Process for changing an award flight
 

I apologize for such a basic question but having just been thwarted by LifeMiles, I want to anticipate if I'll have any problems. I have an Aeroplan award on LX J for a return from Europe. If LH F opens up (obviously via a different connecting city):

1) Will I be able to make this as a change over the phone (changes can't be made online, it seems?)
2) Will there be any issue with the fact that it's a change in partner, routing, or class of service? Possibly also a date change.

I will have the difference in miles (15k per ticket) in my Aeroplan account already, and understand that there's a fee (I think 100CAD/person) and maybe tax changes. No problem with the fees, I just want to make sure this won't be a matter of cancel the first booking, wait for the redeposit of miles, and pray the seats are still there.

No problem, but don't forget about the $500 in YQ you'll need to pay for LH metal.

I appreciate the heads up on that. I didn't realize it would be so high, so forewarned is forearmed!

Edit: Ah, that's for 2? That seems reasonable enough to me (if YQ is ever "reasonable").

That is going to be per pax, per direction.

And the YQ on SFO-FRA in LH F is over $1000 CAD, so SIGNIFICANTLY higher.

Though bear in mind SFO-FRA-BKK in LH F is lower, so it really depends on your destination.

I’ve done this many times and it’s never a problem. Just as others have said, taxes for Europe -> North America are half the price of North America -> Europe, EU->NA is about $450CAD all in on top of the miles.

I'm almost done my first mini rtw that includes an LH F segment ex EU.

IAD-NRT (NH F, overnight in TYO)
HND-BKK (TG F, Destination)
BKK-FRA (TG F, STOP)
FRA-ORD (LH F)
ORD-IAD (UA Y) Will skip this segment.

Total taxes/fees were just over 1k CAD for 1 PAX. The last time in flew LH F was back in 2015, MUC-YVR. It looks like YQ was only 300 or so on that flight.