Amercan Airlines bookings via Etihad Guest

[scullkr]

Hi everyone,

I was hoping to use Etihad call centre to book a multi city award booking via American Airlines as explained in this article (checking for Saver availability via AAdvantage and calling then Etihad to book).
How To Use Amex Points For Great Value American Airlines Flights... - God Save The Points

We hit a roadblock on the first leg PER- NAN via SYD. Neither PER- NAN nor SYD- NAN showed any availability (flights via Qantas and Fiji Airways) via the Operator despite having availability on my end via the AAdantage site.

Would this be correct? Is all Award space not released to Etihad?

 

[scullkr]

I called back and found someone more helpful.

Award space for September 2019 would not be released yet at this stage to partners. He advised calling back weekly.

 

[Mattg]

I'm a little confused. Were you trying to use Etihad Guest miles to book flights from Perth to Nadi on Qantas and Fiji Airways? This is not possible as neither Qantas, nor Fiji Airways are partners of Etihad Guest.

FWIW, you could redeem Etihad miles for Virgin Australia flights on this route.

 

[scullkr]

I'm a little confused. Were you trying to use Etihad Guest miles to book flights from Perth to Nadi on Qantas and Fiji Airways? This is not possible as neither Qantas, nor Fiji Airways are partners of Etihad Guest.

FWIW, you could redeem Etihad miles for Virgin Australia flights on this route.

Apologies for the confusion.

I was hoping to book American Airlines award space using Etihad miles as explained in the linked article. The redemptions are cheaper and I can use my Amex points balance. It is possible but reward space has not been released by American to Etihad yet in relation to the flights I was after.

The article explains it much clearer.

 

[Mattg]

Apologies for the confusion.

I was hoping to book American Airlines award space using Etihad miles as explained in the linked article. The redemptions are cheaper and I can use my Amex points balance. It is possible but reward space has not been released by American to Etihad yet in relation to the flights I was after.

The article explains it much clearer.

OK, so which route were you trying to book with Etihad miles? American Airlines does not fly between Perth and Nadi.

 

[scullkr]

You have access to Aadvantage award seats- the flights can be operated by partners of American Airlines.

As already stated the AAdvantage site gave me MileSAAver availability of a Qantas flight PER-SYD and Fiji Airways SYD-NAN.

Etihad call centre happily checked this specific route for me knowing the airlines involved. The first operator said the route wa impossible but the second explained that Aadvantage award seats for this route were not yet available to them as it was too far in advance, hence my second post.

 

[Mattg]

You have access to Aadvantage award seats- the flights can be operated by partners of American Airlines.

Sorry, but this is not correct. You cannot redeem Etihad Guest miles for flights opetated by Qantas or Fiji Airways. What the first agent told you is correct.

 

[scullkr]

Sorry, but this is not correct. You cannot redeem Etihad Guest miles for flights opetated by Qantas or Fiji Airways. What the first agent told you is correct.

Ok I understand- it must only be American Airlines flights the process works for.

Thanks for clarifying- this is what I was originally asking but the second call operator led me astray.

The inconsistencies with different operators with regards to the points game never fails to astound me.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ok I understand- it must only be American Airlines flights the process works for.

Thanks for clarifying- this is what I was originally asking but the second call operator led me astray.

The inconsistencies with different operators with regards to the points game never fails to astound me.

The first operator gave you the answer and it sounds like the second operator was just trying to resolve the call as quickly as possible, and also probably didn't appreciate you were trying to book Qantas and Fiji Airways (it's very unlikely an Etihad agent would actually think their program could book either of those two carriers).