Last edit by: JDiver
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.
oneworld / AA Explorer award with AA Miles (discuss, questions) [ENDED 8 APR 2014]
#241
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
I have found the partner airlines are very straight to what class the ticket is indicated - probably due to how the partner airlines receive compensation from AAdvantage. Neither CX nor JL would let you sit at cabin not ticketed for no matter how wide open the premium cabin is, despite the segment is a voluntary downgrade from a higher award redeemed.
#242
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,861
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!
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!
#243
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Virginia
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum - 2M miles
Posts: 216
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?
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?
I just booked my first OW ticket but opted for Economy - since I could see online that there were no business award seats on AA flights from DFW-NRT and JFK-HND that I needed. Sort of assumed that I would have the same business availability issues with Japan airlines, quantas, and Cathay Pacific. But it take few miles to upgrade upgrade to business from economy on OW ticket - well worth the extra miles if you can get the business seats.
For future reference, can I ask how far in advance your itinerary is - so I will have an idea if it is doable next time?
thanks
#244
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NCL and LBA
Programs: BD*G, BAGold, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 3,269
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.
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.
#245
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 61
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.
I also understand that QF, or any airline for that matter, doesn't want to give away all of the biz seats as awards, but when it is apparent that they haven't sold for revenue, they should have a mechanism to free up these seats it seems. Maybe it's a crew/staffing issue, there was a very active thread about BA downgrading a non-award ticketed (paid) passenger after he had been seated with boarding pass, due to lack staff on board the plane.
I guess, bottom line is that there is no incentive for anyone at oneworld to get too worked up about it as long as it doesn't tarnish AAdvantage too much??
#246
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 173
Wow, great itinerary in Business - well done!
I just booked my first OW ticket but opted for Economy - since I could see online that there were no business award seats on AA flights from DFW-NRT and JFK-HND that I needed. Sort of assumed that I would have the same business availability issues with Japan airlines, quantas, and Cathay Pacific. But it take few miles to upgrade upgrade to business from economy on OW ticket - well worth the extra miles if you can get the business seats.
For future reference, can I ask how far in advance your itinerary is - so I will have an idea if it is doable next time?
thanks
I just booked my first OW ticket but opted for Economy - since I could see online that there were no business award seats on AA flights from DFW-NRT and JFK-HND that I needed. Sort of assumed that I would have the same business availability issues with Japan airlines, quantas, and Cathay Pacific. But it take few miles to upgrade upgrade to business from economy on OW ticket - well worth the extra miles if you can get the business seats.
For future reference, can I ask how far in advance your itinerary is - so I will have an idea if it is doable next time?
thanks
#247
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Miami
Programs: AA LT Gold SPG Gold ($30K AMEX)
Posts: 112
AA flexibility
I switched my 1st class DFW-NRT to April 1st but was initiallt stymied in that there were no first class or economy flights awards available on March 31 between MIA-DFW despite ten flights per day. The agent checked with revenue managemet who agreed to open a seat to a downgraded exonomy T Code.
#248
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,731
I switched my 1st class DFW-NRT to April 1st but was initiallt stymied in that there were no first class or economy flights awards available on March 31 between MIA-DFW despite ten flights per day. The agent checked with revenue managemet who agreed to open a seat to a downgraded exonomy T Code.
What's your AA status? I have often heard of EXP requesting additional seats to revenue management, but GLD/PLT reports are much less often.
#249
Join Date: Jan 2004
Programs: AA PLAT, DL GLD, CO GLD, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 101
I just tried to book a flight to Europe on AA using miles. They wanted 110K miles and $775. ...? That's the cost to fly to Europe, I don't really see much use in obtain AA miles anymore if I have to pay for the flight anyway. I'm really starting to hate American.
#250
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,587
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
(Duplicate post.)
(Duplicate post.)
#251
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,587
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
That hardly sounds like a oneworld award issue, which is the subject of this thread. And if you're being asked to pay $775, it sounds like at least one of your flights is on BA. Avoid BA, and you'll pay much less.
Originally Posted by cbr600f4i2
I just tried to book a flight to Europe on AA using miles. They wanted 110K miles and $775. ...? That's the cost to fly to Europe, I don't really see much use in obtain AA miles anymore if I have to pay for the flight anyway. I'm really starting to hate American.
#252
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVPG 75K
Posts: 2,574
This is a new Federal requirement showing the maximum possible cost for any award ticket bookable online. Once you get to the Travelers page (Page 4 of 7) it will show the actual cost which will almost certainly be drastically less.
#253
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MEX
Posts: 1,014
Just to clarify, one open jaw is allowed. Is that in the same country, though? Or would Europe or South America count as "countries"?
I'm trying to redeem this OW award starting in LIM going to Europe and finishing in the US.
Thanks.
I'm trying to redeem this OW award starting in LIM going to Europe and finishing in the US.
Thanks.
#255
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Miami
Programs: AA LT Gold SPG Gold ($30K AMEX)
Posts: 112
American Airlines Liaison Desk
So, I had booked my 1st Class 280,000 mile $453 surcharges (34,790 countable miles 16 segments exactly) around-the-world itinerary.
MIA-DFW-NRT-PEK-HKG-MNL-HKG-JNB-CPT/LVI-JNB-MAD-RAK-MAD-TLV-MAD-MIA
I just called American Airlines and Iberia announced it has cancelled my May 31st JNB-MAD flight. The reservation agent said that the matter has been referred to the American Airlines Liaison Desk (never heard of them) and for me to call back tomorrow.
If I had already booked and paid for the ticket can American Airlines Liaison route me through London (on British Airways) without me having to pay extra miles (over 35,000 countable) or surcharges? Does anybody have experience with flights being cancelled in the middle of an around-the-world and how this is handled?
Thanks.
MIA-DFW-NRT-PEK-HKG-MNL-HKG-JNB-CPT/LVI-JNB-MAD-RAK-MAD-TLV-MAD-MIA
I just called American Airlines and Iberia announced it has cancelled my May 31st JNB-MAD flight. The reservation agent said that the matter has been referred to the American Airlines Liaison Desk (never heard of them) and for me to call back tomorrow.
If I had already booked and paid for the ticket can American Airlines Liaison route me through London (on British Airways) without me having to pay extra miles (over 35,000 countable) or surcharges? Does anybody have experience with flights being cancelled in the middle of an around-the-world and how this is handled?
Thanks.