Jan 13, 2015, 1:39 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Awards: Success stories of award booking on Etihad using AA miles (>= 2015)
This thread is about our members' successful award bookings on Etihad / EY using AAdvantage miles. Please do not post to this thread if you want tips and assistance on booking Etihad awards with AA miles but see this thread: How to use AA miles on Etihad / EY (Consolidated / Master Thread). The wikipost of that thread also contains instructions on how to search for EY availability.
Note: posts prior to 2015 about this topic (with the exception of a few 2014 end of year posts brought forward for continuity) may be found at ARCHIVE: Success stories of award booking on Etihad using AA miles
Success stories booking awards on Etihad using AA miles (Archive - 2015 and earlier)
Dec 22, 2015, 4:25 pm
#991
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Here today, gone tomorrow
Programs: Nothing shiny :-(
Posts: 2,493
Whilst I've no doubt I've booked very few of these compared to most of you, I don't think any have been ticketed within 48 hours. Last week it took a touch under 5 days. So if anyone else is worried that something is wrong because a booking through the Oz(!) office has not been ticketed within 48 hours, you probably don't need to be.
Dec 22, 2015, 4:28 pm
#992
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,670
Whilst I've no doubt I've booked very few of these compared to most of you, I don't think any have been ticketed within 48 hours. Last week it took a touch under 5 days. So if anyone else is worried that something is wrong because a booking through the Oz(!) office has not been ticketed within 48 hours, you probably don't need to be.
At 48 hours , on the couple of occasions where it wasn't ticketed, I have phoned back and then, whilst on the phone the agent has contacted the ticketing department and had it completed ( and any issues that have caused it not to be ticketed resolved ) before I have hung up from the call
Compare this with the US agents which will fob off repeatedly and risk any other airline TTLs to be missed
Dec 22, 2015, 5:21 pm
#993
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North America
Posts: 2,265
The American Airlines reservation desk for the Commonwealth of Australia, the physical location of which seems to actually be located in Fiji, does indeed have issues regarding changes, especially adding segments, once a reservation has been ticketed. Awards on hold, however, are easily altered.
When purchasing, the agent has said it should be ticketed within 48 hours
At 48 hours , on the couple of occasions where it wasn't ticketed, I have phoned back and then, whilst on the phone the agent has contacted the ticketing department and had it completed ( and any issues that have caused it not to be ticketed resolved ) before I have hung up from the call
Compare this with the US agents which will fob off repeatedly and risk any other airline TTLs to be missed
At 48 hours , on the couple of occasions where it wasn't ticketed, I have phoned back and then, whilst on the phone the agent has contacted the ticketing department and had it completed ( and any issues that have caused it not to be ticketed resolved ) before I have hung up from the call
Compare this with the US agents which will fob off repeatedly and risk any other airline TTLs to be missed
Dec 22, 2015, 6:41 pm
#994
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA MM Gold, AA Ex Plat, SPG Plat,Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 993
Was trying to book AUH-AMS for late Jan ( Ethiad site showing wide open for weeks ) AA agent can't see a single seat for months
Very frustrating they continue to block these awards
Very frustrating they continue to block these awards
Dec 24, 2015, 7:38 am
#996
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: CHS
Programs: DL Diamond, WN A-List, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 685
For those searching for seats, I discovered a ton of award seats in the A380 First Apartment from London --> Abu Dhabi between April - Oct 2016.
Dates with 3+ seats:
Here's the calendar I made that shows the available dates, all dates are for London --> Abu Dhabi:
While the Australia routes provide the best value, the routes to/from Europe are also a good deal at just 40,000 miles one-way for 7-8+ hours in the First Apartment:
Abu Dhabi-AUH → New York-JFK = ~6.1k AA miles/hr
Abu Dhabi-AUH → London-LHR = ~4.9k AA miles/hr
Melbourne-MEL → Abu Dhabi-AUH = ~4.3k AA miles/hr
Sydney-SYD → Abu Dhabi-AUH = ~4k AA miles/hr
Hope some find the info useful!
Dates with 3+ seats:
- July 24: 4 seats
- July 26: 5 seats
- August 3: 5 seats
- August 4: 3 seats
- August 5: 3 seats
- August 6: 5 seats
- August 7: 5 seats
- August 8: 6 seats
- August 11: 4 seats
- August 16: 4 seats
- August 18: 4 seats
- August 21: 4 seats
- October 23: 4 seats
- October 24: 6 seats
- October 26: 5 seats
- October 27: 2x flights with 3 seats
Here's the calendar I made that shows the available dates, all dates are for London --> Abu Dhabi:
While the Australia routes provide the best value, the routes to/from Europe are also a good deal at just 40,000 miles one-way for 7-8+ hours in the First Apartment:
Abu Dhabi-AUH → New York-JFK = ~6.1k AA miles/hr
Abu Dhabi-AUH → London-LHR = ~4.9k AA miles/hr
Melbourne-MEL → Abu Dhabi-AUH = ~4.3k AA miles/hr
Sydney-SYD → Abu Dhabi-AUH = ~4k AA miles/hr
Hope some find the info useful!
Dec 24, 2015, 7:44 am
#997
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
Yup tons of availability but it looks like the reason for that is the steep taxes one must pay to book the ticket out of LHR. Still worth it, IMO, but it hurts a little.
Dec 24, 2015, 9:00 am
#998
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,699
4xJ
OSL-LHR BA
LHR - AUH EY A380
AUH - MLE EY
US desk could not find EY seats, so called Australia and put on hold. Ticketed via US desk after adding the OSL leg.
OSL-LHR BA
LHR - AUH EY A380
AUH - MLE EY
US desk could not find EY seats, so called Australia and put on hold. Ticketed via US desk after adding the OSL leg.
Dec 24, 2015, 10:26 am
#999
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 465
5 seats open on the 12/25 Xmas flight AUH-JFK
FIVE!
(granted, flight is in 6 hours from now)
FIVE!
(granted, flight is in 6 hours from now)
Dec 24, 2015, 11:29 am
#1000
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: AA Platinum, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 731
2x J on Middle East - US non-stop.
Had to call Australia desk to get it done.
One word of caution: the 5 day free hold expired sooner than 5 days. Luckily, I caught it and the availability was still there. Was frustrating to waste 10 minutes getting it put together again but worth it.
Had to call Australia desk to get it done.
One word of caution: the 5 day free hold expired sooner than 5 days. Luckily, I caught it and the availability was still there. Was frustrating to waste 10 minutes getting it put together again but worth it.
Dec 24, 2015, 1:21 pm
#1001
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: UA, QF, VS, AA, US, HH, SPG
Posts: 974
Just put on hold CMN-AUH (EY F) AUH-MEL (EY F Apartments) MEL-SYD (QF J) for 2 in Nov 2016. A 120,000 per person points blow-out but will cost 180,000 pp after devaluation - the EY "party" is coming to and end for us Aussies !!!
Used the Australian desk of course.
Used the Australian desk of course.
Last edited by pschafer; Dec 24, 2015 at 1:21 pm Reason: typo
Dec 24, 2015, 3:43 pm
#1003
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,139
Same thing happened to me the other day for a flight departing AUH on EY, but not for one on CX departing LHR.
Dec 24, 2015, 4:24 pm
#1005
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,139
