Confused about booking award ticket on US (and selecting seats)
Apr 27, 2015, 9:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Marriott Plat, Priority Club Plat, HHonors Diamond, Avis CC
Posts: 673
Confused about booking award ticket on US (and selecting seats)
I understand that all award tickets must now be booked on the AA.com site, but if we are booking a US Airways metal flight the AA.com website won't let me pick seats.
On the US Airways website I can see the seat map if I am buying the tickets with cash.
How do I get seat assignments for award tickets on US Airways? Do I have to call in and do it? Or can I use the US Airways site once the tickets are confirmed?
I am currently Platinum (just waiting for my status to update).
On the US Airways website I can see the seat map if I am buying the tickets with cash.
How do I get seat assignments for award tickets on US Airways? Do I have to call in and do it? Or can I use the US Airways site once the tickets are confirmed?
I am currently Platinum (just waiting for my status to update).
Apr 27, 2015, 11:36 am
#2
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: American ExPlat; Marriott/SPG Lifetime Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,116
You'll need the US record locator to pull up the reservation and assign seats at usairways.com. In my recent experience, that appeared on the ticket once it was issued, so I didn't have to call in to get it -- which one frequently had to do with Dividend Miles-issued tickets.
Apr 27, 2015, 11:44 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Marriott Plat, Priority Club Plat, HHonors Diamond, Avis CC
Posts: 673
I booked the award seats on the AA website. I got my US Airways locator, but was not able to select seats on the US website. I ended up calling and they got me in my seats that I wanted.
Seems that they are all still learning the new system as well because we need to add a lap child and there was some additional confusion due to AA having lag between the Pending and Ticketed times.
Seems that they are all still learning the new system as well because we need to add a lap child and there was some additional confusion due to AA having lag between the Pending and Ticketed times.
Apr 27, 2015, 12:06 pm
#4
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: American ExPlat; Marriott/SPG Lifetime Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,116
In my case I wasn't able to assign the seat at usairways.com until the award reservation was actually ticketed. Am I understanding correctly that when you tried, yours also wasn't yet ticketed either?
Apr 27, 2015, 5:10 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Marriott Plat, Priority Club Plat, HHonors Diamond, Avis CC
Posts: 673
Yup, that is correct. Just got the email that they are now ticketed and I can now make changes to my seat assignments.
Apr 30, 2015, 9:33 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
Just booked some US award flights and did seat selection on the US site once I was ticketed (about 10-minute lag). However, was not able to get Select seats without paying for them. As ExecPlat these should be free, no? Will call US in the morning.
Apr 30, 2015, 10:19 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA-EXP, MR-PP
Posts: 3,440
Choice seats - you get to pay (nothing special about them, except up-front and usually isle/window)
May 5, 2015, 9:02 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
So even top tier elites pay for Choice seats, but Preferred seats are essentially Choice seats set aside for elites at no cost? Kept what I selected, didn't bother calling in. Guess I'll get used to these quirky things on US. (Like FA this morning on a USAirExpress flight claiming she couldn't offer the comp drink/snack to ExecPlats because they didn't use those remote terminals. Later came back with drink and snack!)
May 6, 2015, 1:11 am
#9
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: American ExPlat; Marriott/SPG Lifetime Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,116
Early on in the "Choice" seat initiative, Mr. Parker was asked about this very issue at a frequent traveler Mega-Do that stopped in PHX for a meet and greet. He was quoted as saying that was certainly not the intention. But it certainly never changed.
As you can imagine, high level elites buying last-minute tickets at ridiculous prices with only such "Choice" seats available left for purchase -- are not amused
