djangojam

I'm planning a 3 person first class award trip for next year's Spring Break holiday. The outbound flight I want is CLE-JFK-HKG-BKK flying cx. With 3 people it's a complicated trip because I have to split us up on the JFK-HKG leg and there is very limited availability on that route. I want to book it later this week when I get within 331 days. My problem is the CLE-JFK leg. It appears I can book the 8am flight out CLE-LGA on Wednesday, but what I really want is the 5pm flight CLE-JFK. The award availability on that one won't open up for another two weeks.

If I book the whole thing using the 8am flight, will I be able to call back in two weeks and change to the later flight at no cost?

clacko

what metal?....the rule, as i understand it, is that aa awards can be changed w/ no cost as long as the end points and carriers stay the same....expect a phone fee...you may want to verify w/aa...

usually, this ? is posed re date changes....

good luck...

djangojam

Out of CLE it will be AA, out of JFK it will be hkg. As far as the endpoint goes, are LGA and JFK considered the same endpoint?
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Meant to type cx, not hkg

mnscout

I'm trying to help a friend join me on my trip from JFK to LIM (June 2-8). I was able to secure a return trip for him on the 8th which used up all his whopping 15K AA miles. He has the 50K BA miles, but even though AA shows regular award availability, BA doesn't show any availability at all for AA or LAN on outbound flights btw 05/31 and 06/02. I also tried Award Nexus and surprisingly it didn't show any AA availability neither (or maybe I used it incorrectly, I don't know), although again, AA does have it .

What bugs me, it's supposed to be a low season in Peru. I've been checking AA and BA every day for the last week, and the situation hasn't changed at all, so I'm not optimistic anything would become available. He doesn't mind using 35K miles for a one way ticket. Is there any others ways to look for the seat we need (short of actually buying the ticket)?

JIMCHI

I checked availability using the KVS Availability tool and it shows a coach award seat is available on June 1 on LA533 JFK-SCL connecting to LA2638 SCL-LIM. Be aware BA's online award availability engine is poor at finding award seats on other OneWorld carriers- you really have to phone BA to check availability.

UA Fan

Did you type in JFK as the origin and LIM as the destination in ba.com?

JIMCHI

If you type in JFK-LIM on 6/1 you get nothing on BA.com If you check point-to-point via SCL you get award availability. I never rely on BA.com when trying to get awards on other carriers. I rely on KVS.

Austinrunner

Where does KVS get its data?

JIMCHI

From Amadeus, a GDS provider. The BA.com interface for award availability just does not have good capability for non-BA carriers.

IntFF

I think this is an interesting case:
I have an August biz partner award with no AA flight. I could not access reservation on AA... went to look at Amadeus (w/partner PNR) and saw that my return flight was cancelled and I was moved to another flight (same airline) 21hrs later.... I was not happy.

I did some research on EF (ExpertFlyer) and BA (for CX awards) and saw that I can return earlier in 2 flights on 2 diff airlines, but only CX had biz award availability.

I called AA and was told by agent: You have the right to change into 2 flights (if there was availability), w/o paying $150 (same origin-destination, but change of airline/s that normally will require $150). BUT if you want to see reservation (with the ret-flight delayed 21hrs) on AA, I need to reissue eTicket... AND this means You Agreed !! to the change (the flight 21hrs later)... AND you will NOT be able... any more... to change for free into earlier 2 flights (if both become available).

So- I decided to wait with eTicketing by AA.
My flight appears on Amedeus "confirmed" by the other airline.
Of course - it is my job to keep checking on EF(alert) and BA if both flights that I want become available.

Austinrunner

The Amadeus tool is just QF.com, correct?

mnscout

Thanks for the advice, guys. I wouldn't even think of trying that method. As a data point, it's not just the BA website; 2 BA agents could not find those seats either (I mean before you adviced me about the SCL routing), so I guess, they are seeing the same thing.

Thanks again.

sbrova

I'm planning a trip in Oct from LAX-ORD-LHR, currently booked with coach award, but hoping bus class will open up as the trip gets closer. I'm wondering what to do if the bus seats only open up for the TATL leg...would I have to rebook as coach LAX-ORD and bus from ORD-LHR?

One more question, are there any stats or anecdotal reports as to which AA hubs generally have more bus/1st award availability to LHR?

Thanks all!

beerup

If business class award (U) opens up on the transatlantic segment with no first (Z) availability on the domestic segment, you can change to a business/first award and accept a voluntary downgrade on the domestic segment. If Z subsequently opens up on the domestic segment, you can call to claim the "upgrade" without the need for reticketing. If you are still in coach on the day of flight, you can ask to upgrade at the airport - you should be high on the PALL list as you have a "paid first" ticket.

Spock Seat

Nevermind.......I answered my own question.

Spock Seat.