AA & US Fare Classes

[michaele]

Hi all,

I just received the monthly update from QF and noticed this:

Changes to US Airways and American Airlines fare classes
For travel from 1 February 2015 the fare classes on US Airways and American Airlines flights are changing.

Clicked through the link and nothing specific - it all looks the same. It only directs you to the general partners page. I am flying on AA in Feb - anyone have any further info? The only thing I have noticed is on the individual page K fare bucket has moved to Discount Economy?

The 15SC's I'll get each way LAX-YYC will tip me over to WP

 

[RichardMEL]

notquite. another big change.

On the US Airways page it states that P and O fares (upgrade from Y to J/F or your "YUP" type fares) only earn Y credit. That was a long standing loophole.

HOWEVER

the AA page says no such thing. It still states P class as being First.

So going by that, it seems if you book a US flight number as an "Instant Upgrade" seat you get Y, but if you book as AA, you get F...

unless they are not done updating the web pages, though the AA page states post 31 March, but nothing about Feb.

I can understand QF wanting to close this one down but I wouldn't be too happy

 

[MEL_Traveller]

notquite. another big change.

On the US Airways page it states that P and O fares (upgrade from Y to J/F or your "YUP" type fares) only earn Y credit. That was a long standing loophole.

HOWEVER

the AA page says no such thing. It still states P class as being First.

So going by that, it seems if you book a US flight number as an "Instant Upgrade" seat you get Y, but if you book as AA, you get F...

unless they are not done updating the web pages, though the AA page states post 31 March, but nothing about Feb.

I can understand QF wanting to close this one down but I wouldn't be too happy

deleted - it seems the changes are actually a good thing? (see post below)

 

[RichardMEL]

It doesn't look like the new US earning restrictions are the equivalent of YUP fares? It states they are a separate purchased upgrade.

I just did a round-trip LAX-LGA and it comes up as First Class (A) for what would normally be YUP pricing (fare basis was

AA21ZNJ3).

​

Do they mean the purchased upgrades you can get at kiosks?

Edited - anyway - the information that's in the earning table is current of today... so what are the changes from 1 February???

yes, it's weird the email says Feb 1st but the tab says for March 31- so... weird

and I've never actually flown US metal so don't know re the purchased upgrades vs a YUP or whatever.. but it does seem inconsistent for sure.

I do know over in AA land whenever I've purchased an "instant upgrade" (or YUP) fare it books into P, but perhaps some fares do book into A, or perhaps AA is changing as they merge with US. A works better than P anyway whichever way you look at it

 

[MEL_Traveller]

double edit - I just found the pages outlining the changes... you had to click on the US Airways specific page.

It's actually a good thing! The top of the table is 2014->31 Jan2015. The new earning is under that.

Until 1 February - upgrades would have earned reduced points or whatever, but from 1 Feb, AFP all earn the same! the 50% cabin bonus etc etc

 

[serfty]

There's somthing indeed, but what I am not sure: (https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/partners/airline/american-airlines#earning-points)

	Discount Economy	Discount Economy	Economy	Premium Economy	Business	First
Booking Class	OQ	GK*LMNSVW	BHK^Y	W~W#	DIJR	AFP
Points Base earn rate (per mile or 1.609km)	0.25	0.5	1	1	1	1
Cabin Bonus	-	-	-	10%	25%	50%
Status Bonus
Platinum Gold Silver	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%

* Applicable for travel from 1 February 2015
^ Applicable for travel until 31 January 2015
~ Applicable to AA Codeshare Flights operated by Japan Airlines (JL)
# Applicable to AA Codeshare Flights operated by British Airways (BA) or Qantas (QF)
Note:

• Qantas Points are not earned when travelling in classes other than those specified.
• The Status Bonus and Cabin Bonus are applied to the base earn rate for each individual flight you take.
• Status Credits are earned on all eligible booking classes.

(https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/partners/airline/us-airways#earning-points)

Earn Qantas Points when flying on eligible fares and flights.
For travel from 31 March 2014 to 31 January 2015:

	Discount Economy	Discount Economy	Economy	Economy Upgrades[SUP]#[/SUP]	Business	First
Booking Class	EKRU	GLSTVW	YBHMNQ	PO[SUP]+[/SUP]J	CDZ	AF
Points Base earn rate (per mile or 1.609km)	0.25	0.5	1	1	1	1
Cabin Bonus	-	-	-	-	25%	50%
Status Bonus
Platinum Gold Silver	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%

Note:

• Qantas Points are not earned when travelling in classes other than those specified.
• Status Credits are earned on all eligible booking classes.
• [SUP]#[/SUP] When purchasing an upgrade from US Airways from the Economy cabin to Business (J class) or First (O or P class), Qantas Points and Status Credits are earned at the Economy rate (excluding those upgraded from X class which are ineligible for Qantas Points or Status Credit earn).
• [SUP]+[/SUP] Earn in O class only when travelling on an eligible upgraded economy fare.

For travel from 1 February 2015:

	Discount Economy	Discount Economy	Economy	Premium Economy	Business	First
Booking Class	OQ	GKLMNSVW[SUP]#[/SUP]	BHY	W+	DIJR	AFP
Points Base earn rate (per mile or 1.609km)	0.25	0.5	1	1	1	1
Cabin Bonus	-	-	-	10%	25%	50%
Status Bonus
Platinum Gold Silver	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%	100% 75% 25%

Note:

• Qantas Points are not earned when travelling in classes other than those specified.
• Status Credits are earned on all eligible booking classes.
• [SUP]#[/SUP] US Domestic flights and flights between the US, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
• [SUP]+[/SUP] Other International flights.

Minimum Points Guarantee

• 500 Qantas Points when flying on eligible fares.

 

[RichardMEL]

aah.. I misread also. So US is being brought into line with AA.
OK good indeed

all happy again

 

[Himeno]

During my last trip to the US, a number of AA staff said that March was when they would start to link the AA and US systems together. (They changed all US Express flights ex-LAX over to American Eagle in November - the LAX AA staff were quite happy about that, no more running between computers when needing to use the other GDS)

 

[NM]

and K drops from Economy to Discount Economy on AA fares.

 

[exceladdict]

aah.. I misread also. So US is being brought into line with AA.
OK good indeed

all happy again

Ditto. I can't emphasise how stressed I was for about 30 seconds when I thought my P-heavy status run was going to be worth peanuts.

 

[madrooster]

The fare class changes have actually already come into effect for US. So right now some discount 0.25 earning fare classes are actually earning as 0.5 etc.