AA Tickets Weirdness: Booking Tickets Separately Can Save $
 

Actually it's not just specific to AA. Have you noticed this?

If you book one ticket, you can get a cheaper fare than if you book two tickets together? I mean, if you book two together, AA quotes you a higher rate per person than if you just book one ticket.

I noticed this behavior on Orbitz as well, as I recall.

I booked my tickets on Delta, but I noticed that AA is slightly cheaper for one ticket. However I can't book all three at the lower price.

I tried holding two tickets on two separate reservations. Initially they both show the lower fare, but after I hold one of them, when I try to hold the other one, I'm told that the lower fare is no longer available.

Also AA doesn't have a 24h cancelation policy (like Delta does). Does this sound right?

Yes, I had forgotten about this but many times my husband and I have to log in separately, but simultaneously, in order to get the lower fare. When we say that we want 2 tickets we get a higher fare than when the request is for 1 ticket.

My husband's theory is that only a certain number of tickets may be available at the lower fare basis.

I can understand that. But it looks like they have become smarter. Once I hold one ticket, when I go back to the other window, the low fare is gone in that one.

Do you know when you last successfully did this?

I called AA to cancel the reservation I held. When I did that, Kayak immediately showed the lower fare for 1 again.

I guess that's what computers are for....

It probably just so happens that they only have 1 ticket left at the lower fare bucket. That's why when you need 2 tickets, it's more expensive cuz those have to come out from a different bucket.

When you book online via aa.com, once you buy it, the status of that ticket becomes &quot;purchase&quot; (or some term similar to that). It usually takes 15mins or even a few hours before it becomes &quot;ticketed.&quot; I <i>believe</i> (not 100% sure) if you call AA during that window, you can cancel your ticket w/o any penalty. But once it is ticketed then you're subject to the cancellation rules.

I was thinking of rebooking my tickets on Delta to extend the 24h window, but I probably shouldn't play this kind of game.

Actually in this case, I just held the ticket, and the inventory was gone.

Anyway, at the lower fare, AA is about $75 cheaper for the three tickets combined. And I get extra miles. So it's extra savings. Otherwise, AA is about $300-$400 more expensive plus I need to separate the bookings.

But I think Air France is operating that Delta flight to Paris. Maybe Air France is better than AA? At one point I swore off Air France, but I guess cheap always rules.

HI--once or twice we had to pay more for one of the tkts but then would, at least, get one of them for the cheaper price.

PS--if it is like when we went to Paris on &quot;Delta&quot;, it was, in fact Air France with separate AF and Delta Flt #s.