Originally Posted by
kd46
Thanks, I think I will. I don't fly that often (truth be told, I detest flying...something about being stuck in a little tube 30,000 feet in the air!) but it would make sense . I'll check out the AA frequent flyer programs. It's a JAL flight though...would I get AA miles?
Thanks also for putting my mind at ease about the timing of my flights. It's good to know, now I can stop obsessing about it!! I will definitely keep an eye on the weather and consider the earlier flight if things look "iffy". If the weather is looking rotten, can I call American and put myself on stand-by the night before or do I just have to wait until the morning of, show up and hope for the best. That's a long time to wait in JFK with two bored little boys!!
This is more of an AA forum question, but 12 hours prior to flight you can call AA and ask for a same day confirmation on an earlier flight for $50 per flyer, assuming space is available. However if you are flying with two children this could be a problem, even with standby, because you would need three empty seats. There are numerous flights from DCA so if the weather looks bad I would call AA at the 12 hour mark and start hunting for a same day confirmation even if it will cost you $150. Also, many telephone agents won't know how to process the transaction because it is part of an International routing (you may need to ask for a supervisor). Better than stuck at JFK overnight on your own dime.