website - it is awful - wouldn't accept my CVV as I was completing the purchase. They're waived the $39 agency fee.
In point of fact, the saving I get from IAP, which I use for all my international travel, is the reason I pay the AF for the Platinum Card. And will continue to as long as the IAP defrays the cost of the card.
Edit-
"Did you call Amex Platinum Travel Services?
I've found the Amextravel.com website can be quite awful."
I did have to call in, not for fares but because the website - it is awful - wouldn't accept my CVV as I was completing the purchase. They're waived the $39 agency fee.
Last edited by rickg523; Jan 29, 2020 at 3:26 pm
Jan 29, 2020, 3:20 pm
#12
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Jan 29, 2020, 10:28 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
How do you know that they are in the same fare bucket? Does amex travel show the fare bucket somewhere? When I booked my ticket I had to download the e-ticket from the carrier's website to find the bucket. Is there a way to determine the fare bucket before purchasing (you can match up the pre-discount fare with a published one and assume that they are the same... which is probabaly usually right?)
Jan 29, 2020, 10:47 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
The IAP fare for the first one seems to be a discounted version of GLX77PPD which prices at $1347.75 and books into G.
I have absolutely no idea what the non-discounted one is. Delta does not have a published fare that is cheaper that GLX77PPD for premium economy between those 2 cities. I suspect that it's actually a discounted IAP fare that is, for some reason, confusing the search engine into thinking it's not IAP.
So, no scam here. You are saving $135 from the cheapest you can get from Delta. If you're unsure, try to price it on matrix or Google flights.
I have absolutely no idea what the non-discounted one is. Delta does not have a published fare that is cheaper that GLX77PPD for premium economy between those 2 cities. I suspect that it's actually a discounted IAP fare that is, for some reason, confusing the search engine into thinking it's not IAP.
So, no scam here. You are saving $135 from the cheapest you can get from Delta. If you're unsure, try to price it on matrix or Google flights.
Jan 29, 2020, 10:59 pm
#15
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
The IAP fare for the first one seems to be a discounted version of GLX77PPD which prices at $1347.75 and books into G.
I have absolutely no idea what the non-discounted one is. Delta does not have a published fare that is cheaper that GLX77PPD for premium economy between those 2 cities. I suspect that it's actually a discounted IAP fare that is, for some reason, confusing the search engine into thinking it's not IAP.
So, no scam here. You are saving $135 from the cheapest you can get from Delta. If you're unsure, try to price it on matrix or Google flights.
I have absolutely no idea what the non-discounted one is. Delta does not have a published fare that is cheaper that GLX77PPD for premium economy between those 2 cities. I suspect that it's actually a discounted IAP fare that is, for some reason, confusing the search engine into thinking it's not IAP.
So, no scam here. You are saving $135 from the cheapest you can get from Delta. If you're unsure, try to price it on matrix or Google flights.
The second one is interesting though, it could be another web glitch, flagging the wrong one as IAP, or OP could be incorrect about them being the "same fare". Business is not always business.