Amex IAP -- $13k discount on published fare??
Oct 16, 2019, 5:50 am
#16
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Try booking it, if it tickets then you are golden. Once you have a ticket number, DL is not going to refuse to honor it. And obviously you have 24 hours to cxl.
Amex uses a different faring platform than DL so sometimes it finds things Delta.com cannot or will not combine.
Amex uses a different faring platform than DL so sometimes it finds things Delta.com cannot or will not combine.
Oct 20, 2019, 8:27 pm
#17
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OK -- a little bit of an update.. it ticketed! Once I plugged the confirmation into my DL account page, I was able to see that we had booked into Z, and as I mentioned above, attempting to buy this directly from DL would only let us buy into C (for 10k+ a pop!). Exact same dates/segments: JFK-LAX-PPT, then SCL-ATL-JFK. Total price per person was about $3600. So the IAP allowed us to buy into Z for >13k in savings over DL directly, though obviously as I mentioned above, no one would really pay that price.
While not quite a premium fare deal, it seems like a crazy good price to me, so we're sticking with it!
While not quite a premium fare deal, it seems like a crazy good price to me, so we're sticking with it!
Oct 20, 2019, 8:31 pm
#18
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You seem to have an open jaw between PPT and SCL. I wonder whether the difference is in the check that the unflown portion is shorter than the flown segments, with DL and AmEx perhaps doing the calculation differently, so that DL want to sell this as two one way trips while the IAP considers it to be a legitimate open jaw itinerary (with IIRC the IAP not covering one way or multicity international tickets, so that to make a sale, it must be either a RT or an OJ itineraryt)
Oct 20, 2019, 9:21 pm
#19
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So technically it looks to me like JFK-PPT/SCL-JFK should qualify as a legit open jaw, as PPT-SCL is the shortest of the legs, albeit barely. (I don't think connecting cities matter, but if they did, it only helps the case).
But perhaps the pricing engine Amex uses doesn't have the regional restrictions that someone upthread alluded to, and maybe DL does (e.g., it might make sense that both destination cities need to be in the same region, however defined (IATA?).)
I also wonder if perhaps a DL phone agent would have been able to book this as an OJ instead of two one-ways.
But perhaps the pricing engine Amex uses doesn't have the regional restrictions that someone upthread alluded to, and maybe DL does (e.g., it might make sense that both destination cities need to be in the same region, however defined (IATA?).)
I also wonder if perhaps a DL phone agent would have been able to book this as an OJ instead of two one-ways.
Oct 20, 2019, 9:23 pm
#20
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So technically it looks to me like JFK-PPT/SCL-JFK should qualify as a legit open jaw, as PPT-SCL is the shortest of the legs, albeit barely. (I don't think connecting cities matter, but if they did, it only helps the case).
But perhaps the pricing engine Amex uses doesn't have the regional restrictions that someone upthread alluded to, and maybe DL does.
I also wonder if perhaps a DL phone agent would have been able to book this as an OJ instead of two one-ways.
But perhaps the pricing engine Amex uses doesn't have the regional restrictions that someone upthread alluded to, and maybe DL does.
I also wonder if perhaps a DL phone agent would have been able to book this as an OJ instead of two one-ways.
Oct 21, 2019, 9:12 am
#21
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IIRC some Z fares require RT purchase and don't permit OJs (but they do allow co-terminal airports).
Oct 21, 2019, 11:54 am
#22
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So technically it looks to me like JFK-PPT/SCL-JFK should qualify as a legit open jaw, as PPT-SCL is the shortest of the legs, albeit barely. (I don't think connecting cities matter, but if they did, it only helps the case).
But perhaps the pricing engine Amex uses doesn't have the regional restrictions that someone upthread alluded to, and maybe DL does (e.g., it might make sense that both destination cities need to be in the same region, however defined (IATA?).)
I also wonder if perhaps a DL phone agent would have been able to book this as an OJ instead of two one-ways.
But perhaps the pricing engine Amex uses doesn't have the regional restrictions that someone upthread alluded to, and maybe DL does (e.g., it might make sense that both destination cities need to be in the same region, however defined (IATA?).)
I also wonder if perhaps a DL phone agent would have been able to book this as an OJ instead of two one-ways.
So it seems that if ATL was my final destination, it would behoove me to know I could skiplag the return and save a bundle.
Oct 21, 2019, 1:09 pm
#23
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One interesting clue, for what it's worth.. If I go back to amextravel.com and try to book this without the last segment (i.e. as a JFK-PPT-LAX, then SCL-ATL open jaw), Amex looks like it will only offer me a C fare at >8k per person. But if I keep that exact same itinerary and dates, and add back the ATL-JFK segment on the end of the return, I can book into Z again, and the price drops by more than half!
So it seems that if ATL was my final destination, it would behoove me to know I could skiplag the return and save a bundle.
So it seems that if ATL was my final destination, it would behoove me to know I could skiplag the return and save a bundle.
Still not exactly clear to me why Amex will ticket the Z fare as an open jaw while Delta requires a higher C fare.
Oct 21, 2019, 1:19 pm
#24
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Interesting, good to know. I guess not particularly illuminating then. I always considered myself a relatively seasoned traveler but then a discussion about fare or routing rules likes this pops up and shows that I really don't know nothin'!
Oct 21, 2019, 3:57 pm
#25
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Posts: 100,417
One interesting clue, for what it's worth.. If I go back to amextravel.com and try to book this without the last segment (i.e. as a JFK-PPT-LAX, then SCL-ATL open jaw), Amex looks like it will only offer me a C fare at >8k per person. But if I keep that exact same itinerary and dates, and add back the ATL-JFK segment on the end of the return, I can book into Z again, and the price drops by more than half!
So it seems that if ATL was my final destination, it would behoove me to know I could skiplag the return and save a bundle.
So it seems that if ATL was my final destination, it would behoove me to know I could skiplag the return and save a bundle.