American Airlines fees for "free" ticket
May 20th, 2012, 05:28 PM
#1
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American Airlines fees for "free" ticket
I thought it was too good to be true- available award seats to Europe in October. Usually I have to book 330 days in advance.
I think I just figured out why... While waiting for my miles to post, I put the flight on hold and the fees came to about $375 per ticket. For an extra cost of $1400 we weren't expecting!
Last time I went to Europe the fee for one way was reasonable and the other way was $5.00. What happened? Is it because they put me on a British Airways flight?
Ugh.
I think I just figured out why... While waiting for my miles to post, I put the flight on hold and the fees came to about $375 per ticket. For an extra cost of $1400 we weren't expecting!
Last time I went to Europe the fee for one way was reasonable and the other way was $5.00. What happened? Is it because they put me on a British Airways flight?
Ugh.
May 20th, 2012, 05:53 PM
#2
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What happened.? Taxes went up it is much easier to tax travelers who don't have a vote then locals
I am shocked at the $5 fee. Someone gave you a free pass or this was YEARS and YEARS ago
That said BA does have some fuel fees etc. but my taxes, security fees etc on my Delta flight to London were over $300
I am shocked at the $5 fee. Someone gave you a free pass or this was YEARS and YEARS ago
That said BA does have some fuel fees etc. but my taxes, security fees etc on my Delta flight to London were over $300
May 20th, 2012, 06:44 PM
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I agree totally with rkkwan.
However, there's this carbon footprint thing that European airlines have to pay, which is beyong fuel charges.
You might want to say how many persons you're trying to book on the "free ticket". Looks like it's 4 people. If you take $1,400 and divide it by 4, it looks like a pretty darn good deal to me.
However, there's this carbon footprint thing that European airlines have to pay, which is beyong fuel charges.
You might want to say how many persons you're trying to book on the "free ticket". Looks like it's 4 people. If you take $1,400 and divide it by 4, it looks like a pretty darn good deal to me.
May 20th, 2012, 06:56 PM
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It is just my husband and me off peak so it only "costs" 40,000 points round trip. And every Fodorite recommends Europe in May or October anyway.
The fees on the outbound leg are $323 each and the inbound looks like around $375 so around $1400 when I planned for free... Of course it is a good deal but we are using 80,000 points too. I thought about saving the points and buying the air but nothing is lower than $1800 each way.
I can't find anything inbound that is not on British Airways... I tried every major city, assuming I could get their cheap on Easy jet.
It is not a good sign when you are over budget before booking! $1400 would have gone a long way towards hotels and tours. I am certain I paid $5 per person for my family of 5 two years ago. I think it was Rome to San Francisco.
The fees on the outbound leg are $323 each and the inbound looks like around $375 so around $1400 when I planned for free... Of course it is a good deal but we are using 80,000 points too. I thought about saving the points and buying the air but nothing is lower than $1800 each way.
I can't find anything inbound that is not on British Airways... I tried every major city, assuming I could get their cheap on Easy jet.
It is not a good sign when you are over budget before booking! $1400 would have gone a long way towards hotels and tours. I am certain I paid $5 per person for my family of 5 two years ago. I think it was Rome to San Francisco.
May 20th, 2012, 08:33 PM
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I am trying to get home from Venice and have no desire to go to the UK or pay the taxes... Paris is a good idea. I will try that but fear the only reason why there are flights this late is because of British Air...
I already struck out on Rome, Milano and Frankfurt.
I already struck out on Rome, Milano and Frankfurt.
May 20th, 2012, 08:54 PM
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My ticket on UA miles this coming July is only $5 in fees. No, it's not to Europe. It's to Hong Kong and on to Bangkok. My round trip fees, all in, are about $150. LHR fees are among the highest.
May 21st, 2012, 05:57 AM
#10
Just to clarify...
The bulk of the OP's additional charges are indeed fuel surcharges tacked onto the "award" ticket by British Airways, which American Airlines now passes on to the traveler (they didn't used to.) If the OP used AA or another partner (Iberia, Finnair or Airberlin) for the trip the fuel surcharges would be less to nil.
BA has many more daily seats between North America and Europe than does AA or any of its partners, and it seems that AA has reduced its own mileage redemption seat inventory noticeably since it entered bankruptcy. Thus the chances are increased that if you want to travel on a given day, you're much more likely to be put on a BA flight - and therefore exposed to the fuel surcharges - than on a partner. In addition, AA recently started allowing online booking for "award" seats with BA flights included; previously you had to phone for partner awards, and still do for the likes of Iberia, Finnair or Airberlin (or any other AA partner besides BA and Alaska.) Obviously because of BA's vast intra-Europe route system, AA mileage users wanting to go somewhere else in Europe besides the UK (e.g. Italy) will almost always have to change planes in London, thereby incurring the fuel surcharge for at least that portion of the trip. (Iberia's intra-Europe route system is okay but nothing like BA's; Finnair's is smaller still.)
As for UK taxes, the (in)famous UK Airline Passenger Duty is <i>only</i> charged on departure, and <i>only</i> if your ticket is originating in the UK and/or if you've stopped over for more than 24 hours. Transit passengers (off one plane, onto another) are exempted.
With the high BA "fuel fines" many people are finding that redemptions in business class are much better value in terms of value received per mile redeemed. Paying $700 or $800 in fuel fines for a ticket that would cost $1200 to buy is one thing; paying $800 in surcharges for a ticket that would cost $4000 is something altogether different. 40,000 miles (coach) to save say $400 is a penny per mile net value (lousy); 100,000 miles (business) to save $3200 is way better.
The bulk of the OP's additional charges are indeed fuel surcharges tacked onto the "award" ticket by British Airways, which American Airlines now passes on to the traveler (they didn't used to.) If the OP used AA or another partner (Iberia, Finnair or Airberlin) for the trip the fuel surcharges would be less to nil.
BA has many more daily seats between North America and Europe than does AA or any of its partners, and it seems that AA has reduced its own mileage redemption seat inventory noticeably since it entered bankruptcy. Thus the chances are increased that if you want to travel on a given day, you're much more likely to be put on a BA flight - and therefore exposed to the fuel surcharges - than on a partner. In addition, AA recently started allowing online booking for "award" seats with BA flights included; previously you had to phone for partner awards, and still do for the likes of Iberia, Finnair or Airberlin (or any other AA partner besides BA and Alaska.) Obviously because of BA's vast intra-Europe route system, AA mileage users wanting to go somewhere else in Europe besides the UK (e.g. Italy) will almost always have to change planes in London, thereby incurring the fuel surcharge for at least that portion of the trip. (Iberia's intra-Europe route system is okay but nothing like BA's; Finnair's is smaller still.)
As for UK taxes, the (in)famous UK Airline Passenger Duty is <i>only</i> charged on departure, and <i>only</i> if your ticket is originating in the UK and/or if you've stopped over for more than 24 hours. Transit passengers (off one plane, onto another) are exempted.
With the high BA "fuel fines" many people are finding that redemptions in business class are much better value in terms of value received per mile redeemed. Paying $700 or $800 in fuel fines for a ticket that would cost $1200 to buy is one thing; paying $800 in surcharges for a ticket that would cost $4000 is something altogether different. 40,000 miles (coach) to save say $400 is a penny per mile net value (lousy); 100,000 miles (business) to save $3200 is way better.
May 21st, 2012, 10:47 AM
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Gardyloo gives good advice about considering the value received per mile redeemed. I don't mind paying the higher taxes and fees if I can fly in first or business for the cost of a seat in coach.
Case in point: Later this year my sister and I are flying in First on BA Seattle-London-Hong Kong and return. I used 300,000 miles (or Avios points as BA now calls them) plus a Chase 2-for-1 companion voucher. Taxes and fees cost each of us about $1500. Sounds pretty steep, doesn't it?
But consider this: That $1500 each of us paid is less than we would have paid to purchase tickets in coach. And we get to fly in the flat-bed comfort of First. The actual cost for two tickets in First flying Seattle-London-HK and return is $43,651.22. Thus the net value of my 300,000 miles is 14¢ per mile. That's pretty darn good!
Case in point: Later this year my sister and I are flying in First on BA Seattle-London-Hong Kong and return. I used 300,000 miles (or Avios points as BA now calls them) plus a Chase 2-for-1 companion voucher. Taxes and fees cost each of us about $1500. Sounds pretty steep, doesn't it?
But consider this: That $1500 each of us paid is less than we would have paid to purchase tickets in coach. And we get to fly in the flat-bed comfort of First. The actual cost for two tickets in First flying Seattle-London-HK and return is $43,651.22. Thus the net value of my 300,000 miles is 14¢ per mile. That's pretty darn good!
May 21st, 2012, 11:00 AM
#12
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I priced tickets for a trip to Italy next year and the "free" tickets on AA will cost $666 each!! Quite obviously this includes some flights on BA and that's what is driving up the price. We have decided instead to buy our tickets and we will use the points to pay for the hotel.
May 21st, 2012, 02:55 PM
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Gardyloo - Followup question.
I'm an AA Gold lifetime person.
I'm planning a trip that would probably take me through LHR either inbound or outbound, my choice on FF miles. From what you said about UK taxes, it seems cheaper to fly BA inbound from SFO to LHR, rather than outbound. Is that what you're saying?
I'll be flying Biz class, but I will save $$ when I can.
I'm an AA Gold lifetime person.
I'm planning a trip that would probably take me through LHR either inbound or outbound, my choice on FF miles. From what you said about UK taxes, it seems cheaper to fly BA inbound from SFO to LHR, rather than outbound. Is that what you're saying?
I'll be flying Biz class, but I will save $$ when I can.
May 22nd, 2012, 07:59 PM
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But Gardyloo will still have crazy high fuel surcharges on any BA flight.
We gave up trying to use FF miles. Turns out the cruise line has insanely low wholesale direct flights for the cost of BA fees! And we get there in a day instead of 3 so we save hotel money - an overnight at LHR for an early morning flight did not sound cheap or easy!
We gave up trying to use FF miles. Turns out the cruise line has insanely low wholesale direct flights for the cost of BA fees! And we get there in a day instead of 3 so we save hotel money - an overnight at LHR for an early morning flight did not sound cheap or easy!
May 23rd, 2012, 06:11 PM
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Keep in mind that London's Heathrow airport is one of the most expensive departure taxes around-lately it has been around $159 USD.( Rome used to be around $60.) London's Gatwick airport is actually about $30 cheaper FYI.
May 26th, 2012, 07:20 PM
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April 2012 the taxes/cost of an Econ.plus on BA, direct from Calgary to Madrid via LHR..was just over 500$.round trip...I didn't think that was too bad as the ff ticket was 45,000 miles... The ff had gone up double after the new year but the taxes still were just over 500$.
