Jun 4, 2014, 6:07 pm
Last edit by: TWA884
ITA Matrix Search: http://matrix.itasoftware.com
You can sometimes see flights, fares and detailed fare rules that may not be reflected on an airline's website. Please read the thread for some tips and tricks, screen shots, etc.
A related thread, ITA-Matrix-PowerTools - Userscript for Orbitz/DL/UA/AA/BA/CZ/IB/LA/LH/LX/TK, discusses a user script which is maintained by fellow flyertalk members to enhance the already powerful Matrix of ITA Software by providing new features and booking links.
Additional details and tips on the use of ITA's advanced routing code feature can be found in the following long-standing Mileage Run Discussion threads:
You can sometimes see flights, fares and detailed fare rules that may not be reflected on an airline's website. Please read the thread for some tips and tricks, screen shots, etc.
A related thread, ITA-Matrix-PowerTools - Userscript for Orbitz/DL/UA/AA/BA/CZ/IB/LA/LH/LX/TK, discusses a user script which is maintained by fellow flyertalk members to enhance the already powerful Matrix of ITA Software by providing new features and booking links.
Additional details and tips on the use of ITA's advanced routing code feature can be found in the following long-standing Mileage Run Discussion threads:
ITA Software Matrix Airfare Search Consolidated Information and Help Thread
Sep 1, 2012, 1:25 pm
#166
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
"/f ba" acts as a post filter; we generate a set of routes to consider without taking that restriction into account, then when we attempt to price we force the use of BA fares only. As you can imagine, most of the routes we generate on other carriers cannot be priced only with BA fares, so this is quite wasteful.
Other commands like "/alliance oneworld" restrict the routes considered to only those on oneworld carriers, so we try a lot more routes that can be priced with BA fares.
Other commands like "/alliance oneworld" restrict the routes considered to only those on oneworld carriers, so we try a lot more routes that can be priced with BA fares.
Sep 2, 2012, 6:24 pm
#168
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC 25K only, he said through tears from the back of the aircraft...
Posts: 563
Weird bug, or maybe I'm crazy?
Some advice from any ITA wizards or ITA Hacker?
I'm trying to research different YYZ-NRT options for late March 2013. For many connections, ITA is giving me >24-hour layovers, sometimes >48-hours. These aren't legal, and in some cases aren't even necessary! It appears to be breaking rules to give me a cheap fare (which I can't book), rather than following the rules and giving me an expensive (but legal) fare.
I'm bumping into this weird situation a lot, but I will give a single example to demonstrate:
- UA3608+UA123, which is YYZ-DEN-NRT, should be possible. ITA, and united.com, refuse to let me book it. ITA offers it over the course of two days, but not same day.
- I can't get ITA to show this on the same day under any of the following routing codes:
-- UA UA
-- UA3608 UA123
-- UA DEN UA
-- DEN
-- UA3608 UA123 / maxconnect 300
Am I crazy? Is there a bug, or am I missing some rule?
Thanks for any thoughts.
I'm trying to research different YYZ-NRT options for late March 2013. For many connections, ITA is giving me >24-hour layovers, sometimes >48-hours. These aren't legal, and in some cases aren't even necessary! It appears to be breaking rules to give me a cheap fare (which I can't book), rather than following the rules and giving me an expensive (but legal) fare.
I'm bumping into this weird situation a lot, but I will give a single example to demonstrate:
- UA3608+UA123, which is YYZ-DEN-NRT, should be possible. ITA, and united.com, refuse to let me book it. ITA offers it over the course of two days, but not same day.
- I can't get ITA to show this on the same day under any of the following routing codes:
-- UA UA
-- UA3608 UA123
-- UA DEN UA
-- DEN
-- UA3608 UA123 / maxconnect 300
Am I crazy? Is there a bug, or am I missing some rule?
Thanks for any thoughts.
Sep 2, 2012, 7:14 pm
#169
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: AVV
Programs: QF, HH
Posts: 1,112
First off:
Funnily enough, the cost of some oneway flights, depending on airlines, destinations and routes, will sometimes be the equivalent to, or even more, than the cost of a return flight.
I believe this may partly be due to the fact that airlines want you to fly with them, and a return ticket will see you flying more than once with them.
Yet it doesn't always work like this. I sometimes book separate domestic legs within Australia for example.
However, where are you located and are you looking up domestic or international flights? That might help you get a few more answers
Funnily enough, the cost of some oneway flights, depending on airlines, destinations and routes, will sometimes be the equivalent to, or even more, than the cost of a return flight.
I believe this may partly be due to the fact that airlines want you to fly with them, and a return ticket will see you flying more than once with them.
Yet it doesn't always work like this. I sometimes book separate domestic legs within Australia for example.
However, where are you located and are you looking up domestic or international flights? That might help you get a few more answers
Sep 2, 2012, 8:13 pm
#170
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
The issue can't be replicated as UA 123 does not operate in MAR13; as a matter of fact there's no UA flights from DEN to TYO (any airport) during the month so it's not very helpful.
One issue that would have led to that behavior is that connection not meeting the the minimum connection time -- and there are no earlier flights from YTO without having to overnight.
Do you have anything that can be replicated? Share all inputs: from/to/dates, etc.
One issue that would have led to that behavior is that connection not meeting the the minimum connection time -- and there are no earlier flights from YTO without having to overnight.
Do you have anything that can be replicated? Share all inputs: from/to/dates, etc.
Sep 2, 2012, 9:27 pm
#171
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,334
You can try the usual 3rd party booking sites.. like Expedia, Travelocity, onetravel,kayak etc etc..
You might find yourself limited however to less segments than you are currently booking through the TA...
I use those sites where possible... everything else goes.. you guessed it!.. to my TA!
If you try to book each segment separately you are most likley to suffer extreme sticker shock!!!
You might find yourself limited however to less segments than you are currently booking through the TA...
I use those sites where possible... everything else goes.. you guessed it!.. to my TA!
If you try to book each segment separately you are most likley to suffer extreme sticker shock!!!
Sep 2, 2012, 10:39 pm
#172
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: YXY
Posts: 3,506
Today I searched for a rather simple itinerary: NYC to VIE, one way, Economy, 1 passenger Dec 21st +/-2 days.
Cheapest according to Matrix: AB at $616 (via DUS) (and many other option for various price points, from direct to 2 stops)
Then I did the same search adding "X" as an option.
Cheapest according to Matrix: same as above, AB at $616 (via DUS)
Then I did the same search but with "X:SVO" as an option.
Suddenly a cheaper flight with SU for $ 547 was found. The travel time is not extreme in any way and very comparable to many othe results show before.
Why does the Matrix miss the cheapest result? Bug or feature?
Even after repeating the original search, the cheaper SU connection was missing from the results. It doesn't seem to be a learning system. Not a single SU flight was offered.
Cheapest according to Matrix: AB at $616 (via DUS) (and many other option for various price points, from direct to 2 stops)
Then I did the same search adding "X" as an option.
Cheapest according to Matrix: same as above, AB at $616 (via DUS)
Then I did the same search but with "X:SVO" as an option.
Suddenly a cheaper flight with SU for $ 547 was found. The travel time is not extreme in any way and very comparable to many othe results show before.
Why does the Matrix miss the cheapest result? Bug or feature?
Even after repeating the original search, the cheaper SU connection was missing from the results. It doesn't seem to be a learning system. Not a single SU flight was offered.
Sep 3, 2012, 6:58 am
#174
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC 25K only, he said through tears from the back of the aircraft...
Posts: 563
Thanks for the suggestions - I could have sworn that ITA offered UA123 earlier than March 31, but of course this morning I can't reproduce. 
Will keep exploring, and if I spot a long connection I can't explain I'll bring it here for explanation!
Will keep exploring, and if I spot a long connection I can't explain I'll bring it here for explanation!
Sep 3, 2012, 7:42 pm
#176
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: YXY
Posts: 3,506
A while ago, when looking for flights from BOS to SAN the ITA Matrix would not hand out the cheapest result either - until I added "UA1-9999 UA1-9999 UA1-9999" to the options. With two stops, I could get there quite cheap *and* faster.
I did the same search several times over a couple of weeks, it was always the same situation. Only with the abovementioned options I got the ideal result (I think X X worked as well at some times, but not always).
I thought the result was supressed because it was a more cumbersome trip (two connections). Other flights by the same airline (UA) where included. But the complete exclusion of Aeroflot from NYC->VIE, while it being the cheapest of all options, is even more weird.
I did the same search several times over a couple of weeks, it was always the same situation. Only with the abovementioned options I got the ideal result (I think X X worked as well at some times, but not always).
I thought the result was supressed because it was a more cumbersome trip (two connections). Other flights by the same airline (UA) where included. But the complete exclusion of Aeroflot from NYC->VIE, while it being the cheapest of all options, is even more weird.
Last edited by sokolov; Sep 21, 2012 at 9:51 pm Reason: missing words
Sep 6, 2012, 12:10 pm
#178
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 109
There are 27 or so airlines in *A and about that many different FF programs that an LH flight (or a UA flight, or an LH codeshare on UA, or vice versa) could be credited to. Each program has its own rules about RDM and EQM accrual for each fare class on each partner airline, and the rules and fare classes change now and again. Seems like it would be rather complicated for ITA to keep all of that updated and apply it to each search.
Suppose I want RDM to be 100%. I noticed that ITA already has the capability of searching on fare basis codes. Does this make it possible to ensure that search results are all the same percentage?
Sep 6, 2012, 2:08 pm
#179
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NW OH
Programs: DL PM/KM, AC *G, AS MVP-100K
Posts: 829
*A = Star Alliance
RDM = ReDeemable Miles
EQM = Elite Qualifying Miles
For example, in the case of a LH transatlantic K fare credited to UA Mileage Plus, if the flight is operated by UA it earns 100%; if it's operated by LH it earns 0%. Searching by the booking code should work, if you also use the O:UA search parameter to include only flights operated by UA.
RDM = ReDeemable Miles
EQM = Elite Qualifying Miles
For example, in the case of a LH transatlantic K fare credited to UA Mileage Plus, if the flight is operated by UA it earns 100%; if it's operated by LH it earns 0%. Searching by the booking code should work, if you also use the O:UA search parameter to include only flights operated by UA.
Sep 6, 2012, 2:13 pm
#180
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 323
I have trouble understanding, because I don't know what "*A" is, or RDM, or EQM. I'm guessing RDM is redeemable miles, correct? So RDM can be 50%, or 100%, or 150%, etc?
Suppose I want RDM to be 100%. I noticed that ITA already has the capability of searching on fare basis codes. Does this make it possible to ensure that search results are all the same percentage?
Suppose I want RDM to be 100%. I noticed that ITA already has the capability of searching on fare basis codes. Does this make it possible to ensure that search results are all the same percentage?
Put another way: ITA does not have a "cost per mile calculation feature". It has a feature to tell you your total flight miles. Figuring out the accural rate into YOUR preferred program is another step, which you have to do yourself
Example: A Lufthansa flight booked in "W" earns 50% if credited to US Airways, or 100% if credited to United. In another program, it might be 0%. How would ITA know which number to show you?
Partners and booking codes aren't the only time the accured miles won't match what ITA will show. For example, on a "direct flight" (one flight number, with a stop) you may accure miles as if you flew nonstop, even if the stop took you out of your way, because the system might consider that to be "one flight"
