Aadvantage OW awards - "must take most direct routing"

[aus_flyer]

AA are now requiring that you take the most direct routing when using OW awards.

I know from 1 October that all miles are included... but they seem to be "bringing forward" this change somewhat by enforcing you to take the most direct route.

It's a shame!

 

[Mwenenzi]

Is this part on what has been discussed in this thread ?
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...orld-awards-total-segment-distance-12477.html

 

[aus_flyer]

Is this part on what has been discussed in this thread ?
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...orld-awards-total-segment-distance-12477.html

It's related, but not the same issue.

The other thread refers to the change that:
From 1 September, AA are saying that all miles are included in the calculation.
Before 1 September, miles are calculated between origin and destination.

BUT what they seem to be saying in the interim is that you must take the most direct route.

 

[simongr]

I thought you always had to take the most direct route - but if that was not available then you could take other routes. Should we assume that this means you will have to change dates of travel to get a direct route rather than change route on the date you want?

 

[drron]

The rule has always been there.it may have appeared to us that it didnt as the most direct routes Aust-USA usually have very limited availability espec at the pointy end so circuitous routing became the norm.Twice I have used a OW award once via HKG and once via NRT.The main advantage though was saving some AA miles.

 

[simongr]

If not using a OW AAward and just going to the US, couldnt one still fly SYD-HKG-JFK-NRT-SYD? Assuming you could get some availability? That would be the standard AAward rate for SWP-NA return?

 

[Dave Noble]

If not using a OW AAward and just going to the US, couldnt one still fly SYD-HKG-JFK-NRT-SYD? Assuming you could get some availability? That would be the standard AAward rate for SWP-NA return?

No. That would involve travel through a 3rd region and there are no exception permitting that for South Pacific to North America

Dave

 

[aus_flyer]

No. That would involve travel through a 3rd region and there are no exception permitting that for South Pacific to North America

Are you sure you're not thinking about the rule for a partner award?

 

[drron]

Basically the route suggested cant be done on one airline therefore has to be done as a OW award.If it was SYD-NRT-JFK-NRT-SYD then it could be done entirely on JL or substituting HKG for NRT then CX.As Dave quite rightly said that cant be a partner award.It also cant be a pure AA award as AA does not fly here-the AAdvantage award chart does not mention an award to the South Pacific for that reason.
So in summary the itinerary given by simongr has to be an OW award and subject to the new rules from 1/9.

 

[aus_flyer]

Basically the route suggested cant be done on one airline therefore has to be done as a OW award.If it was SYD-NRT-JFK-NRT-SYD then it could be done entirely on JL or substituting HKG for NRT then CX.As Dave quite rightly said that cant be a partner award.It also cant be a pure AA award as AA does not fly here-the AAdvantage award chart does not mention an award to the South Pacific for that reason.
So in summary the itinerary given by simongr has to be an OW award and subject to the new rules from 1/9.

I don't agree. To quote from AA:

We offer two types of AAdvantage Airline Awards that make it easy to use the miles that you've earned to travel on any of our airline partners:

• All-Partner Airline Awards - Awards that allow you to travel to and from your desired destination using any combination of our airline partners.
• oneworld® Awards - Awards that allow you to travel to multiple destinations on a single award, including around-the-world journeys, using a combination of our ten oneworld Alliance partner airlines and their more than 20 affiliate airlines.

 

[Dave Noble]

I don't agree. To quote from AA:

My comment was in response to Simongr's suggestion of using a Partner Award rather than an OW award

A partner award to the USA has to go directly from South Pacific to North America without passing through a 3rd continent. This limits which partners can be used. I think that TN can be used since PPT is ,iirc, in the South Pacific and they do fly to Oz and USA from there , but other than that , Qantas is about the limit together with AA and AS once in the North America

Dave

 

[simongr]

Thanks for the info guys - looks like I had my wires crossed a little. I am guessing that an AAdvantage AAward to Europe is the most likely option then. Thanks

 

[JonNYC]

Hi all-- great site, was just directed here the other day.

Dave is correct that the "Travel Via a Third Region exception" table for all-partner awards does not include any usable exception for SWP-N.America.

In fact, the only 3rd region exceptions involving SWP are:

•Central/South America to/from South Pacific can connect in: S.America 2
•Indian Sub Continent/Middle East to/from South Pacific can connect in: Asia 2
•Asia 1 to/from South Pacific can connect in: Asia 2

and

Europe to/from South Pacific:
Award travel between Europe and the South Pacific will allow for connections in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Narita, Osaka or Singapore. Stopovers in these cities for this award are not allowed. (updated Nov '07)

So, nothing for SWP-> N.America on an AA all-partner award.

Also, note, at present there absolutely is not a direct-routing requirement for AA-issued OneWorld awards-- it doesn't exist-- regardless of where you start.

 

[QF WP]

A very warm welcome to JonNYC (presuming you are the one and only selfsame from FT days). A guru who can only add to the wealth of knowledge here. Heed the words well...

 

[Dave Noble]

Indeed welcome Jon. Your knowledge will be definitely appreciated here

Dave

 

[simongr]

Cheers Jon and welcome - prepare to be bombarded with many many questions

 

[JonNYC]

A very warm welcome to JonNYC (presuming you are the one and only selfsame from FT days). A guru who can only add to the wealth of knowledge here. Heed the words well...

Thanks to the three of you for the warm welcome. Funny, it -really- wouldn't surprise me to find someone else posting using my old FT handle somewhere :shock: not that it had occured to me until just now --but this is me.

Happy to answer any AAdvantage question when I happen to know the answer. Some intersesting stuff coming down the 'pike (not all of it bad) and would be happy to share as/if/when I can.

 

[serfty]

A very warm welcome to JonNYC (presuming you are the one and only selfsame from FT days). A guru who can only add to the wealth of knowledge here. Heed the words well...

A warm welcome from I as well, I have appreciated your more contemporary activity on American Airlines - Traveling Better Forums as well.

 

[JonNYC]

A warm welcome from I as well, I have appreciated your more contemporary activity on [travellingbetter] as well.

Yes, thank you for mentioning it-- we're very proud of it, especially recently as we've had a lot of news. And, we have some very exciting things coming up-- possibly even in connection with AA.
Will certainly extend a warm invitation to all my friends here if/when those projects come together.

 

[drron]

And a welcome from another who has been helped by your discussion on the AA forums on FT when I was considering making AAdvantage my main program a few years ago.
I am now joining TB so i can get even more perspective on the interesting times we have in front of us.