Strategy for Changing Flights the Day of Travel
Jun 27, 2018, 8:51 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington State
Programs: UA, Starwood, AAdvantage, Alaska, BAEC, Marriott, Hawaiian, Hilton HHonors
Posts: 255
Strategy for Changing Flights the Day of Travel
I want to change my ticket to a recently added direct flight from Anchorage to PDX. Alaska, who is probably
the most customer focused airline out there, has repeatably told me that American Airlines owns the ticket
since I used AA miles to book my ticket on Alaska. AA tells me they have no space on the flight I want and
wait until the day of departure and ask at the airport. I get different responses when speaking with Alaska
CSR's.
I can arrive up to five or six hours prior to this flight's departure time but here is my issue. What is the best
strategy to increase my chances for success? If there is anyone reading this who has been in a similar
situation and can offer their valuable suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
the most customer focused airline out there, has repeatably told me that American Airlines owns the ticket
since I used AA miles to book my ticket on Alaska. AA tells me they have no space on the flight I want and
wait until the day of departure and ask at the airport. I get different responses when speaking with Alaska
CSR's.
I can arrive up to five or six hours prior to this flight's departure time but here is my issue. What is the best
strategy to increase my chances for success? If there is anyone reading this who has been in a similar
situation and can offer their valuable suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
Jun 27, 2018, 9:17 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: ANC
Programs: Alaska 100k
Posts: 1,012
I want to change my ticket to a recently added direct flight from Anchorage to PDX. Alaska, who is probably
the most customer focused airline out there, has repeatably told me that American Airlines owns the ticket
since I used AA miles to book my ticket on Alaska. AA tells me they have no space on the flight I want and
wait until the day of departure and ask at the airport. I get different responses when speaking with Alaska
CSR's.
I can arrive up to five or six hours prior to this flight's departure time but here is my issue. What is the best
strategy to increase my chances for success? If there is anyone reading this who has been in a similar
situation and can offer their valuable suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
the most customer focused airline out there, has repeatably told me that American Airlines owns the ticket
since I used AA miles to book my ticket on Alaska. AA tells me they have no space on the flight I want and
wait until the day of departure and ask at the airport. I get different responses when speaking with Alaska
CSR's.
I can arrive up to five or six hours prior to this flight's departure time but here is my issue. What is the best
strategy to increase my chances for success? If there is anyone reading this who has been in a similar
situation and can offer their valuable suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
If you booked with AAdvantage, Alaska can't do anything with your ticket prior to day of departure. AAdvantage bookings only have access to a small sub-set of the the available seats on any given route.
If you are doing a same-day same-routing change, you will be able to perform a Same-Day Confirmed Change. At online checkin 6hrs prior to your flight (24hrs for MVP/Gold/75k), you will have the option to take an earlier/later flight for $50 (waived for Gold/75k).
Jun 27, 2018, 10:02 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,445
Are you just trying to change the time of your flight (same day, same routing)? Or make some other change?
If you booked with AAdvantage, Alaska can't do anything with your ticket prior to day of departure. AAdvantage bookings only have access to a small sub-set of the the available seats on any given route.
If you are doing a same-day same-routing change, you will be able to perform a Same-Day Confirmed Change. At online checkin 6hrs prior to your flight (24hrs for MVP/Gold/75k), you will have the option to take an earlier/later flight for $50 (waived for Gold/75k).
If you booked with AAdvantage, Alaska can't do anything with your ticket prior to day of departure. AAdvantage bookings only have access to a small sub-set of the the available seats on any given route.
If you are doing a same-day same-routing change, you will be able to perform a Same-Day Confirmed Change. At online checkin 6hrs prior to your flight (24hrs for MVP/Gold/75k), you will have the option to take an earlier/later flight for $50 (waived for Gold/75k).
Jun 27, 2018, 11:25 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,908
Another standby question - just wanna confirm:
I can book say LAX-PDX 5 am flight with avios add my AS MVPG number and during online checkin a day earlier do confirmed standby for more sane departure time later that day.. (that later flight will be >24 hr from checkin time at that point).. all it requires is an available seat in any fare bucket on a later flight - correct? Thx!
I can book say LAX-PDX 5 am flight with avios add my AS MVPG number and during online checkin a day earlier do confirmed standby for more sane departure time later that day.. (that later flight will be >24 hr from checkin time at that point).. all it requires is an available seat in any fare bucket on a later flight - correct? Thx!
Jun 27, 2018, 1:01 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,445
Another standby question - just wanna confirm:
I can book say LAX-PDX 5 am flight with avios add my AS MVPG number and during online checkin a day earlier do confirmed standby for more sane departure time later that day.. (that later flight will be >24 hr from checkin time at that point).. all it requires is an available seat in any fare bucket on a later flight - correct? Thx!
I can book say LAX-PDX 5 am flight with avios add my AS MVPG number and during online checkin a day earlier do confirmed standby for more sane departure time later that day.. (that later flight will be >24 hr from checkin time at that point).. all it requires is an available seat in any fare bucket on a later flight - correct? Thx!
Jun 27, 2018, 7:35 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington State
Programs: UA, Starwood, AAdvantage, Alaska, BAEC, Marriott, Hawaiian, Hilton HHonors
Posts: 255
It sounds like (maybe wrong, but inferring from the info provided) the OP wants to change from an ANC-SEA-PDX routing to an ANC-PDX route instead. Technically it's not permitted within the same day change rules, however, you may get a sympathetic agent who is willing to change the routing for you. Try calling after 10pm local time the evening before departure and hope for the best. If no luck there, inquire when checking in at the airport.
I booked this flight the day it became available and at the time there was an earlier direct flight but I could not make it due to arriving in Seward following a
cruise. Then a few weeks ago this later direct flight appeared in their schedule and of course I'd prefer it to having to change planes and arrive home three
hours later. I'm booked into First and so far only 3 of the 16 First Class seats are occupied. With 60+ days to go I'll be watching to see if they ultimately
filled those seats. As I assumed it will all fall into the hands of the gate agents to work with me if they can.
Jun 27, 2018, 7:41 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Thanks goes out to you & Sturges for your helpful advice.Changing from my current ANC-SEA-PDX to the non stop ANC-PDX is exactly what I want to do.
I booked this flight the day it became available and at the time there was an earlier direct flight but I could not make it due to arriving in Seward following a
cruise. Then a few weeks ago this later direct flight appeared in their schedule and of course I'd prefer it to having to change planes and arrive home three
hours later. I'm booked into First and so far only 3 of the 16 First Class seats are occupied. With 60+ days to go I'll be watching to see if they ultimately
filled those seats. As I assumed it will all fall into the hands of the gate agents to work with me if they can.
I booked this flight the day it became available and at the time there was an earlier direct flight but I could not make it due to arriving in Seward following a
cruise. Then a few weeks ago this later direct flight appeared in their schedule and of course I'd prefer it to having to change planes and arrive home three
hours later. I'm booked into First and so far only 3 of the 16 First Class seats are occupied. With 60+ days to go I'll be watching to see if they ultimately
filled those seats. As I assumed it will all fall into the hands of the gate agents to work with me if they can.
James
Jun 28, 2018, 8:33 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,445
Thanks goes out to you & Sturges for your helpful advice.Changing from my current ANC-SEA-PDX to the non stop ANC-PDX is exactly what I want to do.
I booked this flight the day it became available and at the time there was an earlier direct flight but I could not make it due to arriving in Seward following a
cruise. Then a few weeks ago this later direct flight appeared in their schedule and of course I'd prefer it to having to change planes and arrive home three
hours later. I'm booked into First and so far only 3 of the 16 First Class seats are occupied. With 60+ days to go I'll be watching to see if they ultimately
filled those seats. As I assumed it will all fall into the hands of the gate agents to work with me if they can.
I booked this flight the day it became available and at the time there was an earlier direct flight but I could not make it due to arriving in Seward following a
cruise. Then a few weeks ago this later direct flight appeared in their schedule and of course I'd prefer it to having to change planes and arrive home three
hours later. I'm booked into First and so far only 3 of the 16 First Class seats are occupied. With 60+ days to go I'll be watching to see if they ultimately
filled those seats. As I assumed it will all fall into the hands of the gate agents to work with me if they can.
Jun 28, 2018, 11:04 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington State
Programs: UA, Starwood, AAdvantage, Alaska, BAEC, Marriott, Hawaiian, Hilton HHonors
Posts: 255
Definitely keep watching, and I'd guess that a call center or gate agent may be willing to stretch the rules a bit for a passenger traveling on an F award. As you get within the timeframe for the same day change, keep in mind that many elite upgrades may have cleared into F on your desired flight, so you may be looking at a trade-off of your F seat for a more convenient routing. Would plan to call in right at 10pm the night prior rather than wait to let a gate agent handle for better chances of F space remaining.
flight I want and failing that I'll just have to see if the gate agent will work with me. I cannot call the night before either as I will be at sea so that's option is off the table.
Jun 28, 2018, 1:18 pm
#11
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,428
OK,
being new to the forum, have a question about changing flights that have forced overnight.
I see late flights ariving at SEA, SJO, PDX and SFO, with next leg anytime between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Is it possible to SDC to flights on same day? This for some reason seems to involve connecting in California and then stuck in SEA, or on the way back connecting in SEA and then stuck overnight in California
being new to the forum, have a question about changing flights that have forced overnight.
I see late flights ariving at SEA, SJO, PDX and SFO, with next leg anytime between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Is it possible to SDC to flights on same day? This for some reason seems to involve connecting in California and then stuck in SEA, or on the way back connecting in SEA and then stuck overnight in California