Using ITA Matrix to find or book AA flights; issues, tips.
Nov 7, 2017, 12:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,248
Basic Economy? Full fare basis starts with "O" but ITA Matrix says "booking code B"
Looking at a fare from NYC-CMH-NYC and ITA Matrix shows this in search results:
Is this the dreaded Basic Economy fare? If so, why doesn't the fare basis start with B? If not, why does it show "booking code B"?
And how do I avoid showing results for Basic Economy on AA in ITA searches?
And how do I avoid showing results for Basic Economy on AA in ITA searches?
Fare 1: Carrier AA OVEHZSB3 NYC to CMH $64.19
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code B
Covers LGA-CMH (Economy)
Fare 2: Carrier AA OVEHZSB3 CMH to NYC $64.18
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code B
Covers CMH-LGA (Economy)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code B
Covers LGA-CMH (Economy)
Fare 2: Carrier AA OVEHZSB3 CMH to NYC $64.18
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code B
Covers CMH-LGA (Economy)
And how do I avoid showing results for Basic Economy on AA in ITA searches?
And how do I avoid showing results for Basic Economy on AA in ITA searches?
Last edited by JDiver; Dec 6, 2020 at 4:44 pm Reason: Restore original post title
Nov 7, 2017, 12:21 pm
#3
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,602
Since AA is using B class for basic economy fares. you can avoid seeing them using the extension code to list fares only in other classes
It is clunky, but you could do
f bc=O|BC=Q|BC=N|BC=S|BC=V|BC=L|BC=M|BC=K|BC=H|BC=Y
It is clunky, but you could do
f bc=O|BC=Q|BC=N|BC=S|BC=V|BC=L|BC=M|BC=K|BC=H|BC=Y
Last edited by Dave Noble; Nov 7, 2017 at 12:30 pm
Nov 7, 2017, 12:54 pm
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,602
Nov 7, 2017, 1:39 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: LAX/BUR, RDU
Programs: DL SM, AAdvantage, SPG
Posts: 1,360
I'm taking an educated guess based on what DL does, but the reason the fare basis doesn't start with B is because Basic Economy fares have different "underlying" fares. For example, the first letter in your example is an O, so it is an underlying O fare with the basic economy restriction.
Basic economy fares are filed using the B booking inventory code and require dual availability (book B but another applicable main cabin inventory must also be available)
Basic economy fare basis codes have a B in the second to last position (at the moment). Eg. NUAJZNB3 is a Basic Economy code because of the B in the second to last position.
Others, feel free to correct what I said.
Nov 7, 2017, 1:48 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: AAdvantage Exec Platinum, Hertz #1 Club Gold Five Star, IHG Platinum, Marriott Gold, HHonors Silver
Posts: 2,039
Now if anyone can figure out how to eliminate Basic Economy fares from Google Flights, that'd be VERY useful!
Nov 7, 2017, 2:00 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,234
I'm taking an educated guess based on what DL does, but the reason the fare basis doesn't start with B is because Basic Economy fares have different "underlying" fares. For example, the first letter in your example is an O, so it is an underlying O fare with the basic economy restriction.
Basic economy fares are filed using the B booking inventory code and require dual availability (book B but another applicable main cabin inventory must also be available)
Basic economy fares are filed using the B booking inventory code and require dual availability (book B but another applicable main cabin inventory must also be available)
Nov 7, 2017, 4:07 pm
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,602
It is simply a dual inventory fare where 2 booking classes must both be available to book it
There seems to be no special restrictions where a flight is cancelled
Jan 8, 2018, 8:49 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 54
Or, maybe another way: I want to exclude B on AA and N on UA. But if I simply exclude B and N "blindly," I'll exclude N on AA, which is not what I want. And of course I don't want to run one query for AA and then a separate search for UA. I'd like to be able to see both airlines in the results.
And yes, I know this is the AA forum and not the UA forum.
Last edited by Marsh11; Jan 8, 2018 at 8:55 pm
Jan 8, 2018, 9:29 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinium
Posts: 1,334
Will that only work for AA? I'm trying to help my sister find some nonstop flights on either AA or UA, but not basic but I can't seem to work out how to do that. Here are screenshots of my query and results. It's showing me basic fares on UA. Is there a single query I can do that will exclude basic from both airlines? Maybe some way to say "anything where the second to last letter in the fare basis is not B."
Or, maybe another way: I want to exclude B on AA and N on UA. But if I simply exclude B and N "blindly," I'll exclude N on AA, which is not what I want. And of course I don't want to run one query for AA and then a separate search for UA. I'd like to be able to see both airlines in the results.
And yes, I know this is the AA forum and not the UA forum.
Or, maybe another way: I want to exclude B on AA and N on UA. But if I simply exclude B and N "blindly," I'll exclude N on AA, which is not what I want. And of course I don't want to run one query for AA and then a separate search for UA. I'd like to be able to see both airlines in the results.
And yes, I know this is the AA forum and not the UA forum.
Last edited by fedechat; Jan 9, 2018 at 11:33 am
Mar 7, 2018, 7:44 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 551
Best way for booking complicated ITA matrix flights?
I'm planning a trip to Vegas this summer and was looking at the possibility of turning it into a segment run. I think I will need to call AA to book since the Multicity search "upgrade".
Any tips for calling in the flights? Should I just feed them flight by flight or should I break it up by fare? Or is dealing with an OTA a better approach?
Any tips for calling in the flights? Should I just feed them flight by flight or should I break it up by fare? Or is dealing with an OTA a better approach?
Mar 7, 2018, 8:11 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AA PLT, WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 251
Use BookWithMatrix. Just copy the results from ITA Matrix and paste them on this website.
https://bookwithmatrix.com/
https://bookwithmatrix.com/