A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[Raymond]

I'm new to this particular program (although opened an account around a year ago) and am a little confused as to how it works. I have used LM in the past, but I need to book a flight pretty soon and ran out of LM points!

Just using their site, it seems J from Melbourne to Europe is 170,000 points which corresponds to $3540USD with the current offer. Am I getting the whole booking process wrong, or is 170,000 points normal? Ultimately it seems pretty poor compared to LM, but perhaps the special offer at the moment isn't a very good one.

The flights on the site aren't also good, multiple legs, economy in some of them; I'm only getting Qantas + British Airways flights.

 

[sergeyvzn]

I'm new to this particular program (although opened an account around a year ago) and am a little confused as to how it works. I have used LM in the past, but I need to book a flight pretty soon and ran out of LM points!

Just using their site, it seems J from Melbourne to Europe is 170,000 points which corresponds to $3540USD with the current offer. Am I getting the whole booking process wrong, or is 170,000 points normal? Ultimately it seems pretty poor compared to LM, but perhaps the special offer at the moment isn't a very good one.

The flights on the site aren't also good, multiple legs, economy in some of them; I'm only getting Qantas + British Airways flights.

170K return Australia to Europe is normal. After last year's devaluation AA is not any more the great value it used to be - it used to be 160K return in F Aus to Europe
only still good for Intra Australian flights like East to West Coast and Asia, for all other flights I wouldn't use it
as for flight availability - you don't search for seats on the site unless it's a straightforward combination as only few airlines are shown. You do your research on BA sector by sector and then call AA reservations to book, they will waive their phone booking fee because you can't do it online for the majority of OW airlines

generally speaking - AA is now only a second tier program for award flying in Australia, you need to have a plan B if you're looking to travel to Europe, Lifemiles is far better value now. Even United Milies is better value when their miles go on sale at 80-100% bonus

 

[Raymond]

170K return Australia to Europe is normal. After last year's devaluation AA is not any more the great value it used to be - it used to be 160K return in F Aus to Europe
only still good for Intra Australian flights like East to West Coast and Asia, for all other flights I wouldn't use it
as for flight availability - you don't search for seats on the site unless it's a straightforward combination as only few airlines are shown. You do your research on BA sector by sector and then call AA reservations to book, they will waive their phone booking fee because you can't do it online for the majority of OW airlines

generally speaking - AA is now only a second tier program for award flying in Australia, you need to have a plan B if you're looking to travel to Europe, Lifemiles is far better value now. Even United Milies is better value when their miles go on sale at 80-100% bonus

Thanks for the information. So it corresponds to about $4,700AUD excluding taxes for a J flight to Europe. Still better than booking a standard flight, I think LM though is around $3,000AUD last I checked, so quite a big difference! Will wait until early Feb, hopefully LM have a special on.

 

[sergeyvzn]

Thanks for the information. So it corresponds to about $4,700AUD excluding taxes for a J flight to Europe. Still better than booking a standard flight, I think LM though is around $3,000AUD last I checked, so quite a big difference! Will wait until early Feb, hopefully LM have a special on.

About right. If you add another $500 or so you can get a Finnair J special to Europe and you'll get your points and status credits

 

[Raymond]

Out of curiosity, when the transition was made from USDA>AA, those that held points I'm assuming got an instant devaluation in them? There was no warning about the changes to give people an opportunity to quickly book flights?

 

[sergeyvzn]

Out of curiosity, when the transition was made from USDA>AA, those that held points I'm assuming got an instant devaluation in them? There was no warning about the changes to give people an opportunity to quickly book flights?

USDM to AA points conversion didn't entail any devaluation. It was 1:1. There was plenty of warming given, too
The AA charts devaluation came about much later, when USDM were well and truly dead

 

[futaris]

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2017/02/02/american-buy-miles-bonus-2017/

Buy 100,000 (+42,500 bonus) miles at roughly 0.02 USD / mile.

 

[RooFlyer]

I've booked a couple of AA flights in economy with AA miles. The bookings naturally have my AAdvantage number in them (no status with AA).

In 'My trips', the FF program and number is greyed out - ie not changeable.

Is there any way I can change it - ie to my Qantas FF number, so my status is in the booking?

If not, can I flash my QFF Plat card for lounge access, or does status have to be in the booking for lounge access?

 

[drron]

Not sure if you can change it but have travelled with mrsdrron on AA awards-she has no status and mine OWS with AA but also on a domestic flight so no access.Mrsdrron flashes her QFF WP card and we get access to the ORD flagship lounge.

 

[sergeyvzn]

I've booked a couple of AA flights in economy with AA miles. The bookings naturally have my AAdvantage number in them (no status with AA).

In 'My trips', the FF program and number is greyed out - ie not changeable.

Is there any way I can change it - ie to my Qantas FF number, so my status is in the booking?

If not, can I flash my QFF Plat card for lounge access, or does status have to be in the booking for lounge access?

Since AA reservation aren't in Amadeus I don't think you can do it online via any other OW airline sites, you probably need to ring AA

 

[serfty]

I've booked a couple of AA flights in economy with AA miles. The bookings naturally have my AAdvantage number in them (no status with AA).

In 'My trips', the FF program and number is greyed out - ie not changeable.

Is there any way I can change it - ie to my Qantas FF number, so my status is in the booking?

If not, can I flash my QFF Plat card for lounge access, or does status have to be in the booking for lounge access?

To do this you need to call AA and have them swap it over to your QFF WP number. They will then see you as an "EXP".

I would do this ASAP.

This is especially important when in AA economy as seat selection without status is poor.

I do have a way of getting my QF number into the reservation at the time of booking online, but I am comfortable with editing HTML.

 

[diningdecadence]

can someone please remind me of the rules regarding AUS-EUR awards transiting through the middle east? Qantas same flight number is an easy one, how about Qatar? and if it was a mixed award due to availability?

is it 2 separate awards?

TIA!

 

[sergeyvzn]

can someone please remind me of the rules regarding AUS-EUR awards transiting through the middle east? Qantas same flight number is an easy one, how about Qatar? and if it was a mixed award due to availability?

is it 2 separate awards?

TIA!

Qatar is fine, it's one award, it does not matter if its a same class of mixed class. QF1/2/9/10 are obviously fine too. Anything else is 2 awards.

 

[diningdecadence]

Qatar is fine, it's one award, it does not matter if its a same class of mixed class. QF1/2/9/10 are obviously fine too. Anything else is 2 awards.

great thanks- so if it's mixed J/F class due to availability they will just book at F level of 115k right? (cos it's still cheaper to get it as a thru flight than 2 singles)

 

[sergeyvzn]

great thanks- so if it's mixed J/F class due to availability they will just book at F level of 115k right? (cos it's still cheaper to get it as a thru flight than 2 singles)

yes, the highest booking class award is charged for mixed class bookings

 

[grussellt]

QR is fine as long as you travel in and out of DOH on QR. The QF combination is clearly QF1 and QF9 or QF2 and QF10 (for the sake of completeness). You can also travel via AMM on RJ for only 62500 miles instead of 60,000 miles in Y.

 

[diningdecadence]

ohh and how about Etihad?

 

[sergeyvzn]

ohh and how about Etihad?

2 awards - Australia to Middle East + Middle East to Europe

 

[QF029]

I want to book JFK-MEL (J) in early to mid April. I found CX availability but the agent couldn't book it and now from my reading it might be that they don't allow routing via Asia. Is this correct? If so are there other options on this route other than AA / QF?

 

[Kangol]

I want to book JFK-MEL (J) in early to mid April. I found CX availability but the agent couldn't book it and now from my reading it might be that they don't allow routing via Asia. Is this correct? If so are there other options on this route other than AA / QF?

SWP to US is via the Pacific only, if you want to price it as one award.

You could go EY via AUH but have it priced as two awards. Don't know what their J is like, but the F apartment is the best F hard product currently available.