Beside above mentioned basic usage, "ITA software online airfare search also supports a very powerful query language, called the Route Language, which permits you to specify exactly which airlines, flight numbers, and connection points are considered for each portion of your trip."
Featured Links
Simple Search From AUS To IAH
Expert Search With Fare Class Code
Expert Search Result
Airfare Booking Detail Information
1. Route Language Expression.
| Expression | Example | Interpretation |
| ~ | ~ | Not included, should be negated (Preface with other expression). |
| * | * | Zero or more flights (Suffix with other expression). |
| + | + | One or more flights (Suffix with other expression). |
| ? | ? | Zero or one flights (Suffix with other expression). |
| ; | ; | Or function. (Commas without spaces between flights or points). |
| (spaces) | And function. (spaces between flights or points). | |
| / f | / f | The extensions to the routing language. |
| F:<flight> | F | Any single flight |
| <flight> | AA151 | Specific flight (Shorthand) |
| C:<carrier> | C:AA | Flight on specified carrier |
| C:<carrier>, ... | C:AA,CO,DL | Flight on one of carriers |
| <carrier>, ... | AA,CO,DL | Flight on one of carriers (Shorthand) |
| O:<carrier> | O:AA | Flight actually operated by (as opposed to a codeshare or subsidiary carrier) the specified carrier |
| O:<carrier>, ... | O:AA,CO,DL | Flight actually operated by (as opposed to a codeshare or subsidiary carrier) one of the specified carriers |
| N | N | Any single nonstop flight |
| N:<carrier> | N:AA | Nonstop flight on specified carrier |
| N:<carrier>, ... | N:AA,CO,DL | Nonstop flight on one of carriers |
| X:<city/airport> | X:NYC | Connection point |
| X | X | Any single connection point |
| <city/airport> | DFW | Connection point (shorthand) |
| <city/airport>, ... | DFW,STL | Connection in one of points (shorthand) |
2. Route Language Entry
Route Language entries are at the "From" and "To" input fields shows at Basic Usage 1. The basic command is:
<airports/cities> :: <route-expression>
3. Simple Examples.
| Example | Interpretation | |
| From: To: |
AUS :: IAH SJC;SFO |
Only search for options which depart from Austin to San Jose or San Francisco, and which stop in Houston airport for the outbound, but which may use any itinerary for the return from San Jose or San Francisco to Austin |
| From: To: |
AUS:: AA+ SJC:: AA,CO |
Only search for options which are on any number of American Airlines flights for the outbound, and which uses a single flight on either American Airlines or Continental Airlines for the return |
| From: To: |
AUS :: IAH LAX SFO :: N |
Search outbound flight from Austin to San Francisco, and which Stops in Houston and Los Angeles; inbound flight from San Francisco nonstop to Austin. |
4. More Examples.
| Example | Interpretation |
| BOS :: N | Non-stop flight only. |
| BOS :: NYC | Single stop in New York. |
| BOS :: ~NYC | Single stop, not in New York. |
| BOS :: DEN? | Direct flight or one stop in Denver. |
| BOS :: X? | Direct flight or one stop anywhere. |
| BOS :: EWR CVG SLC | Stops in Newark, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake City. |
| BOS :: AA | Direct flight on AA (American Airlines). |
| BOS :: AA+ | Any number of flights on AA. |
| BOS :: AA,UA | Direct flight on either AA (American) or UA (United Airlines). |
| BOS :: ~AA | Direct flight, not on AA. |
| BOS :: ~AA,UA,CO | Direct flight, not on AA, UA, or CO (Continental). |
| BOS :: ~AA,UA,CO+ | Any number of flights not on AA, UA, or CO. |
| BOS :: AA+ DL+ | One or more flights on AA, followed by one or more flights on DL (Delta). |
| BOS :: AA DL,AF | Flight on AA followed by flight on either DL or AF. |
| BOS :: AA UA? | One AA flight, optionally followed by another flight on UA. |
| BOS :: AA N? | One AA flight, optionally followed by a nonstop flight on any airline. |
| BOS :: AA25 UA814 | Flight AA25 followed by UA814. |
| BOS :: AA25 UA+ | Flight AA25 followed by one or more flights on UA. |
| BOS :: AA25 F+ | Flight AA25 followed by one or more flights on any airline. |
| BOS :: DL CHI DL | Two DL flights with a connection in Chicago. |
| BOS :: O:UA | Single flight, operated by UA (and not any other airline or UA subsidiary carriers) |
| BOS :: ~UA882 | Single flight, but not UA882 |
5. Search By Fare Class Code (Expert Usage).
Command: "/ f bc=X" or "f bc=X|bc=Y|..."
| Example | Interpretation | |
| From: To: |
AUS :: co+ / f bc=i IAH :: co+ / f bc=i |
Limit the trip to travel on Continental Airlines and booking in the T fare class code. |
| From: To: |
AUS :: co+ / f bc=t|bc=i|bc=l IAH :: co+ / f bc=t|bc=i|bc=l |
Search Continental Airlines in the multiple T/X/L fare class code. Great for discount airfare search |
| From: To: |
AUS :: / f bc=t|bc=i|bc=l IAH :: / f bc=t|bc=i|bc=l |
No airline restriction, booking in the multiple T/X/L fare class code. Be cautious different airlines fare code are different. |
Reference:
ITA Route Language.
Computer Scientists Find Unexpected Depths In Airfare Search Problem:
Some information about ITA software algorithms.
