Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > American Airlines | AAdvantage
Reload this Page >

[2016 NEWBIE LOUNGE] Ask Your "Newbie" AA Questions Here (flame free)

Wikipost is Locked  
Old Jan 1, 2016, 11:17 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JY1024
Welcome to the 2016 "NEWBIE LOUNGE"
Ask Your Consolidated / Combined AA Questions Here (flame free)
MODERATOR GUIDEPOST:
(This post can only be edited by moderators.)



Welcome to the Newbie Lounge!
Welcome to Flyertalk!

The Newbie Lounge is a place for newer and less experienced members to ask their questions about American Airlines and the AAdvantage program and have answered by our more experienced and knowledgeable members. Feel free to ask any question related to American Airlines and AAdvantage here.

NOTE: This is a "flame free" thread; flaming, personal criticism for "failing to search" etc. is not allowed (if posted, the post will be summarily deleted, the poster subject to sanctions).

We volunteer Moderators monitor this "lounge" thread to assist you as well. When browsing the fora, look at the page tops of the various forums. There will be a menu, and often "sticky" threads, and threads with header "wiki posts" (created and maintained by the FlyerTalk community) with important information relating to that forum / topic.

Don't hesitate to contact a moderator or another member if you have any additional questions. You can PM the Moderators by clicking on , which pops up a message box; the message goes to all this forum's Moderators. Note that unlike some sites with paid staff moderators, FlyerTalk Moderators are volunteers, and most work, travel, go on holiday, etc. You can Private Message us using the PM system (My Flyertalk) and our handles.

We're glad you've chosen to join the Flyertalk frequent flyer community!

Your American Airlines | AAdvantage Forum Moderation Team,

AZ Travels the World, aztimm, dstan, JDiver, JY1024, Microwave

(Our thanks to thread founder / "plank owner" HNL.)
Q. How can I find information more easily than reading through all the threads? Now that I'm here, what do I do next?

Check out the following resources:

Searching can be key to finding important information and answers without waiting for someone to drop by and answer, and it helps prevent that information fragmentation. FlyerTalk Advanced Search can seem quirky to the infrequent user, but it's fairly powerful if one knows how to use it. There are several ways to search:

Forum basics: Now that the new AA has become by some measures "the world's largest airline", this new, combined has become a "mega-forum", very large, very active - and theoretically very difficult to find information and easy to lose one's place. Having to search for and sort through dozens - or more - of threads on baggage, airports, minimum connect times or the like could soon become unproductive and discouraging.

To prevent this from occurring, please note we try to:

Keep a few "sticky" threads: such as GUIDE posts, OSO / IROPS, etc. for urgent and quick reference, such as basic "where do I find" reasons

Keep threads to specific topics: Prevent information fragmentation and loss by consolidating questions, answers and discussion of one topic contained in one thread. (This also honors those members who have already shared valuable information and experiences.)

"Popular" threads are likely to have a wikipost at the head that will summarize important information and have resource links. These are "community property", and as any wiki are established, maintained and updated by the members (with 90 days of tenure and 90 posts on FlyerTalk).

You may find your question or post merged into one of those threads. Be sure that we will leave a link behind from your original thread, and to look up to see if there's a wiki with information. We apologize for any possible inconvenience or difference between this forum and others, but we think you'll like some of the resources and tools here to enable more convenient, comfortable travel on AA and greater knowledge sharing.

Keep it welcoming: We're proud the members of both FFPs have kept the brickbats to a minimum; we want this forum to be welcoming, civil and information rich, so name calling (including calling a member one disagrees with "AApologist") and snark are not tolerated. Posts with such are likely to be summarily deleted in their entirety; repeated such behavior may result in suspension of one's membership privileges or being banned from this forum. Let's keep it friendly and in accordance with the FT Rules.

FlyerTalk Rules (We all agree to abide by these, and are held accountable.)[/LIST]
NOTE: The older AA NEWBIE LOUNGE post thread is here

Thanks for reading!
Print Wikipost

[2016 NEWBIE LOUNGE] Ask Your "Newbie" AA Questions Here (flame free)

Old Dec 30, 2015, 10:48 am
  #16  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,363
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

"I just made AA gold and also have the Citi Executive Platinum card. Both say they give one free checked bag. This should mean that I will be able to check two bags free of charge on my flight right?"

No, it should not, and does not, mean that. Each waives only the first checked-bag fee; neither waives the second checked-bag fee.
guv1976 is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 10:54 am
  #17  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 12
Originally Posted by guv1976
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)



1. Surely this question is better addressed directly with AA. Ordinarily, I'd say no problem, but here you are trying to use the exact same bonus offer in two consecutive calendar years. But why can't one of your traveling companions purchase miles as well? Not an AAdvantage member?

2. Yes.

3. Websites occasionally display "phantom" availability. Since you have to call AA anyway to book CX/JL award travel, just call AA now to see if the seats you want are available. Put them on hold if they are.

4. Probably correct, but might not be universal.
Many thanks for coming back to me!

1. Agreed, AA would be the logical place to talk to about this. I tried the AAdvantage CS number but they didn't seem to know how to answer, or how to send me to someone who could get me an answer. It seemed weird how little they knew about it.
(and yes, my wife and 3 year old unfortunately don't have AAdvantage accounts, and the rules are that you must have an account 30+ days old to buy miles.. otherwise I'd skip this step entirely)

2) Yay!

3) Wow - even better. Will call them now - thanks for pointing this out!

4) Perfect.

Thanks again for your quick answers!
williamdw is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 10:58 am
  #18  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Originally Posted by flyer.jr
I just made AA gold and also have the Citi Executive Platinum card. Both say they give one free checked bag. This should mean that I will be able to check two bags free of charge on my flight right? Or is it some weird wording where they both only offer the first checked bag for free?
You can not combine those benefits to check two free bags. And be sure to read the terms and conditions - it's a bag on domestic flights only, I suspect.

(I doubt your card is "Citi Executive Plantinum" - there is no such card - there's a Citi / AAdvantage Executive World EliteTM MasterCard. Link to Citi / AAdvantage Executive World EliteTM MasterCard, which includes full Admirals Club membership, and there's a Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select credit card.)
JDiver is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 11:00 am
  #19  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Originally Posted by williamdw
Question about the AA miles sale (this is the 150k+115k bonus miles for $4425). Basically I want to buy the miles twice by taking advantage of the calendar year ending, but I'm not sure if they have a rule against this I might not be aware of.

The rules seem to say "Each AAdvantage member is limited to purchasing or receiving in a calendar year, a combined total of no more than 150,000 AAdvantage miles." (from googling elsewhere, it appears the 115k bonus doesn't count in this limit).

Has anyone tried taking advantage of this, ie: buy 150k miles on the 31st of Dec, buy another 150k on the 1st of Jan.

(while I know FT'ers don't normally think buying miles is a good idea, for 3 business class seats R/T BOI to BKK in Oct/Nov 2016, it appears that the cost of purchasing miles and then booking award travel on an AA partner is way less than 3x business class 'real money' tickets. )

So, my questions are:
1) Any reason I can't buy miles 'twice' (once this calendar year, once next calendar year)
2) Can I in fact put award tickets 'on hold' for 3 days even if I don't yet have enough miles to fund the trip I'm holding? (would like to hold the tickets before I buy the miles if possible)
3) Can I generally trust the award ticket availability info on the carriers websites (I read online to use BA's website to check award availability, as AA's website doesn't seem to work for checking most carriers award availability).
4) Am I right in understanding that 3 first class award tickets in the same flight never go on offer, and I should limit myself to business class? (additional note: we'll also have a lap child, so we'll be paying 10% of the first class fare I guess for the lap child.. which sounds expensive vs 10% of the business class fare, so this isn't a huge deal, although the miles difference is so tiny it feels like I'm throwing value away if I only book business class)

W.
I think you've gotten good answers to your questions, but just wanted to point out that fares to BKK from YYZ in business on Finnair are consistently in the US$2500 range. The fare is also available from YYC, although dates are more limited. Positioning should be relatively inexpensive.
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...c=b;a=ONEWORLD
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...c=b;a=ONEWORLD
flyingeph12 is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 11:32 am
  #20  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 225
I am trying to book 4 round trip tickets from DCA to SEA in June with Advantage points. I can find first/business class tix for 25K when I try to reserve 2 but not 4. If I try to reserve 2 from my account and 2 from my wifes account at the same time, the flights disappear for whichever account processes the reservation last. I dont think it is an issue of not having enough seats as they all look empty. Is there any way around this? I can book 4 together in coach for 30K each (more expensive than first class).
mensday is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 12:06 pm
  #21  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Originally Posted by mensday
I am trying to book 4 round trip tickets from DCA to SEA in June with Advantage points. I can find first/business class tix for 25K when I try to reserve 2 but not 4. If I try to reserve 2 from my account and 2 from my wifes account at the same time, the flights disappear for whichever account processes the reservation last. I dont think it is an issue of not having enough seats as they all look empty. Is there any way around this? I can book 4 together in coach for 30K each (more expensive than first class).
It seems there are only 2 saver award seats available. You are not going to be able to book 4 seats together--you are rightly getting an error when you try to book 2 and 2 at the same time. The best thing to do is probably to split up--you take one kid and your wife take the other. Monitor availability and if more seats open up on one of the flights, you can switch everyone to that flight. Also, sometimes you can use a schedule change to your advantage.
flyingeph12 is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 12:55 pm
  #22  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 12
Originally Posted by guv1976
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
1. Surely this question is better addressed directly with AA. Ordinarily, I'd say no problem, but here you are trying to use the exact same bonus offer in two consecutive calendar years. But why can't one of your traveling companions purchase miles as well? Not an AAdvantage member?
Good news! I called again and got someone with their head on straight who confirmed that I could definitely purchase miles in each calendar year and get the bonus for both (we walked through the exact scenario, including maxing out their mileage allowance for each of the years etc, and confirming I'd get the bonus on both maxed out purchases)

Frustratingly, despite the language of the offer saying "accounts less than 30 days old are not permitted", they're saying my account (opened Dec 2nd 2015) won't be eligible on the 31st of Dec as I had hoped despite that being the 30th day (I had hoped they'd count the signup day which would make the 31st the 30th day and so no longer "less than 30 days", but apparently they feel the join day doesn't count as one of the days )

I'm now scrambling see if a friend or family member has an AAdvantage account that I can 'gift' the miles to, and have them turn around and execute the purchase on my behalf with the gifted miles. Grr!

Thank you again for your help!
williamdw is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 2:50 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,524
Does someone have the link to an updated earnings spreadsheet tracker in excel? I saw one a couple days ago that was updated, but can't recall where I stumbled across it.
BThumme is online now  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 2:56 pm
  #24  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SEA/DEN
Programs: Hostelworld.com Diamond Plated Platinum
Posts: 390
Originally Posted by JJeffrey
Yup, just bring a printout of your AA itinerary to show when you check-in with JL, they should have no problem checking your bags through.
Would we get our 2 free checked bags that we would normally get on AA flying from Japan?

I can take one as a carry on and then gate check it at AA I suppose, but my partner cant do that as it is too big.

Thanks for the response!
AJCU is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 4:27 pm
  #25  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,363
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Originally Posted by williamdw
Originally Posted by guv1976
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
1. Surely this question is better addressed directly with AA. Ordinarily, I'd say no problem, but here you are trying to use the exact same bonus offer in two consecutive calendar years. But why can't one of your traveling companions purchase miles as well? Not an AAdvantage member?
Good news! I called again and got someone with their head on straight who confirmed that I could definitely purchase miles in each calendar year and get the bonus for both (we walked through the exact scenario, including maxing out their mileage allowance for each of the years etc, and confirming I'd get the bonus on both maxed out purchases)

Frustratingly, despite the language of the offer saying "accounts less than 30 days old are not permitted", they're saying my account (opened Dec 2nd 2015) won't be eligible on the 31st of Dec as I had hoped despite that being the 30th day (I had hoped they'd count the signup day which would make the 31st the 30th day and so no longer "less than 30 days", but apparently they feel the join day doesn't count as one of the days )

I'm now scrambling see if a friend or family member has an AAdvantage account that I can 'gift' the miles to, and have them turn around and execute the purchase on my behalf with the gifted miles. Grr!

Thank you again for your help!
Were three MileSAAver seats available for your desired dates of travel? If not, this is all moot.

Don't overthink this. You're not traveling until next Fall. Have your wife sign up for AAdvantage immediately. She'll then be eligible to purchase miles starting at the end of January. She'll just have to wait for the next good miles sale from AA; fortunately, they seem to come along with some frequency.
guv1976 is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 4:55 pm
  #26  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Originally Posted by guv1976
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)



Were three MileSAAver seats available for your desired dates of travel? If not, this is all moot.

Don't overthink this. You're not traveling until next Fall. Have your wife sign up for AAdvantage immediately. She'll then be eligible to purchase miles starting at the end of January. She'll just have to wait for the next good miles sale from AA; fortunately, they seem to come along with some frequency.
I would be pleasantly surprised if there were 3 Saver F awards together.

I do think this promo is better than others in the recent past--not only the cost per mile but also the ability to pick up 115K additional miles above the annual cap. Also, there is a bit of urgency since the cost of an Asia 2 award is going up significantly in a few months.

For me, though, given the cheap business fares to Asia on AY from YYZ (which for me is easy to position to), I don't think I would use my miles to go to BKK/SIN/PEK/PVG.
flyingeph12 is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 5:08 pm
  #27  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,363
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Originally Posted by flyingeph12
Originally Posted by guv1976
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)



Were three MileSAAver seats available for your desired dates of travel? If not, this is all moot.

Don't overthink this. You're not traveling until next Fall. Have your wife sign up for AAdvantage immediately. She'll then be eligible to purchase miles starting at the end of January. She'll just have to wait for the next good miles sale from AA; fortunately, they seem to come along with some frequency.
I would be pleasantly surprised if there were 3 Saver F awards together.

I do think this promo is better than others in the recent past--not only the cost per mile but also the ability to pick up 115K additional miles above the annual cap. Also, there is a bit of urgency since the cost of an Asia 2 award is going up significantly in a few months.

For me, though, given the cheap business fares to Asia on AY from YYZ (which for me is easy to position to), I don't think I would use my miles to go to BKK/SIN/PEK/PVG.
I'm assuming that, at best, there will be three J award seats (or maybe two in J and one in F). If there are three award seats in J coming and going, only 330,000 AA miles total (before any rebate if one is a Citi/AAdvantage credit-card holder) are needed. If 265,000 miles are purchased on January 1, that would cover three outbound J seats, and (assuming a 10,000-mile credit-card rebate after purchasing the three outbound awards), two of the three required inbound awards. Then the spouse would only need to purchase 55,000 miles at the end of January, and redeem them for one of the inbound J awards.

The key question is whether there are the requisite number of J/F award seats available on the same flights.
guv1976 is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 5:26 pm
  #28  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: DAY
Programs: Marriott Platinum, HHonors Diamond, AA ExPLT
Posts: 116
Originally Posted by BThumme
Does someone have the link to an updated earnings spreadsheet tracker in excel? I saw one a couple days ago that was updated, but can't recall where I stumbled across it.
Page 30 in the "Just the Facts" thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...2015-a-30.html

Last edited by T. Sanderson; Dec 30, 2015 at 5:32 pm
T. Sanderson is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 7:22 pm
  #29  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 86
$75 close-in award ticket fee

Hi all! Has anyone successfully been able to get the $75 close-in 21-day award ticket fee waived for AA? I heard the loophole doesn't work anymore.
yydv is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 9:03 pm
  #30  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Programs: UA1k; Bonvoy Titanium; Hilton Gold; IHG Gold; AA Plat Pro
Posts: 1,794
Originally Posted by JDiver
No, it's not a different question at all.

As it specifies in the wiki of the thread linked to to in my previous answer, NO. The flight must be an AA marketed flight, regardless of where purchased or which airline operates the flight.

AA flight number, it qualifies as one of the four segments; non-AA flight number,it does not qualify.

And AA is not UA.
Thanks again for your help.

I wanted to give you a feedback/update on this issue.

I contacted AA by email and they replied that as long as it a AA-operated flight, it does not matter whether it is AA-marketed or not. As a specific example, AA confirmed that a BA-marketed but AA-operated flight would qualify as one of the segments for elite qualification.

And this is exactly what happened. When my son completed his 4th AA-operated flight (2 of the 4 were BA-marketed with BA flight numbers, but on AA planes), he was upgraded to Gold status.

So, as far as this issue is concerned, maybe AA is UA

I suggest we update the Wiki.
1k650 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.