[prem fare gone]: AA: $1,170 OW $1,835 RT Business HKG-Mexico ACT FAST
#76
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 715
This is one of those fares where POS really matters for the I bucket availability. I have messed around with it a bit and found that there is very little US POS availability and that even with POS set to HKG, RF doesnt appear to be reflecting what AA will sell you from a HKG or China point of sale. ITA seems to slightly over display on I bucket availability when default is left to departure city and wildly over display if you set POS to US. AA CN site seems to show less than getting HKG POS via an OTA like Expedia. Expedia works well in that it also displays mixed cabin options, so if you only are doing a one way and plan to drop US-MEX segments you dont care about those being in Y.
What is the AA HKG site? I only get options from the drop down for AA China, not HKG...
What is the AA HKG site? I only get options from the drop down for AA China, not HKG...
#77
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MIA
Posts: 497
This is one of those fares where POS really matters for the I bucket availability. I have messed around with it a bit and found that there is very little US POS availability and that even with POS set to HKG, RF doesnt appear to be reflecting what AA will sell you from a HKG or China point of sale. ITA seems to slightly over display on I bucket availability when default is left to departure city and wildly over display if you set POS to US. AA CN site seems to show less than getting HKG POS via an OTA like Expedia. Expedia works well in that it also displays mixed cabin options, so if you only are doing a one way and plan to drop US-MEX segments you dont care about those being in Y.
What is the AA HKG site? I only get options from the drop down for AA China, not HKG...
What is the AA HKG site? I only get options from the drop down for AA China, not HKG...
#78
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,350
So dont fly through Charlotte. You can make a transfer in either LA or Dallis and one additional one, depending on which destination you are going to in Mexico that will open up a range of different options. LA to Miami has a 777 on it occasionally and there is likely to be no problem getting the I bucket on that.
#79
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 715
So dont fly through Charlotte. You can make a transfer in either LA or Dallis and one additional one, depending on which destination you are going to in Mexico that will open up a range of different options. LA to Miami has a 777 on it occasionally and there is likely to be no problem getting the I bucket on that.
#81
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,431
This is one of those fares where POS really matters for the I bucket availability. I have messed around with it a bit and found that there is very little US POS availability and that even with POS set to HKG, RF doesnt appear to be reflecting what AA will sell you from a HKG or China point of sale. ITA seems to slightly over display on I bucket availability when default is left to departure city and wildly over display if you set POS to US. AA CN site seems to show less than getting HKG POS via an OTA like Expedia. Expedia works well in that it also displays mixed cabin options, so if you only are doing a one way and plan to drop US-MEX segments you dont care about those being in Y.
What is the AA HKG site? I only get options from the drop down for AA China, not HKG...
What is the AA HKG site? I only get options from the drop down for AA China, not HKG...
Also yes, mine has a flight which I believe is economy only even though all segments say business in the PNR on the website. But also as you said, those segments don’t actually matter to me.
#82
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA ExPl, DL PM, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, probably some others
Posts: 4,025
Contrary to the subject line, this fare can come and go. Routings which price out sub-1200 one day can be 11x the next day or vice versa. If you don't find the routing you want and you still have some time, I'd check every day and see what you find.
#83
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,350
The I bucket on HKG-LAX/DFW and v.v. is indeed very fluid. It looks like AA revenue management very actively manages this and I have seen it go from 5 to 0 overnight and then back to 3. You have to grab what you find or risk it not being there when you look again. Also worth pointing out that if you are only using this for one way and only to the US, check all the Mexican destinations (MTY, SJD, CUN, etc) as AA seems to be releasing different I bucket availability for some of these (so you could find I space for LAX-DFW when PHX-SJD is tagged on but not if MIA-MEX is tagged on). It does seem like a challenge to get domestic I space, so you may have to settle for Y bucket there, which is generally wide open. I would only book with a good human TA, AA or Amex though if you are going to do that and then monitor for I bucket space. AA is generally pretty good about reissuing if you find the higher cabin/bucket opens up, but most OTAs will suck at this.
#84
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Kansas City, USA
Programs: AA Gold, Delta Platinum, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat, AVIS Preferred, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,066
I changed my POS to Thailand and found a one way HKG-LAX-MIA-CUN all lie flat for $1217. My question is...can I move my last leg (MIA-CUN) to another date later on in the year? I don't necessarily want to drop it completely as long as I can move that leg out more. Anybody have any ,luck with this?
#85
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,350
I changed my POS to Thailand and found a one way HKG-LAX-MIA-CUN all lie flat for $1217. My question is...can I move my last leg (MIA-CUN) to another date later on in the year? I don't necessarily want to drop it completely as long as I can move that leg out more. Anybody have any ,luck with this?
Thats not possible without big price increase. There is a HIP check on this fare, so you would pay the HKG-MIA fare
#86
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MIA
Posts: 497
I changed my POS to Thailand and found a one way HKG-LAX-MIA-CUN all lie flat for $1217. My question is...can I move my last leg (MIA-CUN) to another date later on in the year? I don't necessarily want to drop it completely as long as I can move that leg out more. Anybody have any ,luck with this?
#87
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Milwaukee, WI, USA
Programs: Skymiles (former DM), MileagePlus (Silver), Marriott Rewards/SPG Platinum (Lifetime Titanium)
Posts: 54
I just helped book this for a friend's return home from their honeymoon. They booked HKG>LAX>CLT>CUN one-way for ~$1153 a person in early Sept 19. It will be their first (technically second since we're looking to use points to book them in biz on their way to their honeymoon) experience in biz so I'm excited we were able to get this booked at this price.
I'll second @stephem's comment that the availability really does vary based on POS. We were struggling to book through the .hk website and happened to switch the POS to US on ITAMatrix which showed much greater availability and allowed them to get their preferred date.
Using the routing code "F ..I-" along with Departing From: HKG and Destination: CUN (or SJD) allowed us to see which routings would pull up at the lower price. I toggled the sales city back and forth between HKG and US in order to see which dates were available in each POS. Thanks again for everyone who included their tips in this thread as it was very helpful throughout the process!
I'll second @stephem's comment that the availability really does vary based on POS. We were struggling to book through the .hk website and happened to switch the POS to US on ITAMatrix which showed much greater availability and allowed them to get their preferred date.
Using the routing code "F ..I-" along with Departing From: HKG and Destination: CUN (or SJD) allowed us to see which routings would pull up at the lower price. I toggled the sales city back and forth between HKG and US in order to see which dates were available in each POS. Thanks again for everyone who included their tips in this thread as it was very helpful throughout the process!
#88
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Kansas City, USA
Programs: AA Gold, Delta Platinum, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat, AVIS Preferred, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,066
Found this again readily available on Google Flights. Finally pulled the trigger on HKG-DFW-MIA-MEX for 8,231 HKD which is about $1,048 USD. The MIA-MEX is listed as economy but I should be eligible for an upgrade as a Platinum Pro.
The HKG-DFW and DFW-MIA are lie-flat which is nice.
The HKG-DFW and DFW-MIA are lie-flat which is nice.
Last edited by MCI777; Mar 13, 2019 at 2:36 pm
#90
Join Date: May 2017
Location: PRG
Programs: British Airways
Posts: 234
just booked HKG-DFW-MIA-MEX-DFW-LAX-HKG in December for HKD 13071
MIA-MEX-DFW is on narrow bodies, otherwise all lie flat
now just need to figure out how to get from EU to HK enough time for thinking though
MIA-MEX-DFW is on narrow bodies, otherwise all lie flat
now just need to figure out how to get from EU to HK enough time for thinking though