Apr 9, 2014, 10:25 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
AA Ends International Award Free N. America Gateway Stopover
As of April 8, 2014 - no prior notice given.
As of April 8, 2014 - no prior notice given.
● As of 8 April 2014, AA North America to international destination awards no longer offer a voluntary stopover at the N. A. international gateway.
● Stopovers are defined as more than 4 hours for itineraries using an award within/between the U.S./Canada/PR/USVI and more than 24 hours for itineraries using a Mexico, Caribbean or other international award as of 8 Jan 2014. (JonNYC).
● Awards ticketed prior to April 8 can add or change a stopover. Refer the AAgent to the "All Partner Award Guidelines" document which can be found on jetnet at Webref-> jetnet-> aawrcontent-> res-> resstaff-> internal-> AADAP. Giving this to the agent should be enough to find it. This is from the version dated 7/22/2014 with credit to JonNYC:
Tickets issued prior to April 8, 2014, free international stopovers on international awards are allowed at the North American gateway.
●For stopover purposes only, the North American gateway is defined as the passenger's first point of arrival or last point of departure in the U.S./Canada/PR/USVI/Mexico
●Stopovers within/between all other regions require additional awards
●Changes or adding a stopover to this ticket will require a call to Tariff for PQR prior to setting up reissue
●For stopover purposes only, the North American gateway is defined as the passenger's first point of arrival or last point of departure in the U.S./Canada/PR/USVI/Mexico
●Stopovers within/between all other regions require additional awards
●Changes or adding a stopover to this ticket will require a call to Tariff for PQR prior to setting up reissue
Other topics that are related may be followed here:
. . . Wiki: AA Quietly Increases AAnytime Award Mileage Charges [8 Apr 2014]
. . . Oneworld Explorer Awards Eliminated -- Effective Immediately [8 Apr 2014]
. . . Wiki: Free Checked Bag / Baggage Changes as of 8 Apr 2014
. . . Angry about AAdvantage devaluation / vent / what can I do? (April 2014, consolidated)
AA ends North American Gateway Stopover for International Awards [8 Apr 2014]
Apr 8, 2014, 1:24 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,314
AA ends North American Gateway Stopover for International Awards [8 Apr 2014]
I was tipped off by the One Mile at a Time Blog;
1) Free International Gateway Stopovers have been eliminated. Specifically, if you were ticketed before 4/8, you can add the intl stopover; if not you can't.
2) AAdvantage AAnytime Awards are going up and will have more than one level of AAnytime is the discussion thread for that.
I verified both at the Exp desk and re: #1, changed LAX-HKG-HAN to TPA-LAX-HKG-HAN but couldn't change HKG-LAX to HAN-HKG-LAX-MIA (could do HKG-LAX-MIA though). Reason given was HAN would require reticketing.
I added LAX-MIA (now have HKG-LAX-MIA) and will try to add HAN to that later.
Surprised if this is the first post here on it.
1) Free International Gateway Stopovers have been eliminated. Specifically, if you were ticketed before 4/8, you can add the intl stopover; if not you can't.
2) AAdvantage AAnytime Awards are going up and will have more than one level of AAnytime is the discussion thread for that.
I verified both at the Exp desk and re: #1, changed LAX-HKG-HAN to TPA-LAX-HKG-HAN but couldn't change HKG-LAX to HAN-HKG-LAX-MIA (could do HKG-LAX-MIA though). Reason given was HAN would require reticketing.
I added LAX-MIA (now have HKG-LAX-MIA) and will try to add HAN to that later.
Surprised if this is the first post here on it.
Last edited by JDiver; Apr 9, 2014 at 9:19 am Reason: added thread link for AAnytime Awards changes discussion
Apr 8, 2014, 2:38 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton GLD, Marriott Plat, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 2,872
Apr 8, 2014, 4:05 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
Mileage devaluation happens... fact of life. Shame on AA, however, for not providing any advance notice. 
This is not the AA I've grown to love over the past 15 years of frequent travel.
-FlyerBeek
This is not the AA I've grown to love over the past 15 years of frequent travel.
-FlyerBeek
Apr 8, 2014, 6:51 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS, BWI, DCA, IAD
Programs: American, Delta, JetBlue, United
Posts: 2,049
I don't know if this has been mentioned, but an overnight of this sort is not considered a stopover and I doubt that it will be eliminated. I have recently booked award travel involving AB, and a high percentage of their flights requires spending a night in Berlin or Dusseldorf.
Apr 8, 2014, 7:03 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2010
Programs: AA ex-EXP (buh-bye!), HH Gold, SPG Gold, UM Go Blue
Posts: 543
I am really shocked that this happened without notice, especially the loss of Explorer Awards. I just finished a trip for which I would have had enough miles for a long-planned Explorer award. By the time the miles posted, the ability to book it was gone.
I am really disappointed in how AA handled this. Very poor customer service and treatment of elites, and everyone else. Frankly, I feel a bit insulted.
I am really disappointed in how AA handled this. Very poor customer service and treatment of elites, and everyone else. Frankly, I feel a bit insulted.
Apr 8, 2014, 7:49 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Tokyo
Programs: AA-EXP Hilton Honors-PLT Admirals Club
Posts: 105
How about throw us a bone and eliminate the stupid routing rules, so we can route through europe for Asia 2 or connect in Aisa 1 or 2 for south pacific. Also easter Island should be part of SA 2.
I currently have a award ticket from OGG- lax stop over for 5 months and the lax on hold... I wonder if i can ticket this.
I currently have a award ticket from OGG- lax stop over for 5 months and the lax on hold... I wonder if i can ticket this.
Apr 8, 2014, 7:57 am
#14
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
These will be sorely missed; the oneworld Explorer award was an aspirational award for many members.
This also explains why US Airways Dividend Miles members were told these awards were not available to them once US became an affiliate oneworld member (affiliated under American Airlines effective 31 March 2014). The hammer was already in the air an descending.
This also explains why US Airways Dividend Miles members were told these awards were not available to them once US became an affiliate oneworld member (affiliated under American Airlines effective 31 March 2014). The hammer was already in the air an descending.
Last edited by JDiver; Apr 9, 2014 at 10:31 pm Reason: move content to wiki
Apr 9, 2014, 9:27 am
#15
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Remember: if you booked an award with North American international gateway stopover prior to 8 April, you are still OK; if you must make changes to the award 8 April or after, it may no longer allow the international gateway stopover, however.