A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[get me outta here]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

When booking maximum days in advance (360/355/353 etc), what is AA's policy in adding flights as they are released? Or should I say, what is the change fee to add?

 

[magnacartic]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

US$150, waived for Executive Platinum.

Award travel – AAdvantage miles and upgrades – American Airlines

 

[mmchow]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Saw an award availability that I want (EWR-ORD-HKG) on QF site so called AA to book it but was told no seats available. Did the HUCA x4 still the same outcome. The first 4 agents priced me 2 x award ticket as they found the award for ORD-HKG but not EWR-ORD hence price it that way. The last agent I spoken to was great and he managed to price it all in 1 award but on a day earlier on my preferred date.

Saw availability +/- 1 day on QF but AA agent could not see them. Any idea why?

 

[Hvr]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Does it have to be EWR? I reckon there would be lots of availability from JFK-ORD which would make it easier to connect to HKG. Or even go straight from JFK-HKG on CX.

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Saw an award availability that I want (EWR-ORD-HKG) on QF site so called AA to book it but was told no seats available. Did the HUCA x4 still the same outcome. The first 4 agents priced me 2 x award ticket as they found the award for ORD-HKG but not EWR-ORD hence price it that way. The last agent I spoken to was great and he managed to price it all in 1 award but on a day earlier on my preferred date.

Saw availability +/- 1 day on QF but AA agent could not see them. Any idea why?

Phantom availability I'd guess.

 

[mmchow]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Does it have to be EWR? I reckon there would be lots of availability from JFK-ORD which would make it easier to connect to HKG. Or even go straight from JFK-HKG on CX.

No direct availability from JFK, the only availability is from EWR-ORD-HKG. Had a flight confirmed a month earlier (EWR-ORD-HKG) and if AA can only see the same flight 1 month later, I would have save myself $150 redepositing fee.

 

[get me outta here]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

US$150, waived for Executive Platinum.

So, you might book the outwards flights when they become available ~ 350 days out, and then when the return flights are released, pay a $150 premium to change the bkg. Is that the only way to do?

 

[sergeyvzn]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

So, you might book the outwards flights when they become available ~ 350 days out, and then when the return flights are released, pay a $150 premium to change the bkg. Is that the only way to do?

you can only book 330 days out
you don't have to have a return booking, you can book as two one ways. Book your outbound flights first at 330 and then when till your inbound flights at 330 and book them then

 

[get me outta here]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thanks again sergeyvzn.

you can only book 330 days out
you don't have to have a return booking, you can book as two one ways. Book your outbound flights first at 330 and then when till your inbound flights at 330 and book them then

 

[Doggy]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

So this is an interesting one:

I had two OW tickets booked and ticketed to SYD-MEL-AUH-LHR. They are different record locators. Anyway I got an email from AA asking me to call them urgently about one of the tix. So I call them and it turns out they've decided to cancel the SYD-MEL leg on that ticket and to get it back I have to pay an extra 17500 miles! Like they're holding it to ransom or something, I'm shocked.

Has anyone else had this experience? Any advice how I should handle this? Surely SYD-MEL-AUH can be ticketed as one award, not two.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

So this is an interesting one:

I had two OW tickets booked and ticketed to SYD-MEL-AUH-LHR. They are different record locators. Anyway I got an email from AA asking me to call them urgently about one of the tix. So I call them and it turns out they've decided to cancel the SYD-MEL leg on that ticket and to get it back I have to pay an extra 17500 miles! Like they're holding it to ransom or something, I'm shocked.

Has anyone else had this experience? Any advice how I should handle this? Surely SYD-MEL-AUH can be ticketed as one award, not two.

Did you ask them why they were cancelling the SYD-MEL leg?

 

[Doggy]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Did you ask them why they were cancelling the SYD-MEL leg?

Yeah she had no idea. She just said it was canceled and the system required a payment of 17,500 miles to re-issue the ticket.

This is bordering on outrageous right?

 

[serfty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

...
Has anyone else had this experience? ...

I have seen reference on FT.

Your flight to MEL is on QF and from MEL on EY.

There is no fare for SYD-LHR interlining QF and EY.

There would be for VA & EY but you cannot book that with AAdvantage redemptions.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I have seen reference on FT.

Your flight to MEL is on QF and from MEL on EY.

There is no fare for SYD-LHR interlining QF and EY.

There would be for VA & EY but you cannot book that with AAdvantage redemptions.

I checked on EY and the only fares being offered via MEL are those using Virgin as the connector.

However - I'm not sure how that goes when the ticket has already been issued. If this had been fro travel to/from/within the USA, AA would have been bound by DOT regs prohibiting post purchase price increase. This is not a 'mistake' fare.

I'm not sure what recourse there would be in Australia. At least one that is quick and simple.

Perhaps AA is doing an audit of these tickets and routings? I've seen some that have included trans-cons in Australia and those might come up for review at some stage.

 

[Limewood]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Found a few CX J award flights to from HKG on QF & BA for our dates, is it easer to call local AA No. to book?.

So I book then on our case buy the top up points?

 

[Doggy]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I checked on EY and the only fares being offered via MEL are those using Virgin as the connector.

However - I'm not sure how that goes when the ticket has already been issued. If this had been fro travel to/from/within the USA, AA would have been bound by DOT regs prohibiting post purchase price increase. This is not a 'mistake' fare.

I'm not sure what recourse there would be in Australia. At least one that is quick and simple.

Perhaps AA is doing an audit of these tickets and routings? I've seen some that have included trans-cons in Australia and those might come up for review at some stage.

This whole thing has been so confusing it's not funny. I still don't fully understand what happened (and I don't think the people at AA do either), but after an hour or so on the phone and about $1.50 in taxes we had it rectified with an apology.

An email came through for the re-issued ticket not too long after. Normally I would assume this means it's set in stone, but I'm quite cautious now.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

This whole thing has been so confusing it's not funny. I still don't fully understand what happened (and I don't think the people at AA do either), but after an hour or so on the phone and about $1.50 in taxes we had it rectified with an apology.

An email came through for the re-issued ticket not too long after. Normally I would assume this means it's set in stone, but I'm quite cautious now.

That sounds like a pretty good result

Dunno why the initial leg cancelled, but sounds like AA has done a manual override to put it back together again. The $1.50 was probably unnecessary. Even QF waives tiny amounts like that on rebooking.

 

[Doggy]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

That sounds like a pretty good result

Dunno why the initial leg cancelled, but sounds like AA has done a manual override to put it back together again. The $1.50 was probably unnecessary. Even QF waives tiny amounts like that on rebooking.

Haha yeah. At like point I was like whatever man, as long as this honeymoon stays intact I would have even forked out a lot more at that point - even though it would've been a kick in the jatz.

Called up EY to reserve seats and it was like nothing had ever happened. They said I still had the seats I reserved a month ago.

 

[Limewood]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Made a AA Award booking yesterday, they have provided a AA Record Locator and status is On Request the operator said it was available and booked, does this just mean it needs to be ticketed?.

 

[serfty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Made a AA Award booking yesterday, they have provided a AA Record Locator and status is On Request the operator said it was available and booked, does this just mean it needs to be ticketed?.

It should proceed through to "Ticketed - <date>" within a few days, more likely within a few hours.

If not, you will likely need to call.