Fee's on AA flight

[terryinal]

I was looking at a one way ticket. BHM-MIA-BCN on 9/9/13. It takes 30,000 miles but they say Taxes and Carrier-Imposed Fees:

$2.50 to $700.00 USD per person per award. Any Idea how much the tax and fee's would be.What kind of fee's would be 700 dollars. I have never use miles before to buy a ticket

.

[klfrodo]

Since your flight is going to Europe, I believe the EU requires airlines to pass on fees for CO2 emissions (green house gasses) plus fuel surcharges.

[Gardyloo]

Flights on British Airways planes will be subject to a fuel surcharge imposed by BA; this can amount to hundreds of dollars, in some cases close to the actual plane fare if you purchased the tickets.

 

If you're using AA's online award booking screens, there will be a little box under "airlines" that says "British Airways." Uncheck it and see if there's any space for your chosen days. You can see the final price (miles plus cash) on the final screen before you commit. All AA will probably be 30,000 miles (20,000 if off-peak) plus $5; using BA planes via London will also be 30,000 (20,000) miles but more like $300 - all fuel surcharge.

[terryinal]

Flights on British Airways planes will be subject to a fuel surcharge imposed by BA; this can amount to hundreds of dollars, in some cases close to the actual plane fare if you purchased the tickets.

 

If you're using AA's online award booking screens, there will be a little box under "airlines" that says "British Airways." Uncheck it and see if there's any space for your chosen days. You can see the final price (miles plus cash) on the final screen before you commit. All AA will probably be 30,000 miles (20,000 if off-peak) plus $5; using BA planes via London will also be 30,000 (20,000) miles but more like $300 - all fuel surcharge.

 

Thank you for the imf.. That is what I was looking for.I didn't know I could see the final price before I commit.

[bluesea777]

In Oct we flew AA from Bermuda - Miami - BCN and then from MIA - BDA and we paid $65 and 32500 miles per person. The 20000 for the first leg and the 12500 for the home bound flight.

 

Last year it was BDA-JFK-BCN and then MIA-BDA and paid $62 and 32500 miles per person.

 

Both times was on or after Oct 15 when they go from peak to off-peak.

[terryinal]

In Oct we flew AA from Bermuda - Miami - BCN and then from MIA - BDA and we paid $65 and 32500 miles per person. The 20000 for the first leg and the 12500 for the home bound flight.

 

Last year it was BDA-JFK-BCN and then MIA-BDA and paid $62 and 32500 miles per person.

 

Both times was on or after Oct 15 when they go from peak to off-peak.

 

I can live with them kind of fees. I didn't want to be poped with 200 plus in fees. I unchecked the BA and will go with AA.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We try to avoid flying out of Heathrow due to added fees. If you do a fake booking you will get to a screen that tells you the miles needed and the airport fees. Heathrow is around $700 in addition to the miles for us. Other European airports tend to be under $200 total for two.

 

Someone mentioned taxes on BA, and to uncheck the BA button. I haven't seen this button on the AA site. I also didn't know about the extra taxes. I do like flying BA, though we haven't for a while. Do you see how much the taxes are if you get to the screen after you have chosen flights?

[KirkNC]

We try to avoid flying out of Heathrow due to added fees. If you do a fake booking you will get to a screen that tells you the miles needed and the airport fees. Heathrow is around $700 in addition to the miles for us. Other European airports tend to be under $200 total for two.

 

Someone mentioned taxes on BA, and to uncheck the BA button. I haven't seen this button on the AA site. I also didn't know about the extra taxes. I do like flying BA, though we haven't for a while. Do you see how much the taxes are if you get to the screen after you have chosen flights?

 

$700 :eek: thats ridiculous, you might as well buy a regular ticket for $1200-1400.

[Gunner22aa]

Expect to pay any taxes due (federal/state)along with airport improvement fees if charged as well as any extra security fees charged. Last time I used points here in Canada for a short haul flight from Edmonton to Portland OR it all added up to $132 per ticket round trip.

[Gardyloo]

We try to avoid flying out of Heathrow due to added fees. If you do a fake booking you will get to a screen that tells you the miles needed and the airport fees. Heathrow is around $700 in addition to the miles for us. Other European airports tend to be under $200 total for two.

 

Someone mentioned taxes on BA, and to uncheck the BA button. I haven't seen this button on the AA site. I also didn't know about the extra taxes. I do like flying BA, though we haven't for a while. Do you see how much the taxes are if you get to the screen after you have chosen flights?

There are taxes and then there are "taxes and fees." Taxes are imposed by a government, fees can be imposed by a non-governmental agency (e.g. Heathrow airport, which is owned privately) OR by an airline.

 

In the case of many departures from Britain (any airport, not just Heathrow) one is subject to UK Air Passenger Duty, in essence a departure tax. You don't pay APD if you're just transiting the UK (less than 24h in transit) or just landing there, only departing. This is an onerous tax that is very controversial in the UK.

 

Then there are some fees that one can avoid by your choice of airlines. The big dog in this case are fuel surcharges added by British Airways to their tickets.

 

When you buy a ticket on BA for cash (or credit card etc.) these fuel surcharges are buried in the total price, and the total price is usually quite close to that which you'd see on other airlines, e.g. American Airlines, for comparable flights. (For flights originating in the UK, and not transiting the UK, the APD will also be included in the bottom line, same for both airlines.)

 

However, if you redeem frequent flyer miles or points (either AA miles or BA Avios, or other FF miles that work on BA flights) for British Airways flights, you'll be billed separately for all the applicable taxes and fees, including both UK APD and BA's fuel surcharge. The fuel surcharge can and will be an amount up to hundreds of dollars each way, in some cases getting close to the actual cost of a purchased ticket. It reduces the value of your miles big time. But if you use other carriers you can avoid the BA fuel surcharge, even if it takes more work to find the flights. Avoiding the APD requires that you NOT start any trips in the UK, just transfer there.

[Globaliser]

$700 :eek: thats ridiculous, you might as well buy a regular ticket for $1200-1400.

It's well known that if you're planning to use frequent flyer miles for an award flight on BA, redeeming for an economy ticket is not a good value use for them.

[Gonzo70]

You can do a dummy booking and before you have to enter any payment information the website will reveal exactly how much the fees will be.

[Nebr.cruiser]

There are taxes and then there are "taxes and fees." Taxes are imposed by a government, fees can be imposed by a non-governmental agency (e.g. Heathrow airport, which is owned privately) OR by an airline.

 

In the case of many departures from Britain (any airport, not just Heathrow) one is subject to UK Air Passenger Duty, in essence a departure tax. You don't pay APD if you're just transiting the UK (less than 24h in transit) or just landing there, only departing. This is an onerous tax that is very controversial in the UK.

 

Then there are some fees that one can avoid by your choice of airlines. The big dog in this case are fuel surcharges added by British Airways to their tickets.

 

When you buy a ticket on BA for cash (or credit card etc.) these fuel surcharges are buried in the total price, and the total price is usually quite close to that which you'd see on other airlines, e.g. American Airlines, for comparable flights. (For flights originating in the UK, and not transiting the UK, the APD will also be included in the bottom line, same for both airlines.)

 

However, if you redeem frequent flyer miles or points (either AA miles or BA Avios, or other FF miles that work on BA flights) for British Airways flights, you'll be billed separately for all the applicable taxes and fees, including both UK APD and BA's fuel surcharge. The fuel surcharge can and will be an amount up to hundreds of dollars each way, in some cases getting close to the actual cost of a purchased ticket. It reduces the value of your miles big time. But if you use other carriers you can avoid the BA fuel surcharge, even if it takes more work to find the flights. Avoiding the APD requires that you NOT start any trips in the UK, just transfer there.

 

We are actually avoiding some Transatlantic cruises that end in the UK due to this taxes & fees situation. I'd rather take the ferry/chunnel to France and leave from Charles DeGaulle than pay this fee. Besides, that way we can spend a day or two in Paris.

 

Zurich was in this range for a recent flight I looked at too.