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
#466
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Auburn, AL
Programs: DL
Posts: 361
You can use multicity if you like. The pricing engine will find the best way to price it, using a round trip pricing unit comprising two mirror-image fare components but with stopovers, or as a multi component circle trip comprising numerous fare components, or with end-on-end components, or even multiple pricing units, whatever works out cheapest (and the fare rules mutually allow). The way you input your itinerary does not really seem to affect the method the Matrix uses to compute the price.
If you let us know more about your itinerary maybe someone here can have a go at setting it up.
If you let us know more about your itinerary maybe someone here can have a go at setting it up.
#468
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,819
#470
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 375
I'm not doing something right with the "-change" option. I can use any nearby airport near LA on my multi-city route, so I specified LAX, LGB, BUR, SNA, ONT using "AA+ / -change" for the advanced routing. I still get airport changes (e.g. SNA/LAX). What am I doing incorrectly?
#471
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PM, IHG Spire
Posts: 356
Don't really understand the fare basis codes.
Trying to do a mileage run on China Eastern but avoid the fare codes that DON'T get any mileage credit on Delta (particularly avoid the Q fare that keeps coming up on the PVG-JFK return leg).
How do I do that? Looks like I'm really just trying to avoid Q fare on MU.
Trying to do a mileage run on China Eastern but avoid the fare codes that DON'T get any mileage credit on Delta (particularly avoid the Q fare that keeps coming up on the PVG-JFK return leg).
How do I do that? Looks like I'm really just trying to avoid Q fare on MU.
#472
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,178
I'm not doing something right with the "-change" option. I can use any nearby airport near LA on my multi-city route, so I specified LAX, LGB, BUR, SNA, ONT using "AA+ / -change" for the advanced routing. I still get airport changes (e.g. SNA/LAX). What am I doing incorrectly?
#473
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,178
Don't really understand the fare basis codes.
Trying to do a mileage run on China Eastern but avoid the fare codes that DON'T get any mileage credit on Delta (particularly avoid the Q fare that keeps coming up on the PVG-JFK return leg).
How do I do that? Looks like I'm really just trying to avoid Q fare on MU.
Trying to do a mileage run on China Eastern but avoid the fare codes that DON'T get any mileage credit on Delta (particularly avoid the Q fare that keeps coming up on the PVG-JFK return leg).
How do I do that? Looks like I'm really just trying to avoid Q fare on MU.
"~" or tilde acts as a negation, or you can just specify which booking classes you want, e.g., /f bc=y|bc=b|bc=q
#477
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 375
Is there was a way to code a request such that there is at least one stop in the route, but exclude airports in a particular country for the stop(s)? For example, I'd like to do a trip from the US to PVG, returning with a stop in a 3rd country to eliminate the need for a visa. I know I can code in specific cities like NRT, but I wondered if I could just let the system choose for me. Or am I making this too complicated?
#478
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: 23,185
Is there was a way to code a request such that there is at least one stop in the route, but exclude airports in a particular country for the stop(s)? For example, I'd like to do a trip from the US to PVG, returning with a stop in a 3rd country to eliminate the need for a visa. I know I can code in specific cities like NRT, but I wondered if I could just let the system choose for me. Or am I making this too complicated?
#479
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 375
Thanks jackal. I had tried a similar test just to see if that would work for a particular airport before posting, but I couldn't figure out how to do it for a whole country (e.g. the US). If this isn't a possible option, I suppose I could negate all of the likely cities one would travel through in the US en route to PVG. I'm thinking that would include LAX, DFW, SFO and maybe PHX, HNL, DEN.
Last edited by melrowgo; Sep 24, 2016 at 9:28 pm
#480
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: 23,185
Thanks jackal. I had tried a similar test just to see if that would work for a particular airport before posting, but I couldn't figure out how to do it for a whole country (e.g. the US). If this isn't a possible option, I suppose I could negate all of the likely cities one would travel through in the US en route to HKG. I'm thinking that would include LAX, DFW, SFO and maybe PHX, HNL, DEN.
Are you looking for a particular airline? If so, you can specifically search for flights on, say, UA and then you'd only have to exclude cities that UA flies to HKG from (SFO, ORD, and EWR, I believe?) and you wouldn't have to bother excluding other cities like PHX, DFW, etc. as UA doesn't fly to HKG from those cities.