Status credits on AA on internal US legs (plus biz class but econ seat)

[Pixiechick]

Hi brains trust. Just about to book a trip, all business class fare codes. AA from SYD-JFK (280 status credits), then LGA-YVR via DFW (biz ticket/fare class, but they will seat me in the main cabin... I'm ok with that as they are short flights), then YVR-SYD via LAX.

My questions are on Status Credits:

1. For the LGA-YVR via DFW, the Qantas partner earning chart suggests I should get 80 SC for each leg, so 160 all up. I assume even if I am sitting in economy, if the fare type says business then I should earn the business status credits?
2. For the YVR-SYD via LAX, it seems I should get the 180 SC for the LAX-SYD portion (via QF calculator), and then another 60 SC for the YVR-LAX portion (given the Qantas partner earning table). Is this correct? That Qantas won't consider the YVR-LAX-SYD as one and only give me the 180.

Want to make sure I'm calculating the SC correctly, as this will tip me over into Lifetime Gold, and Platinum for the year. Plus, the trip allows me to visit friends in YVR, and it's a fair bit cheaper than returning from NY straight to SYD.

Thanks in advance!

 

[serfty]

Thanks in advance!

I would not trust the Qantas Calculator.

It all depends on the fare bucket for each separate segment. At best your Main cabin fares will book into Flexible economy and earn status credits for that, not business.

 

[SYD]

I’m curious why you’re seeing MC seating on a J booking? They should automatically give you “First” seats - unless one or more flights are oversold?

If you’re booking direct through AA, you should see the seat availability at time of booking.

 

[Pixiechick]

See attached. The fare type is business. I presume they are oversold on Biz hence seating in MC, but I should still get Biz SC?

 

[muppet]

See attached. The fare type is business. I presume they are oversold on Biz hence seating in MC, but I should still get Biz SC?

You need the fare class letter. It won’t be J/C/D/I so you won’t get Business status credits.

And to be honest, for $14k you should be sitting in business. I recommend trying a travel agent or maybe the US version of AA’s site.

 

[Pixiechick]

You need the fare class letter. It won’t be J/C/D/I so you won’t get Business status credits.

And to be honest, for $14k you should be sitting in business. I recommend trying a travel agent or maybe the US version of AA’s site.

I am using a travel agent, just looking at options and SC. Also checking expert flyer.

Not sure which fare code the internals are but will be confirming.

 

[justinbrett]

I’m curious why you’re seeing MC seating on a J booking? They should automatically give you “First” seats - unless one or more flights are oversold?

If you’re booking direct through AA, you should see the seat availability at time of booking.

Actually really common for QF AA codeshare legs to book in Y on a J fare. Availability on codeshare J is limited.

 

[Pixiechick]

Actually really common for QF AA codeshare legs to book in Y on a J fare. Availability on codeshare J is limited.

Thanks Justin. But I’m booking direct with AA. Would I still get business status credits is the question.

 

[justinbrett]

Thanks Justin. But I’m booking direct with AA. Would I still get business status credits is the question.

No, it’s not the class of the whole trip, each individual leg will have a fare class, and if you are in Main Cabin for a leg, you won’t have a First (J) fare class. Simply not possible. So you would earn economy for those legs.

What are the flight numbers?

Did you say you are flying LGA-DFW-YVR? That’s quite a backtrack.

 

[serfty]

Thanks Justin. But I’m booking direct with AA. Would I still get business status credits is the question.

You are also looking at the AA.com.au Web site.

Change the country to US English by clicking the little Australian Flag(!?) at the top .

Search for the flights again and then when you select "details", you'll see the fare buckets.

For that price, you may like to look at a DONEx.

Guide to the Oneworld Explorer Round-The-World Ticket

29 July, 2018

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[justinbrett]

Sorry just saw the screenshot.

Yuk. That’s not a great price and it’s a terrible routing. I can think of better ways to get more SCs if this is a SC run.

 

[serfty]

For that price, you may like to look at a DONEx.

Oneworld Explorer ticketing

My Platinum expires in Nov and I was thinking about doing a Business class OW Explorer trip, originating in South Africa or Egypt that would be reasonably economical and be enough SC to qualify for Platinum again (after my Plat has expired, so that when I re-qualify I will hold the Plat until...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Pixiechick]

Not a status run. Going to visit family. But yes, can look at DONE but originally was just doing NY, so extra flying wasn’t worth it. Now that want to do YVR, might be a better option. Won’t be stopping in Asia or Europe though (other than transit)

 

[serfty]

Not a status run. Going to visit family. But yes, can look at DONE but originally was just doing NY, so extra flying wasn’t worth it. Now that want to do YVR, might be a better option. Won’t be stopping in Asia or Europe though (other than transit)

Maybe look at a DCIR22?

 

[Pixiechick]

Maybe look at a DCIR22?

What’s that?

 

[serfty]

What’s that?

A oneworld product like a DONEx but excluding Europe, Africa and the Carribean where can you travel up to 22K miles (e.g. SYD-NYC-YVR-TYO-SYD) and has a current base fare of $10,779.

 

[Pixiechick]

Thanks for that! Will look.

 

[SYD]

Actually really common for QF AA codeshare legs to book in Y on a J fare. Availability on codeshare J is limited.

Especially booking closer out to travel than well in advance. I’ve not had an issue booking personal travel but it was an issue for work travel but usually you’d be Waitlisted for F/J (which would have highest priority over Upgrade requests).

I also recommend OP try the QF multi-sector search (flexible dates).

 

[Pixiechick]

All, I'm booking via AA. The circle pacific will need 29K miles, I believe. Am checking.

It's just a bit of a pain to only do US (in terms of pricing). The AA fare basis for ALL the sectors is INX5ARN3. The transpacific are all in I class (so AA discount business), so it seems that the internal US/Canada are also I class, but I would be seated in the main cabin for the NY-DFW, DFW-YVR, YVR-LAX.

My big question is whether I would earn status credits at the business level for those flights, given the fare basis, or economy as I'm physically sitting in economy. Travel agent has confirmed that the SYD-NY, YVR-SYD is in D class, and the NY-YVR is in I class (so all discount business). I've just checked Qantas' T&C on status credit/mileage earning, and it clearly notes it's on the booking code, not the actual seat you're in (see below), but I just want to make sure as it's a reasonable difference between the economy and biz SC earn on the internals.

("Booking class
Airlines break down each cabin on the aircraft into different sub-classes, each of which are given an alpha code.
These generally determine the fare you pay, the conditions attached to your booking and the amount of Qantas Points and Status Credits you could earn.")

Sydney — Los Angeles (AA 72)	1 Adult	INX5ARN3
Los Angeles — New York (AA 2)	1 Adult	INX5ARN3
New York — Dallas (AA 439)	1 Adult	INX5ARN3
Dallas — Vancouver (AA 1149)	1 Adult	INX5ARN3
Vancouver — Los Angeles (AA 1719)	1 Adult	INX5ARN3
Los Angeles — Sydney (AA 73)	1 Adult	INX5ARN3

 

[serfty]

My big question is whether I would earn status credits at the business level for those flights, given the fare basis, or economy as I'm physically sitting in economy. Travel agent has confirmed that the SYD-NY, YVR-SYD is in D class, and the NY-YVR is in I class (so all discount business)

If on AA in I or D then you earn as per "Business" in the Qantas table:

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/earn-points/airline-earning-tables/earn-category-tables.html?int_cam=au%3Aairline-earning-tables%3Aarticle%3Afrequent-flyer-earn-categories%3Aen%3Ann#american-airlines

The AA fare basis for ALL the sectors is .

This is not a Circle Pacific which has a fare basis of DCIR22. The routing I provided (SYD-NYC-YVR-TYO-SYD) is under 22,000 miles, so Qualifies as a DCIR22 - you can have a DCIR26 with a fare base for $12,759.

Looking at expert flyer, the base fare for an INX5ARN3 is AU$17047

What is you Travel Agent quoting?!!!