ETIHAD - AA Partner

[bismarck]

I thought I read we had to use the Etihad site to check availability of Award seats. From what you and bismarck have said, the miles I see when doing that, aren't the same as the AAmiles I would actually need to use. In which case, I now GET the excitement here!

I am looking at F then baby!

What is availability like around the Christmas break then? Crystal ball maybe?

Yes, Etihad site is just to confirm the seats are available (as they don't show on AA site).

You then need to call AA to book (use Skype to call the US toll free number to avoid paying additional fees for booking through the Australian number).

EY availability is generally quite good, but I've not looked specifically around Christmas.

And yes, the AAward chart is pretty good. A shame that it's so difficult to generate AA miles in Australia.

 

[Nizar]

Yes, Etihad site is just to confirm the seats are available (as they don't show on AA site).

You then need to call AA to book (use Skype to call the US toll free number to avoid paying additional fees for booking through the Australian number).

EY availability is generally quite good, but I've not looked specifically around Christmas.

And yes, the AAward chart is pretty good. A shame that it's so difficult to generate AA miles in Australia.

AA can only see seats 330 days in advance (regardless of when the airline usually releases its award availability). So the furthest date possible at this stage is 12th December. Xmas should be bookable in a few weeks.

 

[bismarck]

AA can only see seats 330 days in advance (regardless of when the airline usually releases its award availability). So the furthest date possible at this stage is 12th December. Xmas should be bookable in a few weeks.

EY also only release at 330 days from memory, so unlike when trying to grab QF seats no-one else has had a crack at them.

 

[Pushka]

EY also only release at 330 days from memory, so unlike when trying to grab QF seats no-one else has had a crack at them.

So I can grab QF award seats too with AA? If I am lucky?

There is so much info in this thread I only seem to have grasped the basics but think I am getting there. Might just buy some AA points while the offer is on which will make for cheap flights assuming I get a Christmas period booking.

Thankyou to everyone here.

 

[Nizar]

So I can grab QF award seats too with AA? If I am lucky?

Yes QF as well as any other OW airline such as QR. A mate of mine flew QR 388 F about a month ago booked through AA.

With QF your best bet is to London in F and also great value at 80k miles one way. A fair few seats available towards the end of the year too. And easily searchable and bookable online via the AA website.

 

[bismarck]

So I can grab QF award seats too with AA? If I am lucky?

There is so much info in this thread I only seem to have grasped the basics but think I am getting there. Might just buy some AA points while the offer is on which will make for cheap flights assuming I get a Christmas period booking.

Thankyou to everyone here.

Of course - you can book any OneWorld award seat with AA miles. Without wanting to go too far off topic, the difficulty is that QF releases at 353 days while AA can only start booking at 330 days out. That means QFF members have had about a 3 week window of being able to book the seats without competition. So by the time you can book with AA miles, many of the J and F seats on popular routes are gone.

It would be worth your while having a browse of this thread - http://www.australianfrequentflyer....couple-questions-aadvantage-newbie-59133.html

 

[Pushka]

Of course - you can book any OneWorld award seat with AA miles. Without wanting to go too far off topic, the difficulty is that QF releases at 353 days while AA can only start booking at 330 days out. That means QFF members have had about a 3 week window of being able to book the seats without competition. So by the time you can book with AA miles, many of the J and F seats on popular routes are gone.

It would be worth your while having a browse of this thread - http://www.australianfrequentflyer....couple-questions-aadvantage-newbie-59133.html

Yep, picked through that one too! But as I said before, while familiar with the QF website this is a whole new world to me. It's gonna blow MrP's brain this time - he is already part way there by me working out how to get him to WP so "cheaply".

 

[Mr_Orange]

I thought I read we had to use the Etihad site to check availability of Award seats. From what you and bismarck have said, the miles I see when doing that, aren't the same as the AAmiles I would actually need to use. In which case, I now GET the excitement here!

I am looking at F then baby!

What is availability like around the Christmas break then? Crystal ball maybe?

Correct. Etihad web site gives you the number of Guest Miles required, not the number of AAdvantage miles required.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks again. So in preparation I will be buying points in advance to get the bonus offer. Then monitoring the Etihad page for Guest availability.

I haven't used Skype in years. Is there a better time to call them to get better service?

So if I see this on my travel date in Jan 2016:

View attachment 40573

I am good to Skype and book for 90,000 aa points for 2 pax 1 way.

And I can see F for 120,000. Not yet for my dates though.

 

[Alanslegal]

Of course - you can book any OneWorld award seat with AA miles. Without wanting to go too far off topic, the difficulty is that QF releases at 353 days while AA can only start booking at 330 days out. That means QFF members have had about a 3 week window of being able to book the seats without competition. So by the time you can book with AA miles, many of the J and F seats on popular routes are gone.

Whilst true QF members get a bit of a head start, if searching last week November / first week of December right now, there's quite a few availability QF F awards for two passengers to LHR. That said, if wanting to head the other way to USA for two passengers, don't even bother.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Thanks again. So in preparation I will be buying points in advance to get the bonus offer. Then monitoring the Etihad page for Guest availability.

I haven't used Skype in years. Is there a better time to call them to get better service?

So if I see this on my travel date in Jan 2016:

View attachment 40573

I am good to Skype and book for 90,000 aa points for 2 pax 1 way.

I can't see your attachment, but your method is sound. You are looking for Guest Business or Guest First availability in order to book through AA.

 

[Pushka]

That's funny. I can see my attachment in your post. And thank you. That's what I've done.

MrP will kill me if I book first. He'll think I paid for it.

So it's possible still to buy two lots of 50,000 points on a day? That seems to reap more bonus points and costs less than 100,000 purchase.

 

[Nizar]

So it's possible still to buy two lots of 50,000 points on a day? That seems to reap more bonus points and costs less than 100,000 purchase.

Yes it is possible and you're right as someone has highlighted up thread the sweet spot is 50,000+22,500 miles x2 would nett 145,000 miles. Only thing is that you need to pay the transaction fee of US$35 twice. Not alot of downside though in relation to the upside lol.

 

[Pushka]

I'm looking into AUH into Sydney. The guest miles are higher than into Melb. But I'm presuming AA doesn't change likewise?

Even early in Dec I can't see any F availability so that's probably not going to happen. But J on Etihad still looks rather nice.

Decided to use up Q points to get to DBX but with no J availability booked Y+ on 380 from Melb (from Adel). So now the waiting game for Etihad to open up.

 

[boomy]

It wasn't easy to find availability but I'm happy to report that finally managed to book one apartment on the A380 all the way SYD-AUH-LHR for 100k miles plus $163

 

[Nizar]

It wasn't easy to find availability but I'm happy to report that finally managed to book one apartment on the A380 all the way SYD-AUH-LHR for 100k miles plus $163

I agree. The dates I wanted in August are now snapped up. I may have to slum it home in a 789 Suite instead via BNE.
My fault. Should have snapped it up first and thought about it later lol.

 

[amaroo]

Without wanting to go too far off topic, the difficulty is that QF releases at 353 days while AA can only start booking at 330 days out. That means QFF members have had about a 3 week window of being able to book the seats without competition. So by the time you can book with AA miles, many of the J and F seats on popular routes are gone.

Do AA release CX seats >330 days?

 

[serfty]

Do AA release CX seats >330 days?

AA bookings cannot be made until 330 days before a flight.

ISTR that CX indeed release award seats earlier than 330 days.

Whether a seat may be available earlier through another booking system as per qantas at 353 days is not relevant.

 

[boomy]

I agree. The dates I wanted in August are now snapped up. I may have to slum it home in a 789 Suite instead via BNE.
My fault. Should have snapped it up first and thought about it later lol.

Availability is rare and far between, I had to compromise on the dates to get something booked first and maybe change later if better dates become available.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll survive the suites

 

[amaroo]

AA bookings cannot be made until 330 days before a flight.

Cheers