Jun 4, 2014, 6:07 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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:

ITA Software Matrix Airfare Search Consolidated Information and Help Thread

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Mar 25, 2021, 7:06 pm

#1996

javabytes

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: Bye Delta

Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club

Posts: 16,273

Below where you enter your origin and destination, click the Advanced Controls link to expose additional fields.

Hover over the question mark icons next to the routing and extension code fields. They’ll show you the codes along with examples.

In your case, you’ll want to use the extension codes, and in the tooltip that pops up, click Faring to find what you’re looking for.

Jaimito Cartero and rajhyd99 like this.

Mar 25, 2021, 9:27 pm

#1997

rajhyd99

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: Austin TX

Programs: AA EXEP 2MM, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Avis President Club, Marriot gold,Emerald Exec,

Posts: 413

Quote:

Originally Posted by javabytes

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Just to confirm I think you are talking about using something like F bc=J|bc=R if you need Fare class J and R.

Mar 26, 2021, 3:54 am

#1998

Globaliser

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2002

Location: London

Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.

Posts: 38,644

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajhyd99

Just to confirm I think you are talking about using something like F bc=J|bc=R if you need Fare class J and R.

That's exactly it.

rajhyd99 likes this.

Apr 7, 2021, 4:16 am

#1999

NightFly

Join Date: Jun 2008

Location: PRG

Programs: M&M SEN**; FB Silver; IHG Platinum

Posts: 496

Matrix search - excluding a stopover in a specific country?

Is there a simple way to force Matrix search engine to exclude from search stopovers in a specific country? I know about ~UA and ~IAH options, however I would need a simple tool to exclude all of USA and/or Canada from search due to their strict entry policy that also affects connections.

Apr 8, 2021, 2:20 pm

#2000

ITA Hacker

Company Representative - ITA Software

Join Date: Feb 2006

Location: Cambridge, MA

Posts: 362

Something like ~l:nUS* in the routing field indicates

~ not
l: in location
n nation
US country code US
* zero or more times

So that should restrict to trips that do not connect at airports in the US.

NightFly, st1575, Zorak and 2 others like this.

Apr 9, 2021, 12:54 am

#2001

NightFly

Join Date: Jun 2008

Location: PRG

Programs: M&M SEN**; FB Silver; IHG Platinum

Posts: 496

That´s brilliant, thanks a lot ITA Hacker . One more question - is it possible to add also another country code in the above mentioned string? E.g. to simultaneously exclude US AND Canada?

Apr 9, 2021, 7:51 am

#2002

ITA Hacker

Company Representative - ITA Software

Join Date: Feb 2006

Location: Cambridge, MA

Posts: 362

I would have expected a comma separating the locations to work (i.e. ~l:nus,l:nca*) , but it doesn't appear to do so. So I guess there's no way to do it. That's arguably a bug but probably not something that will get fixed.

Apr 12, 2021, 4:28 am

#2003

andydd

Join Date: Jul 2016

Posts: 145

Quote:

Originally Posted by ITA Hacker

This should work for if you didn't use *, for example following the string: advanced code ~l:nPL,nDE,nGB wouldn't show any flights transiting in UK, Poland or Germany, let's say on the route ARN-BKK. I have tested it and it works.. and I think that this functionality has existed for several years now

btw.. ITA Hacker is it decided that no development (investment) is going to made in ITA Matrix in future?

Cheers

JohnAx, NightFly, armouredant and 1 others like this.

Apr 20, 2021, 3:08 am

#2004

ChocolateFactory

Join Date: Aug 2015

Location: DXB

Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond

Posts: 2,811

I'm looking for flights on certain carriers from DXB/AUH to FRA/CDG. It should either be a direct flight or it should be on QR (connecting in DOH is much nicer than connecting in Europe).

"O:QR,OS,LX,LH,EK,EY O:QR?" gave me the results I was looking for - but let's assume that an airline had several hubs - would it be possible to specify that you either want to connect in a specific airport (or country) or not at all (only direct flights), while also specifying a list of carriers?

Apr 28, 2021, 8:53 am

#2005

cheltzel

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: ORD

Programs: AA, UA, GE

Posts: 5,123

I am seeing issues with the calendar search using ITA Matrix. It does not return accurate results (very high fares). No date ranges of fares for each potential departure date. Only results for the maximum value in the day range. When you select a departure date, accurate fares are returned.

Is anyone else seeing this? I have been able to reproduce this behavior on different laptops (1 WIndows and 1 Linux) and using different browsers (Chrome~~, Firefox~~ and Chromium).

Update:

Strike Firefox off the browser list. I thought I had used it but on retesting, it works with Firefox. Also works on MS Edge under WIndows 10. So maybe something to do with the underlying Chrome engine.

Last edited by cheltzel; Apr 28, 2021 at 9:14 am Reason: change symptoms

Jun 17, 2021, 10:46 pm

#2006

lensovet

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: EWR/PHL/JFK

Programs: A3*G, AS MVPG, UA, AA

Posts: 610

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheltzel

I see this as well. I cannot imagine how this could possibly be browser related as it's the server that sends the content of the page — it's not like the browser is getting the full list of flights on the calendar page and picking the "lowest" price on its own. Really frustrating — I've had some luck using Google flights in the meantime, but nothing beats the power and specification language of Matrix.

Aug 17, 2021, 2:16 pm

#2007

anabolism

Join Date: Aug 2004

Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)

Posts: 8,937

Can't get "o:" or specific flight to work

I'm having trouble searching for specific routings. It seems that any time I use "o:" it errors with:

E.g., with routing code using "o:aa" as in this example, it errors:

The routing code is truncated in the screen shot; the full routing code is "as,aa sfo,sjc,fat,phx as,aa lax o:aa aa,ba". Same error if I try "as,aa sfo,sjc,fat,phx as,aa lax o:aa lhr aa,ba" (with "o:aa lhr").

If I take out "o:" it works. E.g., with routing code "as,aa sfo,sjc,fat,phx as,aa lax aa lhr aa,ba" or "as,aa sfo,sjc,fat,phx as,aa lax aa aa,ba" it works (with and without specifying LHR as the connection point of the AA flight.

Am I using "o:" incorrectly?

It also errors if I try to specify a specific flight, e.g., "as,aa sfo,sjc,fat,phx as,aa lax aa134 aa,ba" or ""as,aa sfo,sjc,fat,phx as,aa lax f:aa134 aa,ba" or "as,aa sfo,sjc,fat,phx as,aa lax aa134 lhr aa,ba".

Aug 17, 2021, 3:28 pm

#2008

pmichelazzo

Join Date: Mar 2017

Location: Brussels

Programs: DL Gold / Accor Gold

Posts: 105

For some reason, AA flights are messed up. The "O" is correct and working. I took a test on a route I know well and the results are ok.
The funny part is, if you try to find LAX LHR for AA, you have AA137.
This is weird.

Aug 18, 2021, 5:04 pm

#2009

anabolism

Join Date: Aug 2004

Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)

Posts: 8,937

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmichelazzo

Thanks. I wonder if the problem is that the routing query became too complex and Matrix timed out? I was told ages ago by a Google employee that Matrix times out after a short period, to limit the resources it uses (only when queried from outside Google).

EDITED TO ADD: It also works if I use multi-city (but then I can't use the calendar search).

Aug 23, 2021, 5:19 am

#2010

franssois69

Join Date: Feb 2020

Programs: Air France Platinium - TK Elite - BA Gold

Posts: 84

Good afternoon,I'm tryingto find a ticket with IB with fare class Y or B only in economy
So I put in my extensions this:
AIRLINES IB / F bc=y|bc=b
and that answers me: SLICE-PERMITTED-CARRIERS: "F" is not a carrier
As if he didn't understand my / as a separator.

I have done something wrong ?

Thank you so much !