Example Fuel Dump (1X)

I’m not great with Fuel Dumping. It’s an incredibly complicated pursuit, and I’ve only started to scratch the surface. I’m showing an example that I discovered on my own. I’d consider this “unflyable” as you’d have to fly the first flight, or the rest of your itinerary would be cancelled.

Fuel dumping is where you tack on flights to an itinerary, and as a result, the fuel surcharges (YQ) that are attached to the fare are reduced or removed. For example, say you had a $1000 fare, but $100 of that was “base fare” and the other $900 was YQ. Fuel dumping would attempt to eliminate the $900 of YQ.

The most common constructions for a fuel dump are 1X and 3X. A 1X is a flight before the main part of your itinerary that removes the YQ, and a 3X is a flight after the main part. On a 1X, you usually have to fly the first flight or the rest of the itinerary is cancelled. On a 3x, the last flight can be skipped without consequence.

Here’s the example. If I search New York JFK to Dubai DXB on April 28-May 6 on Priceline, I’ll get this:

Screen Shot 2015-03-10 at 4.36.33 PM

Now if I use the multi-city search and put in the 1X:

Screen Shot 2015-03-10 at 5

Wow! That’s $610.75 in savings! However, as a 1X, you’d probably have to fly the firstΒ segment, or else the Emirates flights would be cancelled (though it’s possible the airlines don’t communicate well and the itinerary remains intact — DON’T DO THIS! You’ll probably get burned!).

I’ve blacked out the 1X flight, to save myself from the wrath of the FD community πŸ˜‰

Hopefully this visual example will provide some insight to readers on what a fuel dump is.

 

30 Comments

    1. Nope. A 1X or 3X can be anywhere in the world. It doesn’t have to go to the main part of your itinerary.

      In this case, you’re nowhere close to the 1X πŸ˜‰

        1. Joke was that the price was photoshopped. A black box on the flights isn’t a big deal unless it was in a PDF.

    1. Is it possible to post it again? Only two years too late. I’m working on an EK strike and not having any luck

  1. Does this work only if you are not checking in any bags? I assume so since the bags would be flying all the way to the destination.

    1. no, checked bags have nothing to do with this one – this is not a hidden city (and even that can be dealt with if you need to check a bag)

  2. I’m obviously not an expert, can only get it down to $622 on a flight that would cost 3 times that to position and fly as a 1x!

    $219 is ridiculous.. definitely book it!

  3. I’ve gotten the NYC-DXB down to $491, but on Swiss! I can’t figure out the 1x for the EK flights…
    I used to read through the fuel dump forum on FT, but it’s way too much for me to follow now.

  4. One of the most pathetic blog posts I’ve ever read. You troll for info on FT and then don’t even know whether/how it works? Amateur.

  5. nice find! Any clues on the 1x since its been blacked out! Appreciate if someone can pm me/ email me the 1x (zoonilshop@gmail.com)

  6. Sry, but EK used to be widely open. Lots of opportunites have been cut down already (ask those Europeans).

    Your post does not do any good to us flyers but clicks for 2 weeks.

  7. Yes, agree with above commenters. What’s the point of this article? To show us that you know something, (because some kind person told it to you) that we don’t know & probably will never get to learn or you wanted to interest others “in the know” to share more secrets with you, while keeping your loyal blog readers guessing, admiring you and feeling dumb? Really. No respect & no words other than that you are like a Troll. Sometimes it’s better to keep silence, then to look stupid by posting such pointless articles!

  8. Thank you so much for posting this! Like most of those interested in FD, I’ve read Travel Codex, attempted to weed through the FT forums, and make contacts within the community, to little avail. No one should be expecting a handout with all the answers, but it helps to see a hint now and then when it feels like such a locked and closed community. Yours was one more piece to add to my puzzle, and I’m happy to say that it helped me to get a ticket down to ~$250 on a different route. πŸ™‚

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