Originally Posted by
ricktoronto
To the OP I have held tickets for 12 weeks by calling AA and asking them to hold a series of 4 tickets for from 3-12 weeks so I didn't have to pay a lot earlier than flying. They did that without a flinch.
Every fare has its own ticketing rules. Flexible fares (such as your B fares) often don't require ticketing until 24 hours prior to departure. Discounted fares almost always require ticketing within 24 hours, or the reservation is cancelled. AA.com does not have the flexibility to accomodate long-term holds, so you'd have to call them or use a travel agent.
Oh, and always be aware that fares are not guaranteed until the ticket is issued. So if you hold a "B" fare until closer to departure and the fare increases or is pulled altogether, then you have to re-price it at current fares.
I believe this is different from the AA.com hold which I think will guarantee the fare for 24 hours, but may require a special phone call if the fare changes before you ticket.
Originally Posted by
AAaLot
I tried holding some that included BA. In those cases I found out you could not.
Depends on the fare rule underlying the reservations. It's certainly possible to hold a reservation with AA/BA; I've done it on JFK-LHR-PVG in "J" class, through a TA.