[JonNYC]

MODERATOR'S NOTE

Stopover information has changed as of May 2009! For more information on AA's current One-Way Flex Awards, which were released on May 9, 2009, see:

New One-Way Flex Award / Awards, Stopover Rule, and Booking Engine (May 9, 2009)

New (March 15, 2012) chart for All Partner awards


As of March 2012, All-Partner Awards have been rebranded as oneworld and Other Airline Awards, while oneworld Awards have been rebranded at Explorer Awards - see: AA Award Reservations

dstan
AA Forum Co-Moderator
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Introduction

There are two types of awards discussed in this thread, AA Awards and All-Partner (All-Airline) Awards, which are targeted to passengers traveling to a single destination. Please note that oneworld Awards, which can be used for travel to multiple destinations, have distinct rules and mileage requirements and are discussed in a separate thread.

As of May 9, 2009, AA and All-Partner (All-Airline) Awards are now booked solely on a one-way basis. Two or more one-way awards are redeemed for round-trip or multicity travel.

As of Oct 1, 2010, All-Partner (All-Airline) Awards may be redeemed on all British Airways flights, including previously excluded flights between the U.S. and U.K. Note that additional British Airways YQ fuel surcharges now apply based on class-of-service and distance flown: Earning and redeeming AA miles / upgrading on BA/IB; BA fuel surcharges (Oct 1, 2010)

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AA Award and All-Partner (All-Airline) Award Rules

• AA Awards are valid for travel on flights that are marketed and operated by AA (no codeshares). These awards can be booked online at AA.com.

• All-Partner (All-Airline) awards are valid for travel on AA and any of its partner airlines, and can include travel on multiple partners. These awards must be booked over the phone, and will incur a Ticketing Service Charge (waived for EXPs).

• Up to four one-way awards can be booked on a single ticket (PNR).

General Rules

Passenger has 4h/23h59m to connect (depending on domestic or international travel). If there are no scheduled flights within this timeframe, regardless of availability, the passenger must take the next scheduled flight but, may not exceed 24 hours. If the connection exceeds 24 hours, it will be considered a stopover.

If there is a non-stop flight that departs after the 4h/23h59m window and arrives at the destination earlier than a connecting flight within the 4h/23h59m window, the passenger may be booked on the non-stop flight.


Stopovers

Within North America
None.

Between North America and Europe, India, Asia, or Central / South America
One stopover is now permitted only at the North American "gateway" on awards between North America and another zone (in either direction). Note that multiple stopovers are permitted on oneworld awards, which have separate rules and mileage redemption rates.

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Partner Award Inventories

Award booking inventory classes for each carrier in the AAdvantage Award program are listed below and may be useful when on the phone with an AA rep or when checking availability. This information was originally posted by 777Brit and recently updated by Austinrunner. See also the Award Booking Codes page in the FlyerGuide wiki for updated information.

• Award availability on the following airlines is available on the Flightstats.com website (free account after an easy registration process): 9W, AS, G3, GF, HA, IT, LY, TN

• Award availability on the following airlines is available via AwardNexus.com (free account for FlyerTalk members with additional premium options available for purchase): AA, 4M, AB, AS, AY, BA, CX, FJ, HG, IB, JL, KA, LA, LP, LY, MA, QF, RJ, S7

• Award availability on the following airlines is available via KVStool.com, a subscription website: AA, 4M, AB, AS, AY, BA, CX, EY, FJ, G3, GF, HA, IB, JL, KA, LA, LY, MA, QF, RJ, S7, TN, XL

• Award availability on the following airlines is available via ExpertFlyer.com, a subscription website: AA, AS, AY (economy), G3, HA, LY, QF, TN

CARRIER                    FIRST     BUSINESS    ECONOMY  
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  AA - American Airlines     Z          U           T      
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  9K - Cape Air                      unknown      
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  9W - Jet Airways           R          D           X      
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  AB – Air Berlin                       U           X      
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  AS – Alaska Airlines       A                      W      
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  AY – Finnair                          U           X      
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  BA – British Airways       Z          U           X     
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  CX – Cathay Pacific*       Z          U           T      
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  EY - Etihad                O          I           N      
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  FJ – Air Pacific                      U           X      
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  G3 - GOL                              I           X      
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  GF - Gulf Air                         P           T      
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  HA – Hawaiian Airlines                            T      
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  HG – Niki                             U           X      
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  IB – Iberia                Z          U           X      
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  IT – Kingfisher                       Z           R      
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  JL – Japan Airlines        Z         U/D†        T/S†
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  LA – LAN Chile#            Z          U           T      
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  LY – El Al Israel          P          X           E      
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  MA – Malev Hungarian‡                 R           X      
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  QF - QANTAS Airways        P          U           X      
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  RJ – Royal Jordanian                  U           X      
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  S7 – S7 Airlines                      U           X      
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  TN – Air Tahiti Nui        A          I           W      
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Notes

*Includes Cathay Pacific affiliate KA (DragonAir).

#Includes LAN affiliates XL (LAN Ecuador), LP (LAN Peru), 4M (LAN Argentina).

†JL Business Class award travel within Japan ONLY is booked in D inventory. JL Economy class within Japan ONLY is booked in S inventory.

‡N.B.: MA ceased operations as of Feb 3, 2012.

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General Routing Rules

The OP of this thread noted that there are some imbedded tables at the end that are impossible to decipher.

Routing

General Rules

Passenger has 4h/23h59m to connect (depending on domestic or international travel). If there are no scheduled flights within this timeframe, regardless of availability, the passenger must take the next scheduled flight but, may not exceed 24 hours. If the connection exceeds 24 hours, it will be considered a stopover.

If there is a non-stop flight that departs after the 4h/23h59m window and arrives at the destination earlier than a connecting flight within the 4h/23h59m window, the passenger may be booked on the non-stop flight. It is not necessary to check every flight/carrier to ensure passenger is booked on next scheduled flight.

When selling seats for through flights and the desired inventory is not available, you cannot opt to sell the flight point-to-point. If sold point-to-point, the error response MULTIPLE SEGMENTS FOR SAME FLIGHT - SELL AS ONE SEGMENT will be received, indicating this booking is not allowed. Overriding the error check by ending the PNR twice is not acceptable.

Within North America

• Awards wholly within North America are valid on all partner airlines that market and operate their own service within North America.
• Travel between two cities in the United States via Canada/Mexico is not allowed.
• Travel between two cities in Canada/Mexico via the United States is not allowed.
• Passenger must travel the most direct routing.
• Connections of more than 4 hours are considered a stopover unless the passenger is taking the next scheduled flight and it is outside the 4 hours.
• Any connection of 24 hours is always considered a stopover.
• MX award travel is not allowed on non-stop flights between Mexico and Canada
• Award travel between Hawaii and North America does not include inter-island flights.
• Inter-island award travel will allow a maxium of 2 flight segments.

North America To/from Other Regions

• Award travel to/from North America is allowed on any combination of carriers that service the applicable region except as noted below.
• Passenger must use most direct routing.
• Hawaiian Airlines is not valid for these awards.
• As of Oct 1, 2010, British Airways is valid for all routes, including transatlantic flights between the U.S. and U.K.
• Travel to Europe, Africa and the Indian Sub-Continent/Middle East must be via the Atlantic only.
• Travel to Asia and the South Pacific must be via the Pacific.
• Travel to/from Fiji/Papeete cannot be via Australia/New Zealand.
• Travel to Easter Island (IPC) must be via Papeete (PPT) or use two awards.
• North American travel to/from Guam or Saipan, the transpacific segment must be on AA.
• MX award travel is not allowed on non-stop flights between Mexico and Canada
• Passenger must travel the most direct routing.
• Passenger has 23h59m to connect, regardless of availability.
• A connection with more than 23h59m will be considered a stopover.

Travel Wholly Within or Between All Other Regions
These awards do not allow a connection via North America and therefore, do not include travel on American Airlines.

• Passenger must travel the most direct routing.
• Connecting travel is not allowed outside the region or regions.
• Passenger has 23h59m to connect, regardless of availability.
• A connection with more than 24 hours will be considered a stopover. A stopover is allowed within Mexico for travel wholly within Mexico, as Mexico is considered North America.

Travel Via a Third Region exceptions
Travel Via a third region is not allowed (Note the exception table below).

EXCEPTION TABLE:

To/From Via
North America to/from Indian Sub Continent/Middle East can connect in:Europe
North America to/from Africa can connect in:Europe
North America to/from Asia 2 can connect in:Asia 1

Central/South America to/from Indian Sub Continent/Middle East can connect in:Europe
Central/South America to/from Africa can connect in:Europe
Central/South America to/from South Pacific can connect in:S. America 2

South America 2 to/from Indian Sub Continent/Middle East can connect in:Europe

Indian Sub Continent/Middle East to/from Asia 1 can connect in:Asia 2
Indian Sub Continent/Middle East to/from South Pacific can connect in:Asia 2

Africa to/from Asia 1 can connect in:Asia 2

Asia 1 to/from Europe can connect in:Asia 2
Asia 1 to/from South Pacific can connect in:Asia 2

Asia 1 = Japan, Korea, Mongolia (China is now Asia 2)
Asia 2 = Bhutan, Brunei, China, Guam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Saipan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

Europe to/from South Pacific:
will allow for connections in Singapore or Bangkok only. Stopovers in these cities for this award are not allowed.

**this rule may actually be this now:
Award travel between Europe and the South Pacific will allow for connections in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Narita, Osaka or Singapore only. Stopovers in these cities for this award are not allowed.**

Travel on LanPeru direct flights between North America and South America Zone 2 are allowed. Currently, only one market, Miami to/from Buenos Aries, has direct service. These can only be booked by the liaisons. Contact support for booking assistance.