Jan 4, 2014, 10:43 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: skunker

Fare feels too good to be true? Don't call the airline!
Double-check that the fare is actually in Business or First as some online search engines or OTAs confuse booking classes on some airlines.
Post as much detail as possible about the First/Business fare, including: fare class, fare basis, one-way/round-trip, sales channel, sample dates and total price (including taxes).
When posting fare rules, please enclose them in a [COÐE][/COÐE] block. Note the use of the eth (Ð) instead of a capital D here to prevent the forum software from trying to insert an actual block. Be sure you use the capital D.
Refrain from posting fare requests or engaging in off topic debates such as fare trends, specific aircraft configuration or visa requirements
The deeply discounted international fares discussed here are almost always specific to a certain point of origin, and only very rarely work in reverse (e.g. a SFO-LHR-SFO fare usually won't work LHR-SFO-LHR). Domestic fares more commonly work in reverse.
Please include important information such as operating airline, fare classes, city pairs, etc. in the body of your post rather than the post title field as it is not visible to those reading FT on mobile devices. This is not the "trick it" thread. Please do not speak in code.
Please do not post large images. Not everyone has infinite resolution, and it makes the rest of the thread very difficult to read. If it's not important enough to type in, it's not important enough to be here.
Last but not least: don't call the airline!

Note: There is a known miscoding on ITA and elsewhere, where fares on EI (Aer Lingus) are showing as being in first class. This is not correct, as Aer Lingus does not offer first class. If you see this fare, please ignore it and do not post it here as it is completely unbookable in every sense of the term. The mods are summarily deleting these posts in order to unclutter the thread.

Note: There is a known miscoding on ITA and elsewhere, where Z fares on EY (Etihad) are showing as being in first class. This is not correct, as Z fares are discount business on EY. These fares will not receive chaffeur service. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/etihad-airways-etihad-guest/1622229-removal-chauffeur-service-some-business-class-passengers.html

List of known, active deals:

JNB-DXB-SFO in EK F, $4k-ish one-way
MLE-HKG-US (various) in C, $1400 +/- available only on CX's website.
CMB-MIA, other US cities, for about $4400 in F, round-trip/return

BA AARP $400 discount for J/F bookings is now valid again for booking until 31 Oct 2014 but departure to EOS seems to get the discount. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1435816-ba-fare-discounts-aarp-4.html

Good Deal Premium Fares 2014

Closed Thread Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Aug 24, 2014, 6:09 pm

#2386

s1c3r1a1b3b3l1e1

Join Date: Nov 2006

Programs: DL Platinum

Posts: 556

ICN-JNB $2687.80 on EY. Books into Z bucket, which Etihad's site shows as business class. Does anyone know if this is an UP fare as ITA shows it as First?

Plenty of availability. Similar price to DOH. This looks like an amazing fare for F, and a pretty good fare for J.

Seoul (ICN) to Johannesburg (JNB) - Mon, Dec 15
Seoul (ICN) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) - Mon, Dec 15
Etihad Airways 873 Dep: 12:05AM Arr: 5:45AM 10h 40m Airbus A340 First (Z)
Layover in AUH 4h 45m

Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Johannesburg (JNB) - Mon, Dec 15
Etihad Airways 604 Dep: 10:30AM Arr: 5:10PM 8h 40m Airbus A330 First (Z)

Johannesburg (JNB) to Seoul (ICN) - Sun, Dec 21
Johannesburg (JNB) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) - Sun, Dec 21
Etihad Airways 601 Dep: 9:55AM Arr: 8:15PM 8h 20m Airbus A330 First (Z)
Layover in AUH 1h 55m

Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Seoul (ICN) - Sun, Dec 21
Etihad Airways 876 Dep: 10:10PM Arr: 11:35AM 8h 25m Airbus A340 First (Z)
Mon, Dec 22

Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees) $2,687.80
Total cost for 2 passengers $5,375.60

How to buy this ticket
Tickets cannot be purchased directly from ITA Software.
Provide this information to a travel agent to help them match the fares found.
Make sure to provide the exact booking and fare codes shown.
Fare 1: Carrier EY ZHOT1MKR SEL to JNB (rules)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code Z
Covers ICN-AUH (First), AUH-JNB (First) $1,105.39
Fare 2: Carrier EY ZHOT1MKR JNB to SEL (rules)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code Z
Covers JNB-AUH (First), AUH-ICN (First) $1,105.39
(YQ) $395.00
Rep. of Korea Intl. PSC, Dep. Tax and Contribution to Intl. Poverty Eradication (BP) $27.50
South Africa Passenger Service Charge (ZA) $32.60
South Africa Air Passenger Tax (WC) $17.90
South Africa Passenger Safety Charge (EV) $1.50
South Africa ACS Charge (UM) $2.30

Subtotal per passenger $2,687.80
Number of passengers x2

Total airfare & taxes $5,375.60
•This ticket is non-refundable.
•Changes to this ticket will incur a penalty fee.
Fare construction (can be useful to travel agents)
SEL EY X/AUH EY JNB 1103.59ZHOT1MKR EY X/AUH EY SEL 1103.59ZHOT1MKR NUC 2207.18 END ROE 1019.40 XT 27.50BP 1.50EV 2.30UM 17.90WC 32.60ZA 395.00YQ

Aug 24, 2014, 6:24 pm

#2387

armagebedar

Moderator, All Nippon Airways and Japan

Join Date: Sep 2005

Location: TYO

Programs: NH SFC (*G), JL JGP (OWE), AS MVP, WOH E, IHG SE

Posts: 3,908

When I try to replicate it on Etihad's site, it comes back as a Business Saver fare. Seat assignments are also in business class.

Aug 24, 2014, 6:35 pm

#2388

s1c3r1a1b3b3l1e1

Join Date: Nov 2006

Programs: DL Platinum

Posts: 556

Quote:

Originally Posted by armagebedar

When I try to replicate it on Etihad's site, it comes back as a Business Saver fare. Seat assignments are also in business class.

Thanks. Not the amazing deal, but still about $1400 less than anything else out there between the city pairs.

Must be a programming bug in ITA.

Aug 24, 2014, 7:15 pm

#2389

AVIZ

Join Date: Nov 2004

Location: New York, NY

Programs: CO Platinum, Hyatt Platinum

Posts: 351

Pvg - dxb (mu) c - $677

Searched October 14

Aug 24, 2014, 7:43 pm

#2390

Calchas

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2013

Location: London

Posts: 17,007

Quote:

Originally Posted by s1c3r1a1b3b3l1e1

Thanks. Not the amazing deal, but still about $1400 less than anything else out there between the city pairs.

Must be a programming bug in ITA.

You may wish to report that to ITA Hacker.

Aug 24, 2014, 7:59 pm

#2391

FlytheTail

Join Date: Oct 2004

Location: Anywhere but home

Programs: UA 1K/MM, DL GM/MM, HH Dia, PC Plat, MR Gold, ALL Sil,

Posts: 4,552

Af/kl/9w yyz-bkk usd 3367

Quote:

Originally Posted by privacylawyer

AF Z rt yyz - sin (thru cdg) us$3243 ai $.156 pm

Not surprisingly, similar fare on KL which offers lie-flats TATL. Similar fares also to BKK on KL/AF/9W. AF offers angled flat seats while KL's 747 flights and 9W have lie-flats.

Example: Thurs, Feb 26
YYZ-BRU-DEL-BKK
Business (P)

Thu, Mar 5
BKK-DEL-BRU-YYZ
Business (P)
Total: US$ 3,367

Aug 25, 2014, 12:50 am

#2392

benlight

Join Date: Nov 2012

Programs: BA Gold

Posts: 28

Quote:

Originally Posted by s1c3r1a1b3b3l1e1

ICN-JNB $2687.80 on EY. Books into Z bucket, which Etihad's site shows as business class. Does anyone know if this is an UP fare as ITA shows it as First?

I encountered the same issue on ITA a couple of weeks ago when searching a different route (BKK-AUH-LHR-AUH-MEL), where the EY Z bucket was displaying as "First". Curiously, the same flights were also showing as "First" on Hipmunk and Priceline.

Z does seem to be a business class bucket on EY, though, so I suspect ITA is mistaken.

Last edited by benlight; Aug 25, 2014 at 12:57 am

Aug 25, 2014, 10:57 am

#2393

skunker

Join Date: May 2006

Location: SAN

Programs: Lots of faux metal

Posts: 6,424

Quote:

Originally Posted by benlight

EY recently ran a promo that included upgrade to first when you purchased business. For the ICN-JNB fare the rules call it a "Business Hot Deal" but I'm not seeing any upgrade in the rules.

Aug 25, 2014, 1:02 pm

#2394

cfischer

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2005

Location: BOS/EAP

Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat

Posts: 32,043

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlytheTail

this fare has been available for a LONG TIME. BKK, HKG, PEK and so on have been really cheap out of YYZ in the recent past

Aug 25, 2014, 1:15 pm

#2395

WhIteSidE

Join Date: Feb 2013

Location: TUS, SEA, OTP, OMR

Posts: 868

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVIZ

Searched October 14

Most MU destinations along the Eastern Seaboard of China and Hong Kong are available for $700 or less through KMG on most days.

Aug 25, 2014, 2:37 pm

#2396

ben63

Join Date: Mar 2013

Location: VIE, BUD, PRG

Programs: LH SEN, DL Plat

Posts: 332

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhIteSidE

Most MU destinations along the Eastern Seaboard of China and Hong Kong are available for $700 or less through KMG on most days.

for a bit more, you can go from HKT/BKK.

Aug 25, 2014, 6:57 pm

#2397

vincewy

Join Date: Dec 2011

Location: DTW

Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R

Posts: 2,360

SV: IST-MNL (Business) $1303 ai

Availabilities all over, some dates slightly above $1303 up to $1518. Usual routing IST-RUH-MNL. Fare class unconfirmed.

http://www.saudiairlines.com

Great deal for folks getting to IST and want to make another MR on ST or going to Asia. Out of MNL, many LCC flights to other destinations. Caveat: long layover at RUH on return trip (at least 8 hours).

On Delta Sky Pesos I believe you'll only earn 75% MQM (9500 miles), other members please help verify.

Aug 25, 2014, 9:19 pm

#2398

AHO

Join Date: Sep 2001

Location: Sweden

Posts: 2,044

[First class] Seoul-New York R/T, American Airlines, 3.140 USD / 2.380 EUR incl. tax

American Airlines year around First class deal from Seoul to New York.
There are two different fare basises but I use P2E0Q5R1 in this post.

Fare basis: P2E0Q5R1 (minimun stay 10 days, but no advance purchase requirement)
Fare basis: P2E9Q5O1 (no minimum stay requirement, but 90 days advance purchase requirement)

[First class] Seoul-New York R/T, American Airlines, 3.140 USD / 2.380 EUR incl. taxes

SEL-NYC R/T
Airlines: American Airlines (AA)
Cabin class: First
Booking class: P (AA) + I (JL) + C (KE, OZ & MU) + D (CZ)
Fare basis: P2E0Q5R1
Price: 2.800.000 KRW + taxes ca 385.000 KRW and up, total from ca 3.140 USD / 2.380 EUR incl. taxes
Advance purchase: --
Min/Max stay: 10 days / 12 months
Buy latest: --
Valid for travel: --
Flight application:

Flight over Pacific must be AA flight number and AA opererated fligtht.
Flight within North America must have AA flight number.

Stopover: 2 stopover are allowed. One free and one stopover against 98.000 KRW
Transfer: following rules apply in each direction

Either

1 transfer with AA or JL/KE/OZ in Japan
1 transfer with AA or CA/CI/CZ/HU/KE/MU/OZ in China
1 transfer with AA or CX/KA/KE/OZ in Hong Kong

and

3 transfer with AA/US within North America

MPM : 8.254 miles
Child discount: 25% discount from the base fare
Refund: Yes, against 150.000 KRW
Change: Yes, against 100.000 KRW each time
Routing: e.g.

Seoul-(AA)-Dallas-(AA)-New York
Seoul-(JL/KE/OZ:AA)-Tokyo-(AA)-Chicago/Dallas/Los Angeles-(AA)-New York
Seoul-(KE/OZ/MU/CZ)-Shanghai-(AA)-Chicago-(AA)-New York

American Airlines First class (on Boeing 777-300ER):

(Photo: AMERICAN AIRLINES BOEING 777-300ER INAUGURAL FIRST CLASS 2013-1 by Chris Sloan on Flickr)

(Photo: American 777-300ER Trip by David Brown on Flickr)

American Airlines run bonus miles campaign for AA flights to/from Asia.
Return travel to/from Shanghai/Hong Kong in First class/Business class gives 25.000 bonus miles to American Airlines AAdvantage.
Campaign ends at 2014-DEC-06. Pre-registration is necessary.
Fly to Asia and earn 100,000 bonus miles | American Airlines

For detailed information in Swedish:
[First class] Seoul-New York T/R, American Airlines, 21.700 SEK inkl. skatter | BusinessClass.se

Aug 26, 2014, 1:24 am

#2399

Edgerfly

Suspended

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: SEA, FLL, Martha’s Vineyard

Programs: AS MVPGold75K, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Pan Am million-miler

Posts: 2,019

Great find thanks! On some dates I saw, J was actually more expensive than F... lol

Also in reverse NYC-ICN its about ~$3700-$3800 for US based travelers

Last edited by tcook052; Aug 26, 2014 at 6:48 am Reason: brevity

Aug 26, 2014, 7:34 am

#2400

A5RoadDogg

Join Date: Jun 2012

Location: Boston, MA

Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Starwood Platinum 50 Nights

Posts: 74

Quote:

Originally Posted by AHO

American Airlines year around First class deal from Seoul to New York.

American Airlines First class (on Boeing 777-300ER)

It's the old 777-200, not the 777-300ER.