Booking / Paying for AAdvantage Awards

[bcworld]

Hi All,

Apologies as I'm sure this is probably covered elsewhere but my searching / browsing is struggling to yield anything specific.

I am trying to make an award reservation (on QF) using AAdvantage miles. However I cannot get past the payment stage and each time get a message telling me to call up - no specific error is specified.

I'm aware there are numerous discussions about payment, the 'El Segundo' method etc...many of which refer to making cash bookings on other country sites.

Is there a trick to getting a (Australian) credit card payment to go through on the AAdvantage website?

If I put the booking on hold and call up the local AA office am I likely to run into any issues / additional fees? I did read a comment elsewhere that having put a booking on hold the local AA office could not then accept payment for it...this may or may not be the case?

Thanks for any help.

 

[grussellt]

For your billing address try putting in a 5-digit code (zip) instead of your 4-digit Australian code. To make sure you have a valid code try a search on Google e,g Miami, Fl is 33133. If you ring up they will either try and slug you for a fee or advise you to ring the "Australian " office - don't do the latter. By all means put the award on hold while it's there.

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

For your billing address try putting in a 5-digit code (zip) instead of your 4-digit Australian code. To make sure you have a valid code try a search on Google e,g Miami, Fl is 33133. If you ring up they will either try and slug you for a fee or advise you to ring the "Australian " office - don't do the latter. By all means put the award on hold while it's there.

Seriously, this works as a way to avoid the $80 "assistance fee" charged by the local call centre?

 

[grussellt]

Sometimes it does and occasionally it doesn't. AA seems to change policy from time to time and it may be status dependent if you call up. I don't mind paying $25 for a telephone booking but I am reluctant to pay $80 for assistance with use of a credit card. If all else fails HUACA!

 

[NM]

I always just add a leading zero to my billing address postcode and it works fine. When I need to call (because the flights/carriers I want to use are not available on-line) then I always call the USA number as the "assistance" fee is only US$25 and not the much higher fee charged for calling the local Aussie number. And when calling, I always tell teh agent to add the leading zero to my post code and the payment always processes fine.

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

I always just add a leading zero to my billing address postcode and it works fine. When I need to call (because the flights/carriers I want to use are not available on-line) then I always call the USA number as the "assistance" fee is only US$25 and not the much higher fee charged for calling the local Aussie number. And when calling, I always tell teh agent to add the leading zero to my post code and the payment always processes fine.

Handy to know, thank you! You've just saved me several lots of various $55 amounts.

 

[grussellt]

Also remember to use the phone facility on gmail (or one of the other free services ) so that your US calls are free - in case of long waiting time.

 

[asg29e]

I always just add a leading zero to my billing address postcode and it works fine. When I need to call (because the flights/carriers I want to use are not available on-line) then I always call the USA number as the "assistance" fee is only US$25 and not the much higher fee charged for calling the local Aussie number. And when calling, I always tell teh agent to add the leading zero to my post code and the payment always processes fine.

This possibly only works if you snag a valid US zip code by using this method. Safer and easier is just leaving the postcode field blank. It is not a required field and if you fill it up with what the AA computers think is garbage you will have problems.

 

[NM]

Also remember to use the phone facility on gmail (or one of the other free services ) so that your US calls are free - in case of long waiting time.

I can make free calls to the USA without needing to use gmail/skype etc . Very convenient for me - just pick up the handset and dial the USA 1800 Platinum number.

 

[grussellt]

I'm afraid I don't have platinum status with AA so they may not provide me with the same convenience. However I do share a post-nominal with the Australian Prime Minister. Would that merit the AAdvantage service that I surely deserve?

 

[ejd711]

For some reason my HSBC credit card works for payments on the AA website provided I either add the 0 or leave the postcode field blank. But for the life of me I haven't been able to get my 28 degrees MC card to be accepted using the same methods. There is 2% foreign transaction fee I would rather save if I could...

About to apply for a Citi Plus Visa debit account so maybe I'll have more luck there?

Anyone else had trouble with 28 degrees card or just me?

 

[NM]

For some reason my HSBC credit card works for payments on the AA website provided I either add the 0 or leave the postcode field blank. But for the life of me I haven't been able to get my 28 degrees MC card to be accepted using the same methods. There is 2% foreign transaction fee I would rather save if I could...

About to apply for a Citi Plus Visa debit account so maybe I'll have more luck there?

Anyone else had trouble with 28 degrees card or just me?

I have used 28 degrees card to pay the taxes for AAdvantage Awards, so there is no generic issue with that card.

 

[auriga]

It is just crazy that paying with a credit card can be so challenging!

 

[ejd711]

Found out why my 28 degrees card wasn't working. I haven't used it much in the last four months since I went overseas and it has been rejected a few times. Turns out GE Money put a block on it and didn't tell me. Useful! Anyway, at least it should be sweet again for AA flights amongst everything else with a foreign transaction fee.

 

[Kangol]

I can make free calls to the USA without needing to use gmail/skype etc . Very convenient for me - just pick up the handset and dial the USA 1800 Platinum number.

1 800 843 3000? (guessing you don't need the last zero)

Or did you use this method first?

I've used the said FT method successfully every time I ring AA but tried it with other numbers and it didn't work (including an AS 800 number).

Looks like 800 is a freecall prefix in the US but I've only had luck with the various AA departments:
Toll-free telephone number - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[bcworld]

Thanks for all the advice here...next time I'll try the leading zero on the 'zip code' first...in this case I ended up using QF points instead.

 

[NM]

1 800 843 3000? (guessing you don't need the last zero)

Or did you use this method first?

I have an IP phone that connects to our corporate IP PBX in the USA, so it have a USA phone number (for incoming calls) and makes calls just as if a USA phone. The way the IP PBX is configured, I just dial 1800 843 3000 (the number on the back of my Plat card) and go from there. The only thing to consider is the time of day when calling. Anything requiring connection to the AAdvantage Service Center needs to be business hours in USA Central timezone. But for award reservations, its good 24/7.

 

[Kangol]

I have an IP phone that connects to our corporate IP PBX in the USA, so it have a USA phone number (for incoming calls) and makes calls just as if a USA phone. The way the IP PBX is configured, I just dial 1800 843 3000 (the number on the back of my Plat card) and go from there. The only thing to consider is the time of day when calling. Anything requiring connection to the AAdvantage Service Center needs to be business hours in USA Central timezone. But for award reservations, its good 24/7.

Oh.. is there any way to get that for a residential account?
Not the same as VOIP is it?

 

[asg29e]

Thanks for all the advice here...next time I'll try the leading zero on the 'zip code' first...in this case I ended up using QF points instead.

Recommend first try leaving the zip code field blank. Easier and more reliable.

 

[straitman]

For your billing address try putting in a 5-digit code (zip) instead of your 4-digit Australian code. To make sure you have a valid code try a search on Google e,g Miami, Fl is 33133. If you ring up they will either try and slug you for a fee or advise you to ring the "Australian " office - don't do the latter. By all means put the award on hold while it's there.

I have had absolutely no issue with the Australian (Suva) office. I have only waited a few minutes once and got straight through the other times. there are only 4 people in the office and I have spoken to them all without issue.

I booked online and then couldn't pay and they could see the booking (partial or completed) and the call gets it sorted without any issue or charges.