Fuel Surcharge (YQ/YR)
A cash fee airlines add to award tickets, technically for fuel cost recovery but kept after fuel prices drop.
Full definition
Fuel surcharges (also called carrier-imposed surcharges, YQ/YR in ticketing jargon) are cash fees airlines add to award tickets beyond government taxes. They originated to recover 2008-era fuel costs and have persisted even as fuel prices dropped.
Programs vary dramatically: British Airways, Virgin Atlantic (Virgin metal), Lufthansa, Air France, Korean Air pass full surcharges (sometimes $700+ round-trip business). Atmos Rewards, Aeroplan, Turkish Miles&Smiles don't pass surcharges at all on most routes. This matters: BA Avios business class looks cheap at 50K one-way but the $600 fuel surcharge eliminates most of the value.
Also known as: YQ, carrier-imposed surcharge
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