The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!

Topic Wiki

Color codes:
Green (7 programs): Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Lime (2 program): Does not charge a fuel surcharge for their own or for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Blue (3 programs): Charges a fuel surcharge for flying on their own metal and for flying on partners that normally collect a fuel surcharge for flying on their own metal. Does not charge a fuel surcharge for flying on partners that normally do not collect a fuel surcharge when flying on their own metal.
Purple (1 program): Doesn't charge a fuel surcharge for their own or partner flights originating from the US. Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights originating outside of the US.
Teal (1 program):Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Red (8 programs): Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
Orange (21 programs): Unknown or incomplete info.

Star:
Adria: ???
Air Canada: Charges a fuel surcharge for flying on their own metal. Does not charge a fuel surcharge for flying on partner airlines.
Note: If you fly on these carriers you will pay a fuel surcharge: Adria, Air Canada, ANA, Asiana, Austrian, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, TAP Portugal, and THAI.
If you fly on these carriers you will not pay a fuel surcharge: Aegean, Air China, Air New Zealand, Avianca/TACA, Brussels, Copa, Croatia, EgyptAir, Ethiopian, SAS, Singapore, South African, Swiss, TAM, Turkish, United, and USAirways.
Air China: ???
Air New Zealand: ??? (Does charge on own metal, unknown about partners)
ANA: Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Asiana: ??? (Does charge on own metal, unknown about partners)
Austrian: ???
EgyptAir: ???
Miles And More (Adria, Austrian, Brussels, Croatia, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, and Swiss): Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
Exception: No fuel surcharge for redeeming any Miles and More carrier on miles for flying on Lot Polish.
EuroBonus (Blue1, SAS): Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Shanghai: ???
Singapore: No longer charges for flights on their own metal but does for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Note: Singapore charges a surcharge for travel on most partners, with the exceptions being United and Virgin Australia.
South African: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
TAM: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Tap Portugal ???
Thai: ??? (Does charge on own metal, unknown about partners)
Turkish: Charges on all flights including partner flights (confirmation needed about partner flights)
United: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.

OneWorld:
AA: Does not charge a fuel surcharge for their own or for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Note: AA does charge a hefty fuel surcharge for redemption on partner British Airways, and a small fuel surcharge for flying on Iberia, however they do not charge it for redemption on their own metal or on other partners.
British Airways:Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Note: BA charges a surcharge for travel on most partners, with the exceptions being Aer Lingus, Alaska, and LAN. BA does not collect a fuel surcharge on AA flights that are wholly within the Western Hemisphere.
BA also does not collect fuel surcharges for flights within Europe.
You can transfer BA Avios to Iberia to save on fuel surcharges collected on Iberia flights.
Cathay Pacific: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
Finnair: ???
Iberia: ???
JAL: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
LAN: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Qantas: Charges a fuel surcharge for flying on their own metal and for flying on partners that normally collect a fuel surcharge, exception being travel on El Al metal where they don't charge fuel surcharges even though El Al does charge. Does not charge a fuel surcharge for flying on partners that normally do not collect a fuel surcharge.
Royal Jordanian: ???

Skyteam:
Aeroflot: ???
AeroMexico: Charges a fuel surcharge on some (possibly all) award tickets on their own metal. Unknown if they charge fuel surcharges on partner awards.
Alitalia: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
China Southern: ???
Czech: ???
Delta: Doesn't charge a fuel surcharge for their own or partner flights originating from the US. Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights originating outside of the US.
Note: Delta does charge a hefty fuel surcharge for redemption on partners Malaysia and Virgin Australia, even on flight originating in the United States.
Flying Blue (AirEuropa, Air France, Kenya, KLM): Charges a fuel surcharge for flying on their own metal and for flying on partners that normally collect a fuel surcharge. Does not charge a fuel surcharge for flying on partners that normally do not collect a fuel surcharge.
Note: This means no fuel surcharges for Delta flights.
Korean: ???
Tarom: ???
Vietnam: ???

Unaligned:
Alaska: Does not charge a fuel surcharge for their own or for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Note: Alaska does charge a hefty fuel surcharge for redemption on partner British Airways, however they do not charge it for redemption on their own metal or on other partners like AA, Air France/KLM, Cathay Pacific, Delta, or Qantas.
El Al: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets.
Emirates: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Virgin Atlantic: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.

« Last edited by as2 on January 01, 2019, 06:29:17 PM »

Dan:
I hate paying huge BS fees on free tickets. These fees can be as high as $300, $400, or even $800 on a ticket!
Avoid accumulating miles on airlines that charge these fees and hopefully they'll see the errors of the their ways...
Just recently, South African and SAS has ditched their fuel surcharges on award tickets, hopefully more will follow! It's just a poor way to reward loyalty and is a dishonest business practice.

If anyone would like to volunteer to help categorize more airlines that would be great!

Color codes:
Green (7 programs): Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Lime (2 program): Does not charge a fuel surcharge for their own or for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Blue (3 programs): Charges a fuel surcharge for flying on their own metal and for flying on partners that normally collect a fuel surcharge for flying on their own metal. Does not charge a fuel surcharge for flying on partners that normally do not collect a fuel surcharge when flying on their own metal.
Purple (1 program): Doesn't charge a fuel surcharge for their own or partner flights originating from the US. Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights originating outside of the US.
Teal (1 program):Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Red (8 programs): Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
Orange (21 programs): Unknown or incomplete info.

Star:
Adria: ???
Air Canada: Charges a fuel surcharge for flying on their own metal. Does not charge a fuel surcharge for flying on partner airlines.
Note: As of 01/29 if you fly on these carriers you will pay a fuel surcharge: Adria, Air Canada, ANA, Asiana, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, TAP Portugal, and THAI.
Air China: ???
Air New Zealand: ??? (Does charge on own metal, unknown about partners)
ANA: Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Note: SQ charges a surcharge for travel on most partners, with the exceptions being United and USAirways..[/color]
Asiana: ??? (Does charge on own metal, unknown about partners)
Austrian: ???
BMI: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
EgyptAir: ???
Miles And More (Adria, Austrian, Brussels, Croatia, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, and Swiss): Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
Exception: No fuel surcharge for redeeming any Miles and More carrier on miles for flying on Lot Polish.
EuroBonus (Blue1, SAS): Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Shanghai: ???
Singapore: Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Note: Singapore charges a surcharge for travel on most partners, with the exceptions being United and USAirways..
South African: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
TAM: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Tap Portugal ???
Thai: ??? (Does charge on own metal, unknown about partners)
Turkish: ??? (Does charge on own metal, unknown about partners)
United: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
USAirways: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Note: US does charge an award processing fee of $25-$50, but phone fees are waived for partner award flights

OneWorld:
AA: Does not charge a fuel surcharge for their own or for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Note: AA does charge a hefty fuel surcharge for redemption on partner British Airways, and a small fuel surcharge for flying on Iberia, however they do not charge it for redemption on their own metal or on other partners.
British Airways:Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Note: BA charges a surcharge for travel on most partners, with the exceptions being LAN flights and AA flights that do not cross the Atlantic or Pacific oceans.
Cathay Pacific: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
Finnair: ???
Iberia: ???
JAL: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
LAN: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Qantas: Charges a fuel surcharge for flying on their own metal and for flying on partners that normally collect a fuel surcharge. Does not charge a fuel surcharge for flying on partners that normally do not collect a fuel surcharge.
Royal Jordanian: ???

Skyteam:
Aeroflot: ???
AeroMexico: ???
Alitalia: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.
China Southern: ???
Czech: ???
Delta: Doesn't charge a fuel surcharge for their own or partner flights originating from the US. Charges a fuel surcharge for their own and for partner flights originating outside of the US.
Note: Delta does charge a hefty fuel surcharge for redemption on partners Malaysia and Virgin Australia, even on flight originating in the United States.
Flying Blue (AirEuropa, Air France, Kenya, KLM): Charges a fuel surcharge for flying on their own metal and for flying on partners that normally collect a fuel surcharge. Does not charge a fuel surcharge for flying on partners that normally do not collect a fuel surcharge.
Note: This means no fuel surcharges for Delta flights.
Korean: ???
Tarom: ???
Vietnam: ???

Unaligned:
Alaska: Does not charge a fuel surcharge for their own or for partner flights except for when flying on select partners.
Note: Alaska does charge a hefty fuel surcharge for redemption on partner British Airways, however they do not charge it for redemption on their own metal or on other partners like AA, Air France/KLM, Cathay Pacific, Delta, or Qantas.
El Al: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets.
Emirates: Never charges a fuel surcharge on their own or partner award tickets.
Virgin Atlantic: Always charges a fuel surcharge on award tickets, even on partners that normally don't charge a fuel surcharge.

Dan:
Updated the list...if anyone has experience with any other airlines or data points please chime in!

SuperFlyer:

--- Quote from: Dan on April 14, 2010, 05:07:09 PM ---Updated the list...if anyone has experience with any other airlines or data points please chime in!

--- End quote ---

to category 5 you can add all European FF programs.

Dan:

--- Quote from: SuperFlyer on April 14, 2010, 08:03:08 PM ---to category 5 you can add all European FF programs.

--- End quote ---
Not BA.
Which ones specifically? Does BMI and LH charge a fuel surcharge on CO award tickets?

SuperFlyer:
I dont really care what you call them. If tickets have more often then not $300+ charges, its called fuel surcharge by me, even if it isn't.