Access to AA YUP complex routes - Sabre?

[daysoff]

Hi - I have noticed on a number of posts people describing the use of Sabre and other tools to gain access to a wider range of routes (more than 3 legs) - is this the case and if so what is the cost to gain access to these types of tools? do you have to be an agent? what else is out there?

 

[serfty]

I use ExpertFlyer, others use KVS to get fare rules.

SABRE is hard to get access to unless you work or have contacts in the industry.

As for the cheapest fares, see this thread:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....gram/aa-instant-upgrade-28280.html#post443282

 

[Mal]

I believe https://ifly.sabreexplore.com.au/searchAir.do has the most flexible publicly available booking engine in Australia. It ties directly into Sabre.

As they are a travel agent, making changes to booking may be tricky (and could have service fees), but I have used them on a fairly complex itin recently without any real dramas.

Note they recently introduced booking fees ($9 domestic / $19 international).

You could also call AA once you know the routing you want and get it booked over the phone - that will involve service fees as well.

 

[daysoff]

I believe https://ifly.sabreexplore.com.au/searchAir.do has the most flexible publicly available booking engine in Australia. It ties directly into Sabre.

As they are a travel agent, making changes to booking may be tricky (and could have service fees), but I have used them on a fairly complex itin recently without any real dramas.

Note they recently introduced booking fees ($9 domestic / $19 international).

You could also call AA once you know the routing you want and get it booked over the phone - that will involve service fees as well.

Mal -thanks I will give it a run...

 

[DeKa]

Is there any way to see more options that iFly will bring up?
I am trying to do a multi-city flight to the US (arrive SFO depart LAX) but iFly isn't giving me great options and it has heaps of results coming in with wacky routes (e.g. SYD-MEL-LAX-SFO then LAX-AUK-SYD) I'd prefer not to travel on. There is no "Next" button to go to the next page of results...

 

[serfty]

You can do complex multi segment route/carrier fare lookups using ITA and then plug them into iFly see if they come up..

(I have not yet booked using iFly)

 

[DeKa]

That's what I was trying to do, but iFly seems to then search for even more complex routing in order to keep the price down. It only sorts by price from cheapest to most expensive, but only displays about 20 options - sometimes 15 out of those 20 are all routing that I don't want to take as it adds too much time.

 

[serfty]

I guess you tried being airline specific?

 

[DeKa]

Yes. I was after a Qantas fare, SYD-SFO then LAX to SYD. I wasn't getting the options I wanted on Qantas.com at a reasonable price but ended up finding it and booking it there.

 

[rechoboam]

You can do complex multi segment route/carrier fare lookups using ITA and then plug them into iFly see if they come up..

But not on the ITA iPhone app I assume?

 

[serfty]

But not on the ITA iPhone app I assume?

What's an iphone? :shock:

Seriously, anyone trying to properly employ ITA on a such a small device is looking for trouble.:-|

 

[TimB]

But not on the ITA iPhone app I assume?

No; the ITA iPhone app (OnTheFly) only allows one way and return searches, and doesn't have a way to enter routing options. You may find that the multi-stop routing you're looking for comes up in a search, but if it doesn't then there's no way to finesse it with routing options to get it.

I use the app mainly when I'm away from my computer and need to check a simple flight; more serious investigations are done on the ITA website.