International Airline Program (IAP) 2 for 1 for Platinum/Centurion Members
Aug 17, 2012, 11:47 pm
#181
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,621
The International Companion fare is based on full fare F or J so discounted fares are irrelevant. In most cases, 2 discounted F or J tickets are cheaper than one full fare ticket. IME, except for EK, the companion fare program is pretty much useless.
Aug 18, 2012, 4:11 am
#182
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,962
Moderator action
Mike_K's question has been appended to established discussion of the International Airline Program. This program is a way to reduce the cost of longhaul premium class travel when you you cannot qualify for discounts based on advance purchase or length of stay with change or cancellation penalties. It cannot be combined with fares which are already discounted.
Aug 19, 2012, 10:16 pm
#183
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 68
I was talking about the Platinum card pass and your post is about what I expected, from what I've read.
Aug 20, 2012, 10:15 pm
#184
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,028
Mike_K's question has been appended to established discussion of the International Airline Program. This program is a way to reduce the cost of longhaul premium class travel when you you cannot qualify for discounts based on advance purchase or length of stay with change or cancellation penalties. It cannot be combined with fares which are already discounted.
Aug 21, 2012, 7:18 am
#185
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: New York, NY
Programs: JPMorgan Palladium, AMEX MR, Krisflyer, M&M, United, SPG Gold
Posts: 113
You can't find these fares because they are unpublished fares.
2-for-1 is a terrible deal for business class, but every fare I've searched for in first has been far superior to buying two separate first tickets. In my experience, it's typically a few thousand more than a single first ticket that you can buy off kayak or whatever, but you still save a ton. On my last trip, it saved me roughly $3,000. Con of that whole thing is that the second ticket doesn't accrue miles or status, which I think is a pretty big perk when getting a ticket for first class.
It's really case by case, but I'd never use the program for business. There's no savings to be had except in really unique circumstances.
2-for-1 is a terrible deal for business class, but every fare I've searched for in first has been far superior to buying two separate first tickets. In my experience, it's typically a few thousand more than a single first ticket that you can buy off kayak or whatever, but you still save a ton. On my last trip, it saved me roughly $3,000. Con of that whole thing is that the second ticket doesn't accrue miles or status, which I think is a pretty big perk when getting a ticket for first class.
It's really case by case, but I'd never use the program for business. There's no savings to be had except in really unique circumstances.
Sep 24, 2012, 10:49 pm
#186
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MSP
Programs: DL DM & 2MM; Marriott Ambassador;Lifetime Titanium; IHG Spire Elite; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 116
First Class Companion Ticket
I need help understanding the answers I got from Amex today. I called Platinum travel services today to find out the pricing on a pair of business class tickets MSP-CMN. I was told that the fare basis code to be able to buy one and get the companion ticket for taxes only is either I or D. She then quoted fares from $9600 to $10K+. I just looked up the D fare pricing and it is $5971. Add on the $1000 for taxes and it is about the price of two M fare tix using SWU's for UG. Using the companion ticket, though, I get the guarantee of a Business class ticket on the flights I want.
So, can someone help me understand the disparity between the D fares that I see and the ones that Amex is quoting?
So, can someone help me understand the disparity between the D fares that I see and the ones that Amex is quoting?
Sep 25, 2012, 12:33 am
#187
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,693
Not quite sure about specific in fare class code quoted but it is widely been discussed on Flyertalk that you can often buy two First/Business discounted class tickets cheaper than the amex companion offer.
the advantage of Amex Companion is it is often more flexible, changeable, and refundable and if you are due reimbursement by your company or a contract you can take a companion along for the cheap.
But if your plans are set in stone and in advance I have never seen where two discounted tickets are more expensive than the Amex plan.
the advantage of Amex Companion is it is often more flexible, changeable, and refundable and if you are due reimbursement by your company or a contract you can take a companion along for the cheap.
But if your plans are set in stone and in advance I have never seen where two discounted tickets are more expensive than the Amex plan.
Sep 25, 2012, 6:49 am
#188
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,962
Sep 25, 2012, 1:51 pm
#189
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,694
I need help understanding the answers I got from Amex today. I called Platinum travel services today to find out the pricing on a pair of business class tickets MSP-CMN. I was told that the fare basis code to be able to buy one and get the companion ticket for taxes only is either I or D. She then quoted fares from $9600 to $10K+. I just looked up the D fare pricing and it is $5971. Add on the $1000 for taxes and it is about the price of two M fare tix using SWU's for UG. Using the companion ticket, though, I get the guarantee of a Business class ticket on the flights I want.
So, can someone help me understand the disparity between the D fares that I see and the ones that Amex is quoting?
So, can someone help me understand the disparity between the D fares that I see and the ones that Amex is quoting?
The price for two restricted business class tickets on my dates and to my destination is almost $12,800. The savings through the IAP is about 34%. The cardholder pays the D fare price, and the companion pays the taxes.
I've never tried to use this program before, but the savings in my case have been very substantial.
Sep 26, 2012, 8:08 am
#190
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MSP
Programs: DL DM & 2MM; Marriott Ambassador;Lifetime Titanium; IHG Spire Elite; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 116
Correct me if I'm wrong, but is what ffsim just said in direct contradiction to what mia said just above? One is saying D availability but paying J fare and the other is saying D pricing for a J fare.
Sep 26, 2012, 11:57 am
#191
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,694
For the sake of comparison, here are the other airlines we considered:
Airline | Lowest Business Fare x2 | Savings w/IAP
KL | $11,633 | 9%
BA | $10,856 | -19%
We didn't look at LH as they were (are?) on strike, but 2 of the 3 airlines we considered offered substantial savings over buying 2 restrictive tickets outright.
Sep 26, 2012, 12:19 pm
#192
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,962
American Express has been touting: Benefit from lower fares. At many airlines "J" or "C" is the full business class fare, "D" is a modestly discounted fare, and "I" or "Z" is the deeply discounted fare. In this example it appears that the IAP fare is based on "D" rather than "J", but typically the fare difference between J and D is not large.
What I was trying to convey in my earlier post is that IAP fares may require the availability of seats in specified fare buckets other than the booking fare bucket. For example the carrier might required the availability of two seats in "I" bucket even though the fare is a "D" bucket.
What I was trying to convey in my earlier post is that IAP fares may require the availability of seats in specified fare buckets other than the booking fare bucket. For example the carrier might required the availability of two seats in "I" bucket even though the fare is a "D" bucket.
Sep 26, 2012, 1:36 pm
#193
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,694
What I was trying to convey in my earlier post is that IAP fares may require the availability of seats in specified fare buckets other than the booking fare bucket. For example the carrier might required the availability of two seats in "I" bucket even though the fare is a "D" bucket.
Sep 26, 2012, 7:55 pm
#194
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,241
And to Asia/Pacific the discounts are usually less (though more common than pre-recession), so IAP is more likely to offer value.
Apr 5, 2013, 1:06 pm
#195
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Star Alliance, OneWorld, SkyTeam
Posts: 28
Companion Business Class Ticket
Has anyone used AMEX platinum companion business class ticket offer recently ?
Last edited by styxl; Apr 5, 2013 at 3:38 pm