Feb 14, 2015, 12:53 pm
Last edit by: 747FC
The ExpertFlyer support by email is at [email protected]
This is a community-maintained wiki, it is not necessarily endorsed by ExpertFlyer.
--------------------
Searches currently not working:
To search AA upgrades:
This is a community-maintained wiki, it is not necessarily endorsed by ExpertFlyer.
--------------------
Searches currently not working:
- Upgrades - AY, BA, EK, EY, IB, QR, VS
- Awards - AY, BA, IB, EY, QR, VS
To search AA upgrades:
- Use the Award & Upgrade tool
- Only search for individual segments (set the "Connection Preference" drop-down to "Direct/Non-Stop only"). Flight results that are part of a connection won't show the upgrade version of C or A inventory because AA only files upgrade inventory as individual, not married, segments. (Married segments show revenue inventory instead of upgrade inventory.)
- To avoid confusion, check the "Exclude Codeshares" box, as AA awards and upgrades are not valid on codeshares.
ExpertFlyer.com Help Desk Thread
Oct 6, 2023, 7:19 pm
#2911
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,679
Just received the email below.
Does anyone feel like the value of ExpertFlyer has decreased considerably over the past few years?
I can't remember specifics, but I feel like it's gotten almost to the point of useless, and it's relatively expensive given all of the limited data and data availability issues. Not to mention that the UI / UX is terrible and hasn't been updated in forever. Setting seat alerts is such a tedious process.
Does anyone feel like the value of ExpertFlyer has decreased considerably over the past few years?
I can't remember specifics, but I feel like it's gotten almost to the point of useless, and it's relatively expensive given all of the limited data and data availability issues. Not to mention that the UI / UX is terrible and hasn't been updated in forever. Setting seat alerts is such a tedious process.
Oct 6, 2023, 8:04 pm
#2912
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 253
Correct, basically anything that wasn't an O/I/X award class would still be available in the Flight Availability search and therefore still alertable.
Oct 6, 2023, 8:42 pm
#2913
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,802
Just received the email below.
Does anyone feel like the value of ExpertFlyer has decreased considerably over the past few years?
I can't remember specifics, but I feel like it's gotten almost to the point of useless, and it's relatively expensive given all of the limited data and data availability issues. Not to mention that the UI / UX is terrible and hasn't been updated in forever. Setting seat alerts is such a tedious process.
Does anyone feel like the value of ExpertFlyer has decreased considerably over the past few years?
I can't remember specifics, but I feel like it's gotten almost to the point of useless, and it's relatively expensive given all of the limited data and data availability issues. Not to mention that the UI / UX is terrible and hasn't been updated in forever. Setting seat alerts is such a tedious process.
Oct 6, 2023, 11:58 pm
#2914
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,145
Yes I did, however I'll try to answer some questions, but as a civilian not officially with EF anymore. The opinions expressed here are my own, etc etc etc.
As per the email that was sent to subs, this looks to affect just searching for award/upgrade class codes and alerts for those award class codes for the affected airlines.
Email [email protected] to ask them. I think EF still has it's uses, but any subscription decision you make should be based on its current state and not holding out hope for the return of lost data.
Correct, basically anything that wasn't an O/I/X award class would still be available in the Flight Availability search and therefore still alertable.
As per the email that was sent to subs, this looks to affect just searching for award/upgrade class codes and alerts for those award class codes for the affected airlines.
Email [email protected] to ask them. I think EF still has it's uses, but any subscription decision you make should be based on its current state and not holding out hope for the return of lost data.
Correct, basically anything that wasn't an O/I/X award class would still be available in the Flight Availability search and therefore still alertable.
Oct 7, 2023, 4:33 am
#2915
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,340
This is a huge blow. Also kind of weak of EF to not send the email to everyone. I did not have an alert set up for any of the listed airlines today (But may be wanting to do that tomorrow..) and therefore I have not received the email as a paying subscriber. Though this does reflect the way EF has been handling customer interactions (i.e. generally quite bad customer service) so perhaps I should not be surprised.
An interesting one absent from the list is Aegean. It sounds like they are getting A3 I/X class inventory from elsewhere. Or was this just 'forgotten' to be included on the list of affected airlines...
I have a whole bunch of A3 alerts set up as I travel with them often. At the moment an inventory search still shows I/X class availability for A3 flights. Is that no longer the case for affected airlines (ie. all I/X inventory has been zeroed out), or is phantom availability being returned currently?
An interesting one absent from the list is Aegean. It sounds like they are getting A3 I/X class inventory from elsewhere. Or was this just 'forgotten' to be included on the list of affected airlines...
I have a whole bunch of A3 alerts set up as I travel with them often. At the moment an inventory search still shows I/X class availability for A3 flights. Is that no longer the case for affected airlines (ie. all I/X inventory has been zeroed out), or is phantom availability being returned currently?
Oct 7, 2023, 5:56 am
#2916
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,838
EF still has some uses but if you take out almost all of *A not to mention that many OW airlines are gone as well, then the value has decreased materially and the price has not. I am out.
Oct 7, 2023, 7:50 am
#2918
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MKE
Programs: DL 2 MM
Posts: 905
Didn't fully cancel account but did cancel auto-renewal (which is due in about a month).
Why?
1) Flying less
2) I've noticed I haven't used it more than once or twice in the last year
3) More flexible now and am using other tools for flight alerts (award and cheap J tix)
Why?
1) Flying less
2) I've noticed I haven't used it more than once or twice in the last year
3) More flexible now and am using other tools for flight alerts (award and cheap J tix)
Oct 7, 2023, 10:00 am
#2919
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,639
Moderator's Note
Post discussing the suspected sources of data that ExpertFlyer and other award search tools use to display award availability were moved to a new thread:Please continue the discussion of suspected data scraping and API use in that thread.
Thank you,
TWA884
Moderator, Travel Tools
Thank you,
TWA884
Moderator, Travel Tools
Last edited by TWA884; Oct 7, 2023 at 10:12 am Reason: Update link
Oct 8, 2023, 2:34 am
#2920
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: EK Plat
Posts: 244
Expertflyer alternatives
Reminds me of this thread... EF's attitude was interesting to say the least. And EK award functionality never returned.
Reminds me of this thread... EF's attitude was interesting to say the least. And EK award functionality never returned.
Oct 9, 2023, 10:55 am
#2922
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Seattle, WA (US)
Programs: Oneworld (Emerald)
Posts: 127
I have also noticed this, along with seat alerts, too. A recent example: I had a seat alert on the seat I already had. When I moved myself from that seat, the seat alert did not trigger for another SIX HOURS! (That's not an isolated example... none of the alerts are as reliable as they once were.)
Oct 10, 2023, 1:39 pm
#2923
Formerly doc4science
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: CMH/DSM
Programs: United Airlines Silver, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 562
FWIW they gave me a pro rated refund on my annual subscription following these changes. No pushback. Pleased with their customers service.
Oct 10, 2023, 1:55 pm
#2924
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,679
I have also noticed this, along with seat alerts, too. A recent example: I had a seat alert on the seat I already had. When I moved myself from that seat, the seat alert did not trigger for another SIX HOURS! (That's not an isolated example... none of the alerts are as reliable as they once were.)