Jan 21, 2015, 10:55 am
Last edit by: hillrider
Here are some more hidden features of the ITA software.
The extensions to the itasoftware routing language are accessed by postpending commands after a '/'. There's a wide set of commands available, but there's no description of them available on the ITA web site. Unfortunately, each command applies only to one part of the trip, so they must usually be entered in each box.
EXCLUDE SPECIFIC AIRLINES
Command is "-airlines XX ..."
Ex: prohibit jetBlue or Delta
from: BOS ::/ -airlines B6 DL
to: LAX ::/ -airlines B6 DL
LIMIT TO SPECIFIC AIRLINES
Command is "airlines XX ..."
Ex: consider only jetBlue or Delta
from: BOS ::/ airlines B6 DL
to: LAX ::/ airlines B6 DL
LIMIT TO A SINGLE ALLIANCE
Command is "alliance star-alliance|oneworld|skyteam"
Ex: oneworld carriers only
from: BOS ::/ alliance oneworld
to: LAX ::/ alliance oneworld
EXCLUDE CODESHARES
Command is "-codeshare"
Ex: prohibit jetBlue or Delta
from: BOS ::/ -codeshare
to: LAX ::/ -codeshare
LIMIT DURATION OF ITINERARY, IN MINUTES
Command is "maxdur XXX"
Ex: no more than 5hrs for each part of trip
from: BOS ::/ maxdur 300
to: LAX ::/ maxdur 300
EXCLUDE OVERNIGHT STOPS, AIRPORT CHANGES, REDEYES, PROPELLER PLANES, TRAINS, HELICOPTERS, ANY KIND OF SURFACE TRAVEL
Commands are "-overnight", "-change", "-redeye", "-prop", "-train", "-helicopter", "-surface"
Ex: no overnight stops, no airport changes, no redeyes, no propeller planes
from: BOS ::/ -overnight, -change, -redeye, -prop
to: LAX ::/ -overnight, -change, -redeye, -prop
SET MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM TIME FOR CONNECTIONS, IN MINUTES
Commands are "minconnect XX", "maxconnect XX"
Ex: no less than one hour, no more than two hour connections
from: BOS ::/ minconnect 60, maxconnect 120
to: LAX ::/ minconnect 60, maxconnect 120
EXTRA CONNECTION TIME
Command is "padconnect XX"
Ex: require at least 20 minutes more than airline specified minimum connection time
from: BOS ::/ padconnect 20
to: LAX ::/ padconnect 20
PUTTING LOTS OF THINGS TOGETHER
Separate with commas.
Ex:
from: BOS :: UA UA / f bc=l|bc=y, -redeye, -prop
to: LAX :: UA+ / f ua.bos+lax.yup, padconnect 20, -overnight
The extensions to the itasoftware routing language are accessed by postpending commands after a '/'. There's a wide set of commands available, but there's no description of them available on the ITA web site. Unfortunately, each command applies only to one part of the trip, so they must usually be entered in each box.
EXCLUDE SPECIFIC AIRLINES
Command is "-airlines XX ..."
Ex: prohibit jetBlue or Delta
from: BOS ::/ -airlines B6 DL
to: LAX ::/ -airlines B6 DL
LIMIT TO SPECIFIC AIRLINES
Command is "airlines XX ..."
Ex: consider only jetBlue or Delta
from: BOS ::/ airlines B6 DL
to: LAX ::/ airlines B6 DL
LIMIT TO A SINGLE ALLIANCE
Command is "alliance star-alliance|oneworld|skyteam"
Ex: oneworld carriers only
from: BOS ::/ alliance oneworld
to: LAX ::/ alliance oneworld
EXCLUDE CODESHARES
Command is "-codeshare"
Ex: prohibit jetBlue or Delta
from: BOS ::/ -codeshare
to: LAX ::/ -codeshare
LIMIT DURATION OF ITINERARY, IN MINUTES
Command is "maxdur XXX"
Ex: no more than 5hrs for each part of trip
from: BOS ::/ maxdur 300
to: LAX ::/ maxdur 300
EXCLUDE OVERNIGHT STOPS, AIRPORT CHANGES, REDEYES, PROPELLER PLANES, TRAINS, HELICOPTERS, ANY KIND OF SURFACE TRAVEL
Commands are "-overnight", "-change", "-redeye", "-prop", "-train", "-helicopter", "-surface"
Ex: no overnight stops, no airport changes, no redeyes, no propeller planes
from: BOS ::/ -overnight, -change, -redeye, -prop
to: LAX ::/ -overnight, -change, -redeye, -prop
SET MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM TIME FOR CONNECTIONS, IN MINUTES
Commands are "minconnect XX", "maxconnect XX"
Ex: no less than one hour, no more than two hour connections
from: BOS ::/ minconnect 60, maxconnect 120
to: LAX ::/ minconnect 60, maxconnect 120
EXTRA CONNECTION TIME
Command is "padconnect XX"
Ex: require at least 20 minutes more than airline specified minimum connection time
from: BOS ::/ padconnect 20
to: LAX ::/ padconnect 20
PUTTING LOTS OF THINGS TOGETHER
Separate with commas.
Ex:
from: BOS :: UA UA / f bc=l|bc=y, -redeye, -prop
to: LAX :: UA+ / f ua.bos+lax.yup, padconnect 20, -overnight
TIP: More hidden features of ITA
Oct 18, 2013, 12:07 pm
#346
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Oct 20, 2013, 1:14 am
#347
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 12
MR from LAX
I am looking to do a MR from LAX beginning on Mar 5, perhaps returning through ORD on Mar 7 (could do a hidden city). Thought perhaps about PVG, returning through HND (to avoid visa cost in PVG) but couldn't get it to work on ITA. Any suggestions?
Or any suggestions of a different mile run on Mar 5 from LAX ending in ORD or MKE?
Note: fly on AA
Or any suggestions of a different mile run on Mar 5 from LAX ending in ORD or MKE?
Note: fly on AA
Oct 25, 2013, 11:38 pm
#348
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
This looks really cool, but I always run into trouble trying to combine things. E.g., I'm trying to restrict one segment to an AA 77W:
When I click search, it changes
to
(changes the comma to a semicolon) and tells me there is a syntax error at "ib". If I take out the
then it works.
Also, can I restrict a segment to no shorter than some amount? E.g., if I don't want an overnight flight shorter than 9 hours.
Code:
SAN :: o:aa dfw o:aa lhr,mad / aircraft t:77w o:ba,ib
Code:
o:ba,ib
Code:
o:ba;ib
Code:
/ aircraft t:77w
Also, can I restrict a segment to no shorter than some amount? E.g., if I don't want an overnight flight shorter than 9 hours.
Oct 29, 2013, 7:57 am
#350
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
I really wish they'd unlock an "advanced mode" on the app that at least allowed inputting the routing language.
Oct 29, 2013, 1:19 pm
#352
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
Slash codes only apply to entire outbound or inbound?
It appears from trying it that slash codes (e.g., '/ aircraft t:77w') must be after all per-leg options and therefore can't apply to one leg only, but must be for the entire outbound or inbound. Is that right, or is there a way to apply a restriction to a leg? For example, I may be happy with a 767 on short legs but not overwater.
Oct 29, 2013, 8:43 pm
#353
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,949
You would need to use the Multi-City search for this.
Oct 29, 2013, 10:13 pm
#354
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
Oh well.
The ITA software is very cool. Out of curiosity, what's the reason ITA is doing this? I understand they license the back-end to airlines and travel agencies, but why are they being so nice to us travelers? Is it just to get wider exposure to how people want to search and see results?
Nov 4, 2013, 12:22 pm
#355
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 106
I'd like to fly specifically SFO-any major mid-west or east coast city-SEA-NRT-SIN via UA. I've tried various advanced coding with no luck, including: ua+ was,bos,atl,nyc,ord ua+ sea ua nrt ua+
The result is always "no flights found". But I doubt that's true. Anyone have any advice? To many variables? Thank you.
The result is always "no flights found". But I doubt that's true. Anyone have any advice? To many variables? Thank you.
Nov 4, 2013, 2:59 pm
#357
Join Date: May 2007
Location: ORD, DEL
Programs: AA (Plt Pro; 1.5 MM)
Posts: 6,185
I'd like to fly specifically SFO-any major mid-west or east coast city-SEA-NRT-SIN via UA. I've tried various advanced coding with no luck, including: ua+ was,bos,atl,nyc,ord ua+ sea ua nrt ua+
The result is always "no flights found". But I doubt that's true. Anyone have any advice? To many variables? Thank you.
The result is always "no flights found". But I doubt that's true. Anyone have any advice? To many variables? Thank you.
ua was,bos,atl,nyc,ord ua sea ua nrt ua
to start with. Later, if you narrow down certain options, you can try ua+ in others. Better yet, increase the number of flights incrementally, eg, "ua ua?" instead of ua+.
Last edited by aktchi; Nov 9, 2013 at 12:48 pm Reason: Typo!
Nov 25, 2013, 9:37 pm
#359
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: VIE/ADL
Programs: QF Platinum/Lifetime Gold, LH Senator, AF Platinum
Posts: 87
Does anybody know if you can combine alliances into a single query? For example, I don't mind if I fly Star Alliance or Oneworld, as I get status benefits (and need to retain them) in both. So would only like to restrict my query to airlines only in either of these alliances - without doing two separate queries. Entering each individual airline is a painful process......
Nov 25, 2013, 10:32 pm
#360
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Does anybody know if you can combine alliances into a single query? For example, I don't mind if I fly Star Alliance or Oneworld, as I get status benefits (and need to retain them) in both. So would only like to restrict my query to airlines only in either of these alliances - without doing two separate queries. Entering each individual airline is a painful process......