Anytime fare leads to personal worst boarding position ever
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: BWI
Programs: Marriott LTT, WN A, Hertz PC
Posts: 575
Anytime fare leads to personal worst boarding position ever
(Since making A-list 7 years ago.) We all know boarding order for A-listers is a closely guarded secret so I tried an experiment to see if I could change my luck of always getting A20-A25. I used to get A16-A17 routinely on heavily traveled routes and full fights but it's been a few years since that. Now I wonder what lucky people get those positions.
So I book an anytime fare a while back for tomorrow's flight to try to change my luck and just got hit with A30. Ouch. I'm not complaining because I don't really care where I sit as long as I have bin space but that debunked my theory that higher-fare, non-BS tickets get the A16-A20 slots. It's BDL-BWI if that makes a difference. It's always full and a lot of people connect to elsewhere at BWI, but BDL is the origin for most people on this flight I'm assuming. Are there any other recent theories on this topic?
So I book an anytime fare a while back for tomorrow's flight to try to change my luck and just got hit with A30. Ouch. I'm not complaining because I don't really care where I sit as long as I have bin space but that debunked my theory that higher-fare, non-BS tickets get the A16-A20 slots. It's BDL-BWI if that makes a difference. It's always full and a lot of people connect to elsewhere at BWI, but BDL is the origin for most people on this flight I'm assuming. Are there any other recent theories on this topic?
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,964
I get that it's a "personal worst", but too bad you can't edit your title to say "worst" (quotes)
FWIW, I buy the cheapest tickets I can get well in advance and usually get As 18-24 as a matter of course.
FWIW, I buy the cheapest tickets I can get well in advance and usually get As 18-24 as a matter of course.
#3
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: ATL
Posts: 1,919
You're not giving us enough info; when you were getting A16-A17 I'm betting you were A-List PREFERRED, and I'm betting now you're not; that's the different between then and now.
I don't think fare bucket has much to do with it. But of course I only book WGA or BS fares, booking Anytime fare is like buying mid-tier gas...not worth it
I don't think fare bucket has much to do with it. But of course I only book WGA or BS fares, booking Anytime fare is like buying mid-tier gas...not worth it
#4
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sarasota, FL (SRQ)
Programs: WN A-List, AA EXP, Hyatt Top Tier (definitely NOT a Globalist), National Exec Elite
Posts: 491
There seem to be so many A+ elites out there now that I can't recall the last time I was better than A20. Usually A20 - A30 as an A+ on basic (not intra-CA, not expected high elite) routes
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: BWI
Programs: Marriott LTT, WN A, Hertz PC
Posts: 575
You're not giving us enough info; when you were getting A16-A17 I'm betting you were A-List PREFERRED, and I'm betting now you're not; that's the different between then and now.
I don't think fare bucket has much to do with it. But of course I only book WGA or BS fares, booking Anytime fare is like buying mid-tier gas...not worth it
I don't think fare bucket has much to do with it. But of course I only book WGA or BS fares, booking Anytime fare is like buying mid-tier gas...not worth it
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: BWI
Programs: Marriott LTT, WN A, Hertz PC
Posts: 575
How many flights per year do you take usually? I'm up to 55 this year and that's a normal pace for me.
#10
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Nevada Ohio Florida
Programs: WN A+, CP, HH Diamond, National EE
Posts: 44
To add another observation, I've been A-list Preferred for about 4 years. I am mostly A16 on WGA or points. Occasionally, like today, I'll get A17. When we line up, I will recognize the guy who has A16. This is flying from CLE, and when I get A16, he is A17 more often than not. My theory is A-list Preferred get lined up according to recent $ spend on WN. I fly back and forth from the West Coast, so very infrequently do I get a low cost flight.
#11
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: SW Comp Pass, Lft Gold AA, Lft DIA HHONORS, National Exec Elite
Posts: 232
I believe, trying to remember if I saw this in writing or if it was an agent comment, that the Business Select and A List are actually done at 36 hours. So if you were buying a ticket for "tomorrow", then those seats were already filled and you just got in before the EB paid group. The only way to force in is to buy Business Select at that time frame, if they are still available.
#13
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,870
I believe, trying to remember if I saw this in writing or if it was an agent comment, that the Business Select and A List are actually done at 36 hours. So if you were buying a ticket for "tomorrow", then those seats were already filled and you just got in before the EB paid group. The only way to force in is to buy Business Select at that time frame, if they are still available.
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,774
I believe, trying to remember if I saw this in writing or if it was an agent comment, that the Business Select and A List are actually done at 36 hours. So if you were buying a ticket for "tomorrow", then those seats were already filled and you just got in before the EB paid group. The only way to force in is to buy Business Select at that time frame, if they are still available.
OP needs to do this for a flight leaving further out than tomorrow, and do it 7 or 8 times, not just once.
#15
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: SEA
Programs: WN A+, AS MVP75K, Marriott Platinum, National EE
Posts: 114
I always thought boarding order for A listers was determined via ticket purchase date. I buy all my fares pretty late so if BS is sold out and I do anytime I am generally around A20 as an A+. I think I’m around 50 flights and 16-17k in spend this year.