ARCHIVE: Success stories of award booking on Etihad using AA miles
Dec 29, 2014, 2:09 pm
#481
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Exploralist, Marriot Silver
Posts: 2,065
I have some AA miles, and I am trying to check availability for DFW-AUH-AMD OR DFW-DOH-AMD for FEB first week in Economy Class for any oneWorld affiliated carrier (including Etihad and Qatar). I tried booking via AA using award miles, but aa.com refused to book to AMD becuase they don't serve that destination.
What should I do? Can I still book with Etihad or Qatar using the AA call line or is this not totally possible due to website refusal to book award ticket? What have been others' experiences? I mean since Qatar is part of OneWorld and Etihad has informal relationship with AA, I would think there would be something allowed to book flights to India.
I am total newbie to this forum, so please forgive me if this is not right place or question.
What should I do? Can I still book with Etihad or Qatar using the AA call line or is this not totally possible due to website refusal to book award ticket? What have been others' experiences? I mean since Qatar is part of OneWorld and Etihad has informal relationship with AA, I would think there would be something allowed to book flights to India.
I am total newbie to this forum, so please forgive me if this is not right place or question.
Dec 29, 2014, 2:40 pm
#482
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 7
Thank you SFOPhd for quick reply 
I was able to check EY website for available days to book reward ticket. But no luck with BA. It asks me to login to find out reward flights available so can't check QR availability via BA. Is there any other way to find out QR availability?
I was able to check EY website for available days to book reward ticket. But no luck with BA. It asks me to login to find out reward flights available so can't check QR availability via BA. Is there any other way to find out QR availability?
Dec 29, 2014, 7:47 pm
#483
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
My suspicion is that a380 from LHR is bookable, but not from SYD, while there is still a 77 going there. The guest availability is just the 77. But later in the year it is only a380 to LHR
Dec 29, 2014, 7:47 pm
#484
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Thank you SFOPhd for quick reply
I was able to check EY website for available days to book reward ticket. But no luck with BA. It asks me to login to find out reward flights available so can't check QR availability via BA. Is there any other way to find out QR availability?
I was able to check EY website for available days to book reward ticket. But no luck with BA. It asks me to login to find out reward flights available so can't check QR availability via BA. Is there any other way to find out QR availability?
Dec 30, 2014, 2:28 pm
#485
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London (~75% of the year).
Programs: AA PPro
Posts: 477
Very little available at shorter notice, presumably it's been snagged already.
BTW: I assume if you book an AA award the 1 year to travel validity is from the date of ticketing not the date of the first flight? Will want another LHR-AUH return in Feb/March 2016 and want to lock in an award at current burn rates as soon as possible (e.g. early April 2015) in case the miles tables change when AA/US merge.
Dec 30, 2014, 3:16 pm
#486
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1,666
Yep: I looked at the end of schedule (Nov 2015) and there's two first class award seats available on every day in that last week in both directions (LHR-AUH-LHR) so I'm guessing they automatically release two seats.
Very little available at shorter notice, presumably it's been snagged already.
BTW: I assume if you book an AA award the 1 year to travel validity is from the date of ticketing not the date of the first flight? Will want another LHR-AUH return in Feb/March 2016 and want to lock in an award at current burn rates as soon as possible (e.g. early April 2015) in case the miles tables change when AA/US merge.
Very little available at shorter notice, presumably it's been snagged already.
BTW: I assume if you book an AA award the 1 year to travel validity is from the date of ticketing not the date of the first flight? Will want another LHR-AUH return in Feb/March 2016 and want to lock in an award at current burn rates as soon as possible (e.g. early April 2015) in case the miles tables change when AA/US merge.
I'm looking at the EY website for award availability for AUH-LHR and can't see any GuestSeats (i.e. those that can be booked by AA) in F. I see some in other months - but it's a shame I can't fit them into any of my travel plans.
Dec 30, 2014, 4:01 pm
#487
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tyrone,EU
Programs: Avios Hunter
Posts: 2,812
DUB-AUH-MLE
MLE-AUH
AUH-DUB
for 2 in biz. 170K AA miles plus £91 in taxes
My expectation was that each leg would be 30K per person, hence 180K in total. I'm not sure how the CSR got a 170K total.
MLE-AUH
AUH-DUB
for 2 in biz. 170K AA miles plus £91 in taxes
My expectation was that each leg would be 30K per person, hence 180K in total. I'm not sure how the CSR got a 170K total.
Dec 30, 2014, 4:06 pm
#488
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Exploralist, Marriot Silver
Posts: 2,065
MLE-AUH is 25k each in business because it's "Indian Subcontinent Middle East" to "Indian Subcontinent Middle East"?
Dec 30, 2014, 4:17 pm
#489
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tyrone,EU
Programs: Avios Hunter
Posts: 2,812
Dec 30, 2014, 6:08 pm
#490
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K, Wheels Up, Inspirato Pass, Marriott Titanium Elt, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Pres, Ntl P
Posts: 248
Yes, I booked an Apartment on their A380 AUH-LHR next month. Will be in London for a night then taking Virgin's Dreamliner in First LHR-EWR.
Dec 31, 2014, 3:19 am
#491
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tyrone,EU
Programs: Avios Hunter
Posts: 2,812
1 each on the 27th and 29th Sept, 2 on the 30th Sept.
Dec 31, 2014, 10:23 am
#492
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Leeds UK
Programs: BD, AA, BA, CO Marriott Plat>gold, Hyatt Diamond>Plat,Hilton Gold SPG Gold PC Plat
Posts: 1,093
Thanks
Jan 13, 2015, 12:55 pm
#493
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
NOTE: posts prior to 2015 about this topic (with the exception of a few 2014 end of year posts brought forward for continuity) may be read here; the new thread may be read and posted to here: Success stories of award booking on Etihad using AA miles (>= 2015)
JDiver
Senior Moderator
JDiver
Senior Moderator
Last edited by JDiver; Jan 13, 2015 at 2:25 pm