Research & book AA "Non-refundable "/"Instant Upgrade"/"YUPP" fare to maximise SC's

[iqis60]

re: Researching/booking AA "Non-ref "/"Instant Upgrade"/"YUPP" fare to maximise status

Good explanation Serfty, I just did some flyer on KUP fares via SJU and all these feels very familiar! One thing I would say regarding payment of AA fares on the US site is that if it isn't giving you the option to enter Australia as your location and hence easily enter Australian credit card details, I found that closing the browser and re doing the booking would get it to work.

 

[kempvet]

re: Researching/booking AA "Non-ref "/"Instant Upgrade"/"YUPP" fare to maximise status

Good explanation Serfty, I just did some flyer on KUP fares via SJU and all these feels very familiar! One thing I would say regarding payment of AA fares on the US site is that if it isn't giving you the option to enter Australia as your location and hence easily enter Australian credit card details, I found that closing the browser and re doing the booking would get it to work.

I remember serfty writing somewhere else in the forums that if you enter your street address on the second address line when giving CC details and some legitimate address US address on the others then you Australian CC should be accepted first time.

 

[penegal]

re: Researching/booking AA "Non-ref "/"Instant Upgrade"/"YUPP" fare to maximise status

If Australia appears on the country list you no longer need to use the 'El Segundo' method.

I have successfully made bookings on AA.com using an address like this:








If you read the form carefully it says that the least two fields are only required for "U.S. and Canada", and "U.S., Canada, Mexico or UK" respectively.


In my experience if you populate the ZIP/Postal Code box your form will fail their validation checks as the website checks this field regardless of which country is selected, therefore I have started putting the state and postcode it in the city box in order to enter a 'correct' & 'complete' address.




YMMV.

 

[MelUser]

re: Researching/booking AA "Non-ref "/"Instant Upgrade"/"YUPP" fare to maximise status

I have used Melbourne (pronounced MELBORRRN) Florida and looked up a ZIP code with no problems.

 

[iqis60]

re: Researching/booking AA "Non-ref "/"Instant Upgrade"/"YUPP" fare to maximise status

If Australia appears on the country list you no longer need to use the 'El Segundo' method.

I have successfully made bookings on AA.com using an address like this:



View attachment 9144




If you read the form carefully it says that the least two fields are only required for "U.S. and Canada", and "U.S., Canada, Mexico or UK" respectively.


In my experience if you populate the ZIP/Postal Code box your form will fail their validation checks as the website checks this field regardless of which country is selected, therefore I have started putting the state and postcode it in the city box in order to enter a 'correct' & 'complete' address.




YMMV.

This is what I was referring to. If you don't get the drop down option for Australia, start a new session in your browser and you should get it. I had it happen a couple of times over the course of six bookings.

 

[serfty]

I have updated posts #5 and post #10 with how to read the "booking code" for each segment on AA.com prior to completing the booking.

 

[ncraigm]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

Question for Serfty if I may:

I'm looking at booking my first US Instant Upgrade run so this thread has been the basis of my research to date along with some other FT threads as well. (Thank you so much. It is fantastic and should be made a sticky imo).

I have one small query though. In post #5 and #7 there are screenshots showing ORD-MIA on AA262 as 1197 miles. This would appear to be the AA mileage calculation; however in the table in post #6 you refer to the distance being 1204 miles. 7 miles in a plane is neither here nor there BUT, as we all know, the 1200 mile threshold is an important one when calculating status credits. GCM corroborates the 1197, although the WebFlyer tool says it is 1200 which makes it even more confusing.

I'm looking to include a ORD-MIA sector on my LAS-SJU itinerary so am wondering what mileage this flight actually books into. I'm assuming you have taken it before so was wondering if you could look up the values it posts with to your QFF account.

Thanks again
NCM

 

[kevrosmith]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

ORD-MIA was 1204 and 120 SCs in F for me on AA

 

[serfty]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

Multiple experience from members here has shown Qantas deem the distance 1204 miles ... good for status running, bad for award redemptions ... most don't post about the difference much ...

 

[ncraigm]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

ok, understood.

Thanks to you both for the prompt clarification.

 

[oz_mark]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

From the Qantas points calculator, it is 1204

Chicago - Miami (stop)

18000

3

(1204)

Economy

Qantas

 

[drron]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

When we fly in the USA on AA mrsdrron posts to QFF,I to AA.For the ORD-MIA i will be credited 1197 miles,she 1204 miles.no problems for me as the 1200 mile hurdle doesn't exist for AA,it is just the number of miles that counts for status(or EQM,EQP).

 

[cirqueboy]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

An interesting situation comes up....

When looking at some bookings for November and forcing a AA+ result, there are alot of US Airways flights coming in as part of the route.

I guess this is forward looking flights to the AA/US merger.

I wonder what would happen if one of these was booked now, anticipating the US flights becoming AA flights by the time the flights are actually taken.

Any ideas?

 

[serfty]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

For now I would avoid them- it may work but why take the risk?

 

[cirqueboy]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

That was my feeling too

I'm more concerned about the forward planning concept from AA/US rather than actually booking anything. Seems a bit presumptuous to me....

If anyone wants to try it out, do this run:

DFW-BOS-SFO forcing AA and the result I see is:

DFW-BOS-ORD-CLT-SFO on a combo of AA & US

 

[beardoc]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

That was my feeling too

I'm more concerned about the forward planning concept from AA/US rather than actually booking anything. Seems a bit presumptuous to me....

If anyone wants to try it out, do this run:

DFW-BOS-SFO forcing AA and the result I see is:

DFW-BOS-ORD-CLT-SFO on a combo of AA & US

I tried replicating this, and couldn't get anything but DFW-ORD-BOS-ORD-SFO all on AA (no US airways) - can you advise anything more specific with dates?

 

[cirqueboy]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

It was for 25/11/13, and strange I try to replicate the same search tonight so I could post a screen shot and what I found has disappeared. Instead, i get a routing through PHX instead of CLT and a big price jump (circa US$500). This is from the ITA Matrix Software.

Here's a screen shot:

 

[reubenhills]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

Hi All

Sorry i am fairly new to all this so I apologise in advance for my incompetance etc ..
I have just gone QF gold (700 points) and aiming to go platinum by Sept 1 .I was looking at doing an SC run with AA through the states (im from AUS) .. I would be arriving in the states with QANTAS in LAX . I need to be in MEX ( the purpose of this trip) Id be keen to go via NYC as havnt done it in a few years .. So planning on doing an sc run with AA first class doing LAX-LAS-ORD-EWR then stop over for a day or two in NYC and head down to MEX doing EWR-DFW-MEX Ive calculated a total of 450 scs for a total of AUD1462.54 ..not bad I thought doing my research on AFF although If anyone has any helpful suggestions on any better routes that would be appreciated !!! I just want to check out NYC for a few nights starting out of LAX then head down to MEX ,
Thanks in advance any help appreciated - Russ

Flight	Depart	Arrive
American Airlines 170	Los Angeles (LAX) May 9, 2013 11:25 AM Travel Time : 1 h 10 m Cabin Class : First Seat : unassigned	Las Vegas (LAS) May 9, 2013 12:35 PM Booking Code : P Plane Type : 738

Flight	Depart	Arrive
American Airlines 1746	Las Vegas (LAS) May 9, 2013 03:00 PM Travel Time : 3 h 40 m Cabin Class : First Seat : unassigned	Chicago (ORD) May 9, 2013 08:40 PM Booking Code : P Plane Type : M83

Flight	Depart	Arrive
American Airlines 3741 Operated by American Eagle Airlines	Chicago (ORD) May 9, 2013 10:35 PM Travel Time : 1 h 50 m Cabin Class : First Seat : unassigned	Newark (EWR) May 10, 2013 01:25 AM Booking Code : P Plane Type : CR7

Flight	Depart	Arrive
American Airlines 731	New York (LGA) May 11, 2013 10:15 AM Travel Time : 3 h 55 m Cabin Class : First Seat : unassigned	Dallas/ Fort Worth (DFW) May 11, 2013 01:10 PM Booking Code : A Plane Type : 738

Flight	Depart	Arrive
American Airlines 1105	Dallas/ Fort Worth (DFW) May 11, 2013 02:45 PM Travel Time : 2 h 25 m Cabin Class : Business Seat : unassigned	Mexico City (MEX) May 11, 2013 05:10 PM Booking Code : I Plane Type : 738

 

[serfty]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

... any better routes that would be appreciated !!! I just want to check out NYC for a few nights starting out of LAX then head down to MEX ,
Thanks in advance any help appreciated

When are you planning on doing this?

 

[reubenhills]

Re: Appendix 1: Booking Class with One-Way and Return Searches

MAY 8
Ive been doing allot more research and I think I am getting better though ..

Russ