Jun 5, 2025, 12:53 am
Oneworld booking and pricing experiences
Jan 5, 2023 | 12:06 pm
#1081
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 9,136
Other than that wrinkle, by the way, I found the AA RTW desk to be super professional, helpful, with a decent sense of humour too, and willing to work through all the details until the journey is right. Far from the usual call centre experience one gets with airlines these days (if indeed your favourite airline still answers the phone *at all*).
Jan 6, 2023 | 7:49 pm
#1085
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 9,136
Jan 11, 2023 | 2:30 pm
#1086
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,756
BA used to do a fare quote for the whole itin, at the best published fare level, then use that quote to build the price for the RTW; remove the quoted fare, replace with the xONEx fare, keep the TFCs that quoted (removing or adjusting any that we knew needed it.) The YQ/YR would be whatever quoted for the underlying route/cabin for the point of sale.
Jan 12, 2023 | 10:41 am
#1087
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 9,136
BA surcharges are usually set by country of origin and then route/cabin. I saw the Excel spreadsheet version of the breakdown back when I worked there; this is probably loaded into ATPCO or the GDSs in a table that pricing systems can query, but not in a way that we can ask a GDS or EF to 'show me the BA YQ table' - I haven't found it yet anyway
BA used to do a fare quote for the whole itin, at the best published fare level, then use that quote to build the price for the RTW; remove the quoted fare, replace with the xONEx fare, keep the TFCs that quoted (removing or adjusting any that we knew needed it.) The YQ/YR would be whatever quoted for the underlying route/cabin for the point of sale.
Jan 12, 2023 | 12:39 pm
#1088
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: LEX,CVG,SDF
Posts: 9
Here's a new data point about my experience trying to ticket a DONE4 through AS. After Gardyloo's promising suggestion in post #1048 I called AS with my ex-TYO itinerary ready to book. The first agent said she was familiar with OWE tickets but they could only be purchased through the Oneworld website. HUCA. The second agent didn't know if it could be booked through AS and put me on hold, returning briefly afterwards to tell me that AS doesn't ticket RTW tix and I would need to use the OW website. The following day I chatted online with an AS rep and asked if there was a dedicated desk (a la AA RTW desk) that handles complex international itineraries - he said the "partners international desk" was proper group to talk with and gave me a phone #, It did not connect directly but rather to general reservations where I asked to be routed to the international desk. Spoke with a very nice woman who confirmed she was at Alaska's Oneworld desk and seemed to know there was such a thing as a RTW ticket but wasn't certain if it could be ticketed through AS. She put me on hold to ask around and about 5 min later she explained that the answer she got from several people at the international desk was that these tickets could only be booked through the OW website or an independent TA. I explained that AS has a published DONEx fare and gently asked her if she was willing to experiment creating my itinerary to see if it would work but she was not willing to try. Note: all the reps were equally friendly, polite...and apologetic. <sigh> I called AA RTW, spoke with Kelly (really knew her stuff and very pleasant to work with) and a short while later it was finished. Unsurprisingly each flight had to be booked as prime but no pushback about AA only playing a very small (4/15 segs and no transoceanic flts) role in the entire itinerary. She even went above and beyond by putting me on her tickler calendar to keep the itinerary on a rolling hold in order to get the Dec flights I wanted once the 330 day limit had been reached. A very positive experience with AA RTW desk and made me wonder: if I had been successful at booking it with the one rare AS agent who knew how to do it, what support would there be mid-itinerary if something needed to be changed? Perhaps this is simply part of growing pains after joining OW so we will see if others have a more productive experience as time goes on.
Jan 12, 2023 | 1:25 pm
#1089
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: LEX,CVG,SDF
Posts: 9
Quick question: after AA RTW booked and rated my ex-TYO itinerary, out of curiosity I went back to the OW website (where it had failed multiple times with unknown errors) and inputted the same itinerary as was booked by AA. Once again it wouldn't let me book but did price it $500 lower than the AA-rated ticket. In the fare breakdown all fees/taxes were identical, the only difference being carrier-imposed surcharges. I've read the various posts upthread (thank you JAXBA and others) about the black box of carrier surcharges but need to ask the following: keeping the itinerary unchanged, does the AA RTW ratings desk have any flexibility in coming closer to the lower-priced OW website fare? For ease of response, you can copy and paste this if appropriate: "Helga, you already answered your own question: one is an AA-plated fare and the other would not be"
Last edited by helgaflyer; Jan 12, 2023 at 1:29 pm Reason: typo
Jan 13, 2023 | 8:21 pm
#1090
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SORT OF HOMELESS
Programs: 14 years AA exp, but no more; & 1MM+, QR-PLT (ow EMD) MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 8,104
Here's a new data point about my experience trying to ticket a DONE4 through AS. After Gardyloo's promising suggestion in post #1048 I called AS with my ex-TYO itinerary ready to book. The first agent said she was familiar with OWE tickets but they could only be purchased through the Oneworld website. HUCA. The second agent didn't know if it could be booked through AS and put me on hold, returning briefly afterwards to tell me that AS doesn't ticket RTW tix and I would need to use the OW website. The following day I chatted online with an AS rep and asked if there was a dedicated desk (a la AA RTW desk) that handles complex international itineraries - he said the "partners international desk" was proper group to talk with and gave me a phone #, It did not connect directly but rather to general reservations where I asked to be routed to the international desk. Spoke with a very nice woman who confirmed she was at Alaska's Oneworld desk and seemed to know there was such a thing as a RTW ticket but wasn't certain if it could be ticketed through AS. She put me on hold to ask around and about 5 min later she explained that the answer she got from several people at the international desk was that these tickets could only be booked through the OW website or an independent TA. I explained that AS has a published DONEx fare and gently asked her if she was willing to experiment creating my itinerary to see if it would work but she was not willing to try. Note: all the reps were equally friendly, polite...and apologetic. <sigh> I called AA RTW, spoke with Kelly (really knew her stuff and very pleasant to work with) and a short while later it was finished. Unsurprisingly each flight had to be booked as prime but no pushback about AA only playing a very small (4/15 segs and no transoceanic flts) role in the entire itinerary. She even went above and beyond by putting me on her tickler calendar to keep the itinerary on a rolling hold in order to get the Dec flights I wanted once the 330 day limit had been reached. A very positive experience with AA RTW desk and made me wonder: if I had been successful at booking it with the one rare AS agent who knew how to do it, what support would there be mid-itinerary if something needed to be changed? Perhaps this is simply part of growing pains after joining OW so we will see if others have a more productive experience as time goes on.
Jan 15, 2023 | 7:34 pm
#1091
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MEX
Posts: 1,030
I'm looking at a DONE3 departing from Budapest.
Something like (BUD-DOH-LAX)-MIA-MEX-DFW-ICN-HND-KUL-(DPS-HEL-BUD).
The online tool won't let me book BUD-DOH-LAX to begin with (aware is a problem with QR being the first carrier), but if I call the AA RTW desk would it price correctly?
And if I'm in DOH for less than 23hr would I be able to do add more segments in Europe at the end? Something like DPS-HEL-MAD-BUD to close with?
Something like (BUD-DOH-LAX)-MIA-MEX-DFW-ICN-HND-KUL-(DPS-HEL-BUD).
The online tool won't let me book BUD-DOH-LAX to begin with (aware is a problem with QR being the first carrier), but if I call the AA RTW desk would it price correctly?
And if I'm in DOH for less than 23hr would I be able to do add more segments in Europe at the end? Something like DPS-HEL-MAD-BUD to close with?
Jan 15, 2023 | 9:37 pm
#1092
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 16,679
I'm looking at a DONE3 departing from Budapest.
Something like (BUD-DOH-LAX)-MIA-MEX-DFW-ICN-HND-KUL-(DPS-HEL-BUD).
The online tool won't let me book BUD-DOH-LAX to begin with (aware is a problem with QR being the first carrier), but if I call the AA RTW desk would it price correctly?
And if I'm in DOH for less than 23hr would I be able to do add more segments in Europe at the end? Something like DPS-HEL-MAD-BUD to close with?
Something like (BUD-DOH-LAX)-MIA-MEX-DFW-ICN-HND-KUL-(DPS-HEL-BUD).
The online tool won't let me book BUD-DOH-LAX to begin with (aware is a problem with QR being the first carrier), but if I call the AA RTW desk would it price correctly?
And if I'm in DOH for less than 23hr would I be able to do add more segments in Europe at the end? Something like DPS-HEL-MAD-BUD to close with?
8. STOPOVERSPermitted.
NOTE:
1. Minimum 2 stopovers required
2. Maximum 2 stopovers permitted in the continent of origin
NOTE:
1. Minimum 2 stopovers required
2. Maximum 2 stopovers permitted in the continent of origin
Jan 16, 2023 | 12:51 pm
#1093
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 7,220
Quick question: after AA RTW booked and rated my ex-TYO itinerary, out of curiosity I went back to the OW website (where it had failed multiple times with unknown errors) and inputted the same itinerary as was booked by AA. Once again it wouldn't let me book but did price it $500 lower than the AA-rated ticket. In the fare breakdown all fees/taxes were identical, the only difference being carrier-imposed surcharges. I've read the various posts upthread (thank you JAXBA and others) about the black box of carrier surcharges but need to ask the following: keeping the itinerary unchanged, does the AA RTW ratings desk have any flexibility in coming closer to the lower-priced OW website fare? For ease of response, you can copy and paste this if appropriate: "Helga, you already answered your own question: one is an AA-plated fare and the other would not be"
Jan 21, 2023 | 9:39 am
#1094
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 9,136
Transit vs stopover doesn't affect your segment count, each separate flight number still counts against your 16-segment limit. Doing a connection instead of a stop does help with the maximum of two stopovers in your country of origin, so in that sense may affect the validity of the itinerary.
Jan 21, 2023 | 2:10 pm
#1095
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 7,220
I'm looking at a DONE3 departing from Budapest.
Something like (BUD-DOH-LAX)-MIA-MEX-DFW-ICN-HND-KUL-(DPS-HEL-BUD).
The online tool won't let me book BUD-DOH-LAX to begin with (aware is a problem with QR being the first carrier), but if I call the AA RTW desk would it price correctly?
Something like (BUD-DOH-LAX)-MIA-MEX-DFW-ICN-HND-KUL-(DPS-HEL-BUD).
The online tool won't let me book BUD-DOH-LAX to begin with (aware is a problem with QR being the first carrier), but if I call the AA RTW desk would it price correctly?
AA manually prices RTWs, and there's always a chance of human error. Given the opaqueness of determining carrier surcharges, it would be hard to know if they priced it incorrectly, and if so, if the error was in your favor or not. If you have a friendly travel agent, you could ask them to auto-price it, which should give you a good idea of what the price should be.
Code:
WQBUD/AQR1FEB/CD/XDOH/AQR/CDLAX/AAA/CDMIA/AAA/CDMEX/AAA/CD/XDFW/AAA/CDICN/AJL/CDHND/AJL/CDKUL/AMH/CDDPS/AAY/CD/XHEL/AAY/CDBUD-RW/MUSD/VAA/SDFW/TDFW
PSGR TYPE ADT
FARE BASIS BOOK CODE FARE TAX/FEES/CHGS TOTAL
01 DONE3 D/D/D/D/* USD 5557.00 778.56 6335.56 ADT
02 DONE4 D/D/D/D/* USD 6083.00 981.19 7064.19 ADT
03 DONE5 D/D/D/D/* USD 7019.00 985.84 8004.84 ADT
04 DONE6 D/D/D/D/* USD 7919.00 1090.41 9009.41 ADT
*01-04*FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS APPLY
*01-04*ADV RES/TICKETING REQUIRED
*01-04*CONFIRMED RES REQUIRED
*01-04*MIN/MAX STAY REQUIREMENTS APPLY
ATTN*SEE OTHER FARES - USE XM QUALIFIER, E.G. WQCTY/ACRCTY-XM
ATTN*SEE ALL FARES - USE AL QUALIFIER, E.G. WQCTY/ACRCTY-AL
** TOTALS INCLUDE KNOWN TAXES AND FEES **
** TOTAL FARE, TAXES AND FEES MAY CHANGE ONCE FLIGHTS ARE
CONFIRMED **
.
WQDF1
WQDF1
PSGR TYPE ADT
FARE HUF 2030400 EQUIV USD 5557.00
TAX USD 30.30HU USD 5.40FE USD 742.86XT
TOTAL USD 6335.56
BUD QR X/DOH QR LAX AA MIA AA MEX AA X/DFW AA SEL JL TYO JL KUL
MH DPS AY X/HEL AY BUD5180.34NUC5180.34END ROE391.942802 ZPLAX
XT USD16.50QA USD0.50PZ USD16.50G4 USD27.90US USD4.80ZP
XT USD42.20US USD13.04YC USD14.00XY USD7.66XA USD11.20AY
XT USD61.76XD USD35.11UK USD22.70BP USD23.00SW USD8.10MY
XT USD0.20H8 USD15.90D5 USD5.60DQ USD1.00XU USD5.30WL
XT USD32.00YR USD333.20YQ USD11.60G1 USD7.80TK USD2.70R9
XT USD9.09S1 USD13.50XFLAX4.5MIA4.5DFW4.5
RATE USED 1HUF-0.00273698USD
/////////////// TRAFFIC DOCUMENT ISSUED IN DFW ///////////////
PU -FARE BASIS-CUR NUC AMT ELEMENT DESCRIPTION ----------- GI
01 DONE3 HUF 5180.34 BUD-BUD QR /RT RTG RW
5180.34 - TOTAL NUC
-TAX AMT/USD/-- CUR CODES DESCRIPTION-----TAX TYPE/SEQUENCE--
300.00 /YQF SERVICE FEE - CARRIER-IMPOSED FUEL
220.00:USD 220.00 *BUD* *QR* 835
27.00:USD 27.00 *ICN* *JL* 1056860
53.00:USD 53.00 *KUL* *MH* 7128800
32.00 /YRI SERVICE FEE - CARRIER-IMPOSED MISC
MD
16.00:USD 16.00 *BUD* *QR* 10004
16.00:USD 16.00 *BUD* *QR* 10004
33.20 /YQI SERVICE FEE - CARRIER-IMPOSED MISC
3.60:USD 3.60 *ICN* *JL* 9040090
3.60:USD 3.60 *HND* *JL* 9040090
26.00:EUR 24.00 *DPS* *AY* 2135000
5.60 FI/DQ SECURITY CHARGE
5.60:EUR 5.19 *HEL* *AY* 001 37187
5.30 FI/WL PASSENGER FEE INTERNATIONAL TRANSFE
5.30:EUR 4.88 *HEL* *AY* 001 44687
1.00 FI/XU AIR TRANSPORT SUPERVISION CHARGE
1.00:EUR 0.90 *HEL* *AY* 001 120000
5.40 HU/FE SECURITY CHARGE
5.40:EUR 5.00 *BUD* *QR* 001 24375
30.30 HU/HU AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX
30.30:EUR 28.01 *BUD* *QR* 001 64746
15.90 ID/D5 PASSENGER SERVICE CHARGE
15.90:IDR 240000 *DPS* *AY* 001 1687500
23.00 JP/SW PASSENGER SERVICE FACILITIES CHARGE
23.00:JPY 2950 *HND* *JL* 001 475000
7.80 JP/TK INTERNATIONAL TOURIST TAX
7.80:JPY 1000 *HND* *JL* 001 100000
22.70 KR/BP INTERNATIONAL PSC DEPARTURE TAX AND
MD
22.70:KRW 28000 *ICN* *JL* 001 20000
9.09 MX/S1 IMMIGRATION FEE DSM
9.09:USD 9.09 *MEX* *AA* 001 1095000
35.11 MX/UK2 TOURISM TAX DERECHO NO INMIGRANTE
35.11:USD 35.11 *MIA* *AA* 002 140000
61.76 MX/XD AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX TUA INTERNA
61.76:USD 61.76 *MEX* *AA* 001 524296
11.60 MY/G1 DEPARTURE LEVY
11.60:MYR 50.00 *KUL* *MH* 001 108671
0.20 MY/H8 REGULATORY CHARGE DOMESTIC AND INTER
0.20:MYR 1.00 *KUL* *MH* 001 225000
8.10 MY/MY PASSENGER SERVICE AND SECURITY CHARG
8.10:MYR 35.00 *KUL* *MH* 001 39093
16.50 QA/G4 PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE PFC
16.50:QAR 60.00 *DOH* *QR* 001 105000
0.50 QA/PZ2 PASSENGER SERVICE CHARGE ARRIVALS
0.50:USD 0.50 *BUD* *QR* 002 110000
16.50 QA/QA AIRPORT FEE INTERNATIONAL
16.50:QAR 60.00 *DOH* *QR* 001 25000
2.70 QA/R9 PASSENGER SAFETY AND SECURITY FEE PS
2.70:QAR 10.00 *DOH* *QR* 001 110000
11.20 US/AY PASSENGER CIVIL AVIATION SECURITY SE
5.60:USD 5.60 *LAX* 001 828212
MD
5.60:USD 5.60 *MIA* 001 828212
27.90 US/US1 TRANSPORTATION TAX DOMESTIC NOT WHOL
27.90:USD 27.90 *LAX* *AA* 012 285000
42.20 US/US2 TRANSPORTATION TAX INTERNATIONAL DEP
21.10:USD 21.10 *MIA* *AA* 014 187890
21.10:USD 21.10 *BUD* *QR* 015 137890
7.66 US/XA APHIS PASSENGER FEE PASSENGERS
3.83:USD 3.83 *MEX* *AA* 001 112500
3.83:USD 3.83 *DOH* *QR* 001 112500
14.00 US/XY2 IMMIGRATION USER FEE
7.00:USD 7.00 *MEX* *AA* 002 130000
7.00:USD 7.00 *DOH* *QR* 002 130000
13.04 US/YC CUSTOMS USER FEE
6.52:USD 6.52 *MEX* *AA* 001 125000
6.52:USD 6.52 *DOH* *QR* 001 125000
4.80 US/ZP FLIGHT SEGMENT TAX DOMESTIC
4.80:USD 4.80 *LAX* 001 138750
13.50 US/XF PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE
4.50:USD 4.50 *LAX*
4.50:USD 4.50 *MIA*
4.50:USD 4.50 *DFW*
-IATA RATES OF EXCHANGE USED IN FARE CALCULATION --------------
391.942802 HUF-ROE EFF 01JAN23*INDEF