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oneworld / AA Explorer award with AA Miles (discuss, questions) [ENDED 8 APR 2014]

Old Jan 28, 2014, 12:14 am
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oneworld / AA Explorer award with AA Miles (discuss, questions) [ENDED 8 APR 2014]

N.B. new oneworld/AA Explorer awards are no longer available as of the end of the day on April 7th, 2014.

Existing awards will be honored.


This thread is ONLY to inquire or add about existing oneworld Explorer awards;
to comment on the loss of this booking option, please follow the discussion on:
Oneworld Explorer Awards Eliminated -- Effective Immediately [8 Apr 2014]


See the first post, below, for the rules that prevailed through 7 April 2014 and apply to those who booked Explorer awards prior to the end of these useful award tickets.
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oneworld / AA Explorer award with AA Miles (discuss, questions) [ENDED 8 APR 2014]

 
Old Feb 29, 2012, 2:51 pm
  #226  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 61
Thanks for the suggestion Guv

Originally Posted by guv1976
[SIZE=1]
If substituting an SMF stopover for the SFO stopover would work for you, I would at least propose that to AA. Had AA initially refused to ticket your itinerary with the SFO stopover, you then could have attempted to book the SMF stopover on the award.
Guv, this did work. Funny thing was that the only reason it worked was that for some reason, perhaps because my ticket record had a request to contact my original ticketing agent, a supervisor, he ended up calling me on the day of my departure, on my cell phone.

This was really good customer service, and he worked out the SMF deal, including working on creating award space, etc. All within a couple hours of my departing leg of the trip.

Anyway, thanks again!
thegent is offline  
Old Feb 29, 2012, 3:03 pm
  #227  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 61
Question about award space availability

This may not be the correct thread for this, but it relates to a oneworld award I've previously discussed and gotten great help on in this thread.

As mentioned earlier, I booked a oneworld award in business class, but had to accept a some of downgrades to coach due to lack of availability on QF.

Two of the legs I was able to "fix" by watching for availability, then calling AA and asking to be re-upgraded back to business. But, on a couple of the legs, there was never award availability listed by QF. AA said to keep checking back, but evidently QF may never make these seats available, even if they don't sell for revenue.

The QF gate agents said that they couldn't upgrade us even though there was availability, due to a strict quota on reward space.

My question is, should I have approached this differently than I did? I wasn't successful at all, despite the seats being physically available. My only thought was that if I had been more persuasive, I could have had an AA agent call over to the Quantas liaison and ask that available seats be freed up for award space. Thanks!
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Old Mar 2, 2012, 7:40 pm
  #228  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 715
If you had a choice to book RTW first over business, would you? Yes, the flights in 1st would be amazing, but most of the other short flights would only be in biz and you would be wasting 100k points.
frebay is offline  
Old Mar 2, 2012, 8:38 pm
  #229  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 173
Yeah! Finally able to get my Cathay flights!

So, I saw on FT today that I could finally book my Cathay flights I have been waiting over 2 weeks for! Let me know how you think I did...

1ST CLASS: ELP-DFW-SFO (24 HOUR LAYOVER)

BUSINESS: SFO-HKG (3 & 1/2 DAYS)

BUSINESS: HKG-BKK (8 DAYS TO SEE BKK, SIEM REAP, AND CHANG MAI/RAI--I WILL HAVE TO BOOK THESE FLIGHTS THROUGH ANOTHER AIRLINE/ALLIANCE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHICH YET)

BUSINESS: BKK-KIX (4 DAYS)

ECONOMY: ITM-HND (5 DAYS)

NRT-LAX-ELP

All for 130k miles. I think I am happy with this itinerary but I have two more days to decide for sure. Any suggestions/improvements to be had?
sweetz_21_83 is offline  
Old Mar 2, 2012, 8:50 pm
  #230  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 715
Originally Posted by sweetz_21_83
So, I saw on FT today that I could finally book my Cathay flights I have been waiting over 2 weeks for! Let me know how you think I did...

1ST CLASS: ELP-DFW-SFO (24 HOUR LAYOVER)

BUSINESS: SFO-HKG (3 & 1/2 DAYS)

BUSINESS: HKG-BKK (8 DAYS TO SEE BKK, SIEM REAP, AND CHANG MAI/RAI--I WILL HAVE TO BOOK THESE FLIGHTS THROUGH ANOTHER AIRLINE/ALLIANCE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHICH YET)

BUSINESS: BKK-KIX (4 DAYS)

ECONOMY: ITM-HND (5 DAYS)

NRT-LAX-ELP

All for 130k miles. I think I am happy with this itinerary but I have two more days to decide for sure. Any suggestions/improvements to be had?
Is this a business or first redemption?
frebay is offline  
Old Mar 2, 2012, 9:00 pm
  #231  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 173
Originally Posted by frebay
Is this a business or first redemption?
Business, but the domestic AA flights are first since they are in two-cabin aircrafts (except LAX-ELP is enonomy because it is a regional jet)
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Old Mar 3, 2012, 12:19 pm
  #232  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: Star Alliance
Posts: 123
I'm flying economy on AA from DCA-MIA on March 26th and MIA-JFK on April 1st. Now how many miles will I get if I put in my BA number versus signing up for an AA card?
Crazysah is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2012, 12:00 pm
  #233  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: UA, AA, SPG, HH
Posts: 672
Originally Posted by sweetz_21_83
So, I saw on FT today that I could finally book my Cathay flights I have been waiting over 2 weeks for! Let me know how you think I did...

1ST CLASS: ELP-DFW-SFO (24 HOUR LAYOVER)

BUSINESS: SFO-HKG (3 & 1/2 DAYS)

BUSINESS: HKG-BKK (8 DAYS TO SEE BKK, SIEM REAP, AND CHANG MAI/RAI--I WILL HAVE TO BOOK THESE FLIGHTS THROUGH ANOTHER AIRLINE/ALLIANCE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHICH YET)

BUSINESS: BKK-KIX (4 DAYS)

ECONOMY: ITM-HND (5 DAYS)

NRT-LAX-ELP

All for 130k miles. I think I am happy with this itinerary but I have two more days to decide for sure. Any suggestions/improvements to be had?
8 days for bkk, Angkor wat, and Chiang Mai/rai is not enough time IMO

Originally Posted by Crazysah
I'm flying economy on AA from DCA-MIA on March 26th and MIA-JFK on April 1st. Now how many miles will I get if I put in my BA number versus signing up for an AA card?
I have no idea what you're asking but I don't think this is the correct thread for your question
HoKo is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2012, 12:29 pm
  #234  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 173
Originally Posted by HoKo
8 days for bkk, Angkor wat, and Chiang Mai/rai is not enough time IMO
Well it is either Chiang Mai or hiang Rai if that makes a difference, but I could always do bkk and siem reap only. Or I could cut a day or two from other sections of the itinerary.

What do you think?
sweetz_21_83 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2012, 2:42 pm
  #235  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NCL and LBA
Programs: BD*G, BAGold, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 3,259
Originally Posted by sweetz_21_83
Well it is either Chiang Mai or hiang Rai if that makes a difference, but I could always do bkk and siem reap only. Or I could cut a day or two from other sections of the itinerary.

What do you think?
Personally I think 8 days is enough. Bangkok for 3 days, Chiang Mai for 4 days and Angkor Wat for 1 day. Personally I would want a few extra days in Chiang Mai and an extra day in Siem Reap but.

Bangkok Airways is the best airline for your routing. You could do airasia BKK-CNX but it's probably better to book through PK so you get connecting flights on the same ticket. PK is a really high quality airline and you even get a lounge when flying economy ^
pogonation is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2012, 2:44 pm
  #236  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: UA, AA, SPG, HH
Posts: 672
Originally Posted by sweetz_21_83
Well it is either Chiang Mai or hiang Rai if that makes a difference, but I could always do bkk and siem reap only. Or I could cut a day or two from other sections of the itinerary.

What do you think?

Yeah I suppose that's doable, 3 days in each spot. I'll be spending 4 days in KIX and then 3 days in Tokyo one week from now so I'll know shortly if that is enough time/too much time there.
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Old Mar 4, 2012, 9:04 pm
  #237  
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,731
Originally Posted by pogonation
Personally I think 8 days is enough. Bangkok for 3 days, Chiang Mai for 4 days and Angkor Wat for 1 day. Personally I would want a few extra days in Chiang Mai and an extra day in Siem Reap but.

Bangkok Airways is the best airline for your routing. You could do airasia BKK-CNX but it's probably better to book through PK so you get connecting flights on the same ticket. PK is a really high quality airline and you even get a lounge when flying economy ^
Have you personally done Angkor Wat for 1 day? If so, my hat's off to you for your extraordinary stamina to cover such a big site in just a day - including the traveling time to Siem Reap...

Besides, the airfare to Siem Reap from BKK runs a few hundreds - would be a waste to fly such an expensive fare and visit a gigantic site for just a day but of course it is a highly YMMV.
Happy is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2012, 9:12 pm
  #238  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 173
Help! Ready to ticket and agent says routing is invalid and must be cancelled!

I have an award on hold through midnight tonight that I have been working on for weeks and now that I am ready to ticket the agent says it is invalid.

She is saying the government of Japan will not allow award tickets to be issued more than 60 days prior to travel! ... is going on?

EDIT: Nevermind she was VERY misinformed!
sweetz_21_83 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2012, 9:22 pm
  #239  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 2,865
Originally Posted by thegent
This may not be the correct thread for this, but it relates to a oneworld award I've previously discussed and gotten great help on in this thread.

As mentioned earlier, I booked a oneworld award in business class, but had to accept a some of downgrades to coach due to lack of availability on QF.

Two of the legs I was able to "fix" by watching for availability, then calling AA and asking to be re-upgraded back to business. But, on a couple of the legs, there was never award availability listed by QF. AA said to keep checking back, but evidently QF may never make these seats available, even if they don't sell for revenue.

The QF gate agents said that they couldn't upgrade us even though there was availability, due to a strict quota on reward space.

My question is, should I have approached this differently than I did? I wasn't successful at all, despite the seats being physically available. My only thought was that if I had been more persuasive, I could have had an AA agent call over to the Quantas liaison and ask that available seats be freed up for award space. Thanks!
worldiswide is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2012, 9:28 pm
  #240  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 2,865
Hit the wrong key. QF does not release the seats even at the airport when seats are available. We just had the same experience last month where one leg akl to syd was downgraded for one of us, and the business cabin was wide open, and the check in, lounge, and gate agents would not review or consider opening up the seats. We were both exp one world emerald at the time, but QF doesn not care. I even asked the FA's to check when I boarded since there were so many seats open, and after take off they came back to tell me that the ground crew had indicated my partner was flying on a coach ticket.., even though it was a downgraded business award and the next leg the next day from syd to pvg was in business.
worldiswide is offline  

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