A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[DC3]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

There's been a massive amount of phantom availability on AA.com for some weeks. The QF website has shown no 2 x P availability on SYD-LHR, when I've checked, for 11 months away. Fortunately, the BA website and expertflyer both showed correct availability. Booked over the phone with AA for the award redemption, 2 x first class flying QF.

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Heh. I've managed to hold DRW-BNE-MEL on 31 December, then add MEL-WLG for 1 Jan via the call centre. Time in MEL is circa 12 hours. Total milage is now 35k. :|
Is this liable to be because there is no published route DRW-BNE-MEL-WLG or because of the year crossover?

Edit: This is all in J. I can get the flights up as all one ticket on matrix ITA, if that makes any difference (but different fare buckets; DRW-BNE-MEl is D, MEL-WLG is I).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Heh. I've managed to hold DRW-BNE-MEL on 31 December, then add MEL-WLG for 1 Jan via the call centre. Time in MEL is circa 12 hours. Total milage is now 35k. :|
Is this liable to be because there is no published route DRW-BNE-MEL-WLG or because of the year crossover?

Edit: This is all in J. I can get the flights up as all one ticket on matrix ITA, if that makes any difference (but different fare buckets; DRW-BNE-MEl is D, MEL-WLG is I).

Overnight and/or overnight + next day flights are allowed under AA. For example SYD-HKG followed by next day HKG-PVG/PEK etc. Crossing into the new year isn't going to be an issue.

While ITA might have a fare, it has to be a published fare of the airline you want to fly on. Not sure if the ITA fare is published, or constructed? I don't have access to published fares, maybe someone can shed light?

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I can't even do DRW-SYD-MEL-WLG either as one award - all on 01/01/16. Can do DRW-SYD in Y, SYD-MEL in J (one award) and then MEL-WLG in J as the second award. Am on hold with AA trying to sort it (as they speak to their tech people).

In reference to my earlier post, AA couldn't work out why that wouldn't work either; they didn't know... so possibly not a published fare.

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

So after much ado on the phone last night with a very competent and helpful staffer, who in turn spoke to their supervisor and rules/tech desk who all agreed that it should be one award, not two and worked some magic to make it one award .

 

[Major]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

So after much ado on the phone last night with a very competent and helpful staffer, who in turn spoke to their supervisor and rules/tech desk who all agreed that it should be one award, not two and worked some magic to make it one award .

Well done, at least common sense prevailed

 

[dalereardon]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Hi,

I have just made an award on Etihad in J for CDG-MEL-HBA using Aadvantage miles of course.

However I am really hoping that can get onto First class award seats instead, even from LHR but at least for the AUH-MEL leg would be great.

Award Nexus doesn't cover Etihad and it is the tool I am used to using as it is so simple and very friendly for my screen reading software.

I just checked the website for Expert Flyer and it only seems to cover EY with paid promo upgrade seats, not miles - whatever that might mean.

Is there any way of monitoring EY availability or its purely a matter of a few minutes checking every now and then and hoping?

Thanks,
Dale.

 

[a330j]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

snip: I will be travelling BNE-PER next year and want to try QF J using AA points (AAdvantage). I've checked on the AA site and it only shows direct availability.
Does anyone know whether a connecting itinerary is possible eg BNE-MEL-PER-SYD-BNE (to check out the QPs and compare QF transcon J with VA J) for the same points and if so does it require a phonecall to AA to book it?

snip: Yes tried the multi-city online. Came out at 17.5k per secto

Set up the booking and apply the 5 day hold.

Than call AA and ask them to reprice as a one-way with transfers. Once done, go back into your booking and finalise online.

Just got off the phone to AA after "holding" a BNE-SYD-PER online one-way J award booking online, and the person I spoke to said their system was still pricing as 2 sectors so 35000 points, wouldn't price as one-way with transfers. Is it a case of HUACA or am I wrong in thinking the points cost should be 17,500 for the trip?

 

[serfty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Try HUACA ...

But also check on QF.com for that same routing (date & flights).

"Married segment" logic may be in play ...

 

[a330j]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Try HUACA ...

But also check on QF.com for that same routing (date & flights).

"Married segment" logic may be in play ...

Yes I confirmed on the QF site before booking. I haven't struck married segment issues before but I gather it means AA can decide which segments are unavailable as an award route.

I will try again and see if my luck changes. Thanks for your advice.

One other question, is there a cancellation fee if you cancel an "on hold" booking?

 

[pyffii]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I recently cancelled an award booking "On Hold " that was made entirely online and no cancellation fee was applied

 

[a330j]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Tried again to get BNE-SYD-PER priced as one-way with a transfer and still no go. AA continued to refer me to the direct flights BNE-PER. It seems they would not allow the connection if there was a direct flight. Looks like direct it is.

 

[dalereardon]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I am a devious thinker by nature, perhaps because of my legal background.

You could keep putting direct flights on hold, perhaps through a partners account, until there were no more direct award flights available.

Then finally book your flight that you actually want and cancel all those other ones on hold.

Dale.

 

[a330j]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Ha ha, yes I thought about doing that. Decided it was too much effort. There are 3 direct flights with availability, and at the end of the day even after eliminating the direct flights there was no guarantee a connection would price as a one way fare.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I am a devious thinker by nature, perhaps because of my legal background.

You could keep putting direct flights on hold, perhaps through a partners account, until there were no more direct award flights available.

Then finally book your flight that you actually want and cancel all those other ones on hold.

Dale.

This is expressly against the terms and conditions of AAdvantage (AA conditions of carriage as incorporated into AAdvantage terms and conditions):

• Duplicate and impossible/illogical bookings: Duplicate or impossible/illogical American Airlines bookings are prohibited without prior authorization from American Airlines. A duplicate or impossible/illogical booking includes, but is not limited to, bookings for the same passenger on flights traveling on or about the same date between one or more of the same or nearby origin and/or destination (such as JFK to DFW and LGA to DFW or DFW to LAX and DFW to ONT), or bookings with connections that depart before the arrival of the inbound flight.
• Fraudulent, fictitious and abusive bookings: Fraudulent, fictitious and/or abusive bookings are prohibited. These types of bookings are defined as any bookings made without having been requested by or on behalf of the named passenger. Additionally, creating bookings to hold or block seats for the purpose of obtaining lower fares, AAdvantage award inventory, or upgrades that may not otherwise be available, or to gain access to airport facilities, or to circumvent any of American Airlines' fare rules or policies, is prohibited without prior authorization from American Airlines.

 

[Longrass]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

What the thoughts on this:

Currently booked 2x AA Awards SYD - ATH, with long haul on QF via DXB.

Thinking now of changing from ATH to TLV, which would change the zone from Europe to Middle East.

Said award costs 40k in F from LHR to TLV.

Aus - Europe is 80k
Aus - Mid East is 60k

Aussie AA number said the change will cost 30k points for the flights we want.

Sound correct?

 

[incumbent]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Said award costs 40k in F from LHR to TLV.

That bit's confusing me.

 

[ejd711]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Great thanks for the quick reply.

Both of you. Ha.

I did it and they hesitated but then let me through with my gold boarding pass cover.

 

[Longrass]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

That bit's confusing me.

The award price of 40k is for Europe to Middle East, i.e. LHR to TLV is 40k in F when booked on its own.

 

[incumbent]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

And you're flying SYD-DXB-ATH, and considering changing to SYD-DXB-TLV?

I'm finding the DXB-TLV leg a stretch (won't work with my passports), and can't see why LHR is relevant.