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 »

Author Topic: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!  (Read 608712 times)

Offline Dan

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #20 on: July 02, 2010, 04:42:31 PM »
I've completely redone the original post to include every airline out there.
If you're able to help categorize any more airlines that would be awesome!
And if you catch any mistakes please point them out as well!
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Offline Mikeoracle

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #21 on: July 02, 2010, 06:14:37 PM »
Great Job!

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #22 on: July 03, 2010, 05:23:29 AM »
Very nicely done!

When I used Qantas miles for LGA-YYZ flying AA they only charged me around $50 which I'm pretty sure was only for tax.

Btw, how can one tell if the charge on the award ticket is only the tax (which has to be paid on every ticket) or if it is also a fuel surcharge?
« Last Edit: July 03, 2010, 06:50:53 AM by aussiebochur »

Offline YOSEF

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #23 on: July 03, 2010, 10:26:53 PM »
Very nicely done!

When I used Qantas miles for LGA-YYZ flying AA they only charged me around $50 which I'm pretty sure was only for tax.

Btw, how can one tell if the charge on the award ticket is only the tax (which has to be paid on every ticket) or if it is also a fuel surcharge?

you could always check the actual paid price of the ticket...they break it down for you.
Using your example, go on AA and check how much they tack on for a paid ticket.

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #24 on: July 03, 2010, 10:47:13 PM »
you could always check the actual paid price of the ticket...they break it down for you.
Using your example, go on AA and check how much they tack on for a paid ticket.
I did that but it says taxes/fees $xx.
So if the charges on the award ticket are the same as the paid ticket, does that mean
that they only charge the tax on the award ticket or is there fuel surcharges on both the paid and award ticket?

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #25 on: July 03, 2010, 10:58:46 PM »
Very nicely done!

When I used Qantas miles for LGA-YYZ flying AA they only charged me around $50 which I'm pretty sure was only for tax.

Btw, how can one tell if the charge on the award ticket is only the tax (which has to be paid on every ticket) or if it is also a fuel surcharge?

On a price breakdown you can see a code YQ which stands for fuel surcharge.

$50 for LGA-YYZ sounds about right for just taxes.  You can always compare the tax to what the exact amount charged on AA.com for the same award ticket would be and see if there is a fuel surcharge.

Have you used Qantas miles to book a BA or Cathay Pacfic ticket? It seems like they don't charge a fuel surcharge for AA, so we just need to know if they charge a fuel surcharge on the airlines that normally charge a fuel surcharge themselves.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #26 on: July 03, 2010, 11:09:02 PM »
Have you used Qantas miles to book a BA or Cathay Pacfic ticket? It seems like they don't charge a fuel surcharge for AA, so we just need to know if they charge a fuel surcharge on the airlines that normally charge a fuel surcharge themselves.
Ill do a dummy booking and see what it comes up with.

Using Qantas miles to fly HKG-LHR on BA the taxes/fees are HKD$2343=$USD300.
It doesn't give me a difference between taxes and fees even in the breakdown, so I'm not sure if its only taxes or also fuel surcharge.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2010, 11:19:04 PM by aussiebochur »

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #27 on: July 13, 2010, 06:29:17 AM »
Booked a ticket today using CO miles. EWR-LHR stopover a day LHR-ZRH-TLV returning TLV-FRA-EWR. (tried finding Swiss but not a single business seat ZRH-JFK on any date, today until end of availability (330 days), 10 points anyone that can find a seat.)
Anyway, the tax came out to $265. I thought it was quite high being CO doesn't charge fuel surcharges. The rep said that more than half was for a tax flying out of London in business. Anyone had this before?

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #28 on: July 13, 2010, 11:31:10 AM »
Booked a ticket today using CO miles. EWR-LHR stopover a day LHR-ZRH-TLV returning TLV-FRA-EWR. (tried finding Swiss but not a single business seat ZRH-JFK on any date, today until end of availability (330 days), 10 points anyone that can find a seat.)
Anyway, the tax came out to $265. I thought it was quite high being CO doesn't charge fuel surcharges. The rep said that more than half was for a tax flying out of London in business. Anyone had this before?
Yup flights into the UK in J or F have a ~$150 or so "premium seat fee".

There are talks of getting rid of it, I say avoid LHR until they do, espcially just for a 1 day stopover.  I think if you just connect there and ditch the stopover you won't pay the fee, but I'm not 100% positive.
You couldn't find a single J seat from ZRH-JFK ever??? That's weird.  What about to BOS or ORD? Or via Canada?
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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #29 on: August 24, 2010, 01:50:14 PM »
Ill do a dummy booking and see what it comes up with.

Using Qantas miles to fly HKG-LHR on BA the taxes/fees are HKD$2343=$USD300.
It doesn't give me a difference between taxes and fees even in the breakdown, so I'm not sure if its only taxes or also fuel surcharge.
Aussie, can you try doing a dummy booking for LHR-JFK on BA in coach using Qantas miles so we can compare the number to AA and see if there's a fuel surcharge or if it's just taxes.
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Offline aussiebochur

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #30 on: August 24, 2010, 01:56:44 PM »
Aussie, can you try doing a dummy booking for LHR-JFK on BA in coach using Qantas miles so we can compare the number to AA and see if there's a fuel surcharge or if it's just taxes.
£151.30
Today in USD$234.05

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #31 on: August 24, 2010, 02:03:44 PM »
£151.30
Today in USD$234.05
LHR-JFK-LHR on AA in coach is $126.40.
Seems like
-QF adds a fuel surcharge on their own metal
-QF adds a fuel surcharge on partners that normally charge a fuel surcharge when flying on their own metal
-QF does not add a fuel surcharge on partners that normally do not charge a fuel surcharge when flying on their own metal.

Sound right? Any other examples that would refute that?
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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #32 on: August 24, 2010, 02:15:21 PM »
LHR-JFK-LHR on AA in coach is $126.40.
Seems like
-QF adds a fuel surcharge on their own metal
-QF adds a fuel surcharge on partners that normally charge a fuel surcharge when flying on their own metal
-QF does not add a fuel surcharge on partners that normally do not charge a fuel surcharge when flying on their own metal.

Sound right? Any other examples that would refute that?
Seems right.


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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #33 on: September 07, 2010, 11:10:55 AM »
Lucky is reporting that ANA doesn't charge a fuel surcharge when flying on Virgin Atlantic, which makes it an incredible value for redeeming on Virgin Upper Class.
Of course this would place ANA in an entirely new category, namely the "charges a fuel surcharge whenever they feel like it with no rhyme or reason" category.

Can someone with ANA miles please confirm if they really don't charge a fuel surcharge for redeeming on Virgin Atlantic?
If they really don't I wonder what other airlines they do/don't charge for?
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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #34 on: September 07, 2010, 11:38:35 AM »
Lucky is reporting that ANA doesn't charge a fuel surcharge when flying on Virgin Atlantic, which makes it an incredible value for redeeming on Virgin Upper Class.
Of course this would place ANA in an entirely new category, namely the "charges a fuel surcharge whenever they feel like it with no rhyme or reason" category.

Can someone with ANA miles please confirm if they really don't charge a fuel surcharge for redeeming on Virgin Atlantic?
If they really don't I wonder what other airlines they do/don't charge for?
I tried booking online but VS only comes up as "RQ" on ANA and the total before submitting the request is 63K miles but fees are not shown.
If I get a chance I will try to call them up and see if they can tell me over the phone.

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #35 on: September 07, 2010, 11:44:13 AM »
I tried booking online but VS only comes up as "RQ" on ANA and the total before submitting the request is 63K miles but fees are not shown.
If I get a chance I will try to call them up and see if they can tell me over the phone.
Thanks, let us know what you find out!
Getting 2 upper class tickets for 100K SPG with no fuel surcharge would indeed be great!
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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #36 on: September 07, 2010, 11:44:49 AM »
A dummy booking on ANA's website wont give the price. It says it cant calculate it...

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #37 on: September 07, 2010, 11:46:15 AM »
I tried booking online but VS only comes up as "RQ" on ANA and the total before submitting the request is 63K miles but fees are not shown.
If I get a chance I will try to call them up and see if they can tell me over the phone.
A dummy booking on ANA's website wont give the price. It says it cant calculate it...
I'm getting slow in my old age...

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #38 on: September 07, 2010, 12:07:46 PM »
Thanks, let us know what you find out!
Getting 2 upper class tickets for 100K SPG with no fuel surcharge would indeed be great!
Definitely the best value out of ANA miles, especially the way people talk about Upper Class...
But, you'll only get as LHR as ANA doesn't allow mixing partners...

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Re: The New Color-Coded Fuel Surcharges On Award Tickets Master Thread!
« Reply #39 on: September 07, 2010, 12:14:03 PM »
Thanks, let us know what you find out!
Getting 2 upper class tickets for 100K SPG with no fuel surcharge would indeed be great!
OK, I just got off the phone with ANA and I had to make a booking in order to get all the info. (They do a courtesy 3 day hold on the booking before ticketing if you have the points in the account and let it expire if you dont call to confirm it- anyone named "Mike Oracle" want to buy the ticket off of me for October trip to London  ;D ;D ;D .)
The taxes/fees came out to $194.60 which is exactly (to the penny) what CO would charge for booking on Virgin Atlantic for the exact flights I checked.
Additional note; The availability I found via CO.com was available when I spoke to ANA.