It would be a lot more with a BA code. Hundreds and hundreds more.

Well, it was ticketed by an agency that usually is on top of the codeshare rules. It was auto-priced and ticketed. Not sure what the implications are for being on an invalid ticket. I wouldn't mind if they changed me to the BA code as long as I didn't have to pay the extra carrier-imposed fees. At some point in the trip I will want to change dates, including the LHR-JNB flight.

That's quite good on a full RTW. You might be able to shave some off by using other codes, but that's not at all bad. I typically have to pay $1500-2500 in taxes and fees.

As always, so helpful- thank you! I guess I'll start learning to use the matrix for my next trip.;)

By the way, I realized the RTW that I am currently flying has several invalid codeshares. Three domestic AA flights are ticketed as codeshares (on JL, BA, and QF) that do not involve connecting to or from international flights on the marketing carrier. This was ticketed by QR, and the codeshares were added when I changed dates on the phone with them.

I have several on my past two RTWs as well as the one I'm starting on Saturday. On all of those flights, agent told me that he was unable to get those flights under the AA number, but availability was there as codeshares. All domestic AA metal, none connecting from or to international flights.

Ticketed!

Thanks for all the help! If you're on social media, follow along: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/when.is.now/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whenisnow/?ref=settings If you do follow along at either of these, please say hi or dm me, so I can follow your journeys.

Have a great weekend, all!

These kinds of flights can sometimes be booked using long sell or by booking it in conjunction with another flight and then subsequently cancel the other flight (married segment violation if the airline has such policy). True, they are not supposed to be booked this way, but once booked, they can be ticketed just fine.

Flights to Cuba not included in Explorer plan?
 

Hi all :)
Trying to plan our OW Explorer RTW tickets. It seems Cuba is excluded from the planner, impossible to include, although there ARE regular flights of the alliance members to & from Havana etc...
So, Is cuba really out of the destination possiblities of OW Explorer, and simply forget about it? Could not find an answer anywhere else.
Thank you!

Cuba is a unique situation. You cannot fly there from the US, regardless of which passport you use, unless you travel for very specific reasons. I believe it is mostly "for education or for investment" purposes. Check the US site travel.state.gov for more info.
Try going to Cuba by way of Canada or Mexico as they have much lighter regulations.
I am honestly not sure if it can be done as part of a RTW.
Otherwise make a stop in either Mexico or Canada, and do a separate round-trip to to Cuba on another ticket.

Thanks for your quick reply :)
I know about these restrictions, but even trying to "bypass" as you've suggested the US is impossible. OW Explorer online planner simply does not include any of Cuba's airports as an option at all... So it does seem that Cuba is out of Explorer RTW option, thought I couldn't find a clear answer anywhere. Thanks again!

Thanks for your quick reply :)
Seems that Cuba is indeed excluded as a destination of OW Explorer program.
When you use the online planning & booking tool of the program, it is simply unavailable as an option...
Still looking for clear info regarding, which I couldn't find anywhere yet. Thanks again!

The flight is not available in the planner because a specific provision of the RTW rules prohibits it.The rule, however, predates AA's introduction of flights to Cuba, so not sure if this is a case of an outdated rule not being changed or if it is still in force.
As you point out there are numerous flights from the US to various Cuban cities on AA and it is not all that difficult to comply with all requirements.
The best way to find out for sure would be to call the AA RTW desk.
Given proximity, it may be a more effective use of your 16 segments to simply book a separate ticket from Miami, which will also avoid the RTW restriction (if any).

Welcome to FT yehu

My guess of what the situation is:

• You can include Cuba in an itinerary
• But then cannot include AA in your itinerary (for ANY flights, not just the flights to/from Cuba)
• The tool does not allow selection of HAVana, either because of sloppy work by those that maintain the tool's database, or (more likely IMHO) they explicitly excluded HAV

My thinking is:

1. The Oneworld Explorer "Sales Restrictions" paragraph has the following words:
   Quote:

   ---

   If a ticket includes travel to/from/via Cuba it may not also include flight segments for travel on American Airlines / American Eagle (operated by Envoy Airlines, Skywest, Express Jet, Republic Airlines, Mesa Airlines, Compass Airlines, Trans States Airlines, PSA Airlines and Piedmont Airlines) due to U.S. Government restrictions.
   Any such ticket will not be honoured by AA and cannot be used to travel on AA.

   ---

   I do not believe this is any sort of hangover from earlier days; there are still US Govt restrictions in place with regard to travel to Cuba.
   
   
2. The database used by the online booking tool omits a number of ports served by Oneworld airlines (I know of ZNZ and JRO, and there are no doubt others). If you try to select HAV you get the same error message as if you try to select say ZNZ "252: This city is invalid...".
   I suspect the omission of HAV is deliberate; the Oneworld organisation is based in the USA (in New York) and my guess is that it is either prohibited from allowing a Cuban destination in its tool or it just decided to keep it simple.
   
   
3. So, IMHO, an itinerary that includes for example:
   ...MAD-HAV-LIM...
   is valid
   
   Also valid, IMHO, would be:
   ...MAD-HAV-LIM-LAX-HKG... provided the LIM-LAX and LAX-HKG flights are not on AA (this itinerary is making use of the allowed second visit to North America)
   
   To book such itineraries you would either have to use a travel agent or an airline (not AA of course!)

I did this for a friend once on a non-RTW ticket, and she was able to travel just fine, but of course things may be different in another case.

In my case, I'm certain the TA checked for the AA code from availability and then booked it. As mentioned, I arrive into Europe on QF prime flight. The TA mentioned that he booked the AA code because the BA code raised the cost substantially.