Aug 22, 2015, 6:34 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
AA: $75 Expedite Ticketing Fee for awards ticketed within 21 days of travel
(Does not apply to AAdvantage elite status holders)
(Does not apply to AAdvantage elite status holders)
American Airlines charges a $75 "expedite (ticketing) fee" for awards that are less than 21 days from booking (waived for AAdvantage elite members using miles from their own account - but it may vary for awards for others; some report being charged, others not).
There used to be a workaround "loophole"- book for over 21 days out, then change to a closer date. This loophole was closed February 16, 2012, and there is no known way of avoiding this fee for those required to pay it.
AAdvantage Award Processing Charges
Ticketing less than 21 days prior to departure $75
(Waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum®, AAdvantage Platinum® and
AAdvantage Gold® (and Platinum Pro, Concierge Key EP) members using miles from their account)
Ticketing less than 21 days prior to departure $75
(Waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum®, AAdvantage Platinum® and
AAdvantage Gold® (and Platinum Pro, Concierge Key EP) members using miles from their account)
See aa.com awards booking page (as of 22 Mar 2016)here.
AA award $75 expedite / close-in processing fee (master thd)
Feb 18, 2012, 12:31 pm
#31
Join Date: May 2007
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Feb 18, 2012, 12:44 pm
#32
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 536
That's what happens when AA has a mishmash of IT platforms all strung together with bubble gum and bailing wire. BTW, this is why the "within 21day fee" changed to a flat 75$ fee last year, to better implement the loophole closure. And also, no the fee does not apply if one books , for example 3 months out and the day before departure decides to move the departure to the folllowing week.
Feb 18, 2012, 12:57 pm
#33
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AA has lots of things that it would like to fix that require IT efforts. Things get moved up or down on its priority list. Lots of people taking advantage of this loophole moves it up on the priority list. Finally, enough people took advantage that it got to the top of the list.
Feb 18, 2012, 6:29 pm
#34
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The wording simply states "Ticketing less than 21 days prior to departure $75"
If the change requires a ticket re-issue, I can't see why it shouldn't apply and , now that AA has sorted their systems out to handle this loophole out, why it wouldn't apply
Feb 18, 2012, 7:09 pm
#35
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Not according to the wording of the policy; have you 1st hand experience that this is the case?
The wording simply states "Ticketing less than 21 days prior to departure $75"
If the change requires a ticket re-issue, I can't see why it shouldn't apply and , now that AA has sorted their systems out to handle this loophole out, why it wouldn't apply
The wording simply states "Ticketing less than 21 days prior to departure $75"
If the change requires a ticket re-issue, I can't see why it shouldn't apply and , now that AA has sorted their systems out to handle this loophole out, why it wouldn't apply
Feb 18, 2012, 7:25 pm
#36
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
He may be correct, but I wouldn't be relying upon that until there is some empirical evidence to support that assertion; I would not be surprised if the fee does apply to any change where the new departure date is within 21 days of the date that the date change is made
Feb 18, 2012, 8:50 pm
#37
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 542
This is just a move to close the loophole for those who booked a trip outside the 21 days window and then changed the travel dates to within 21 days window to avoid the close in fee. And as germac points out, such loophole is being advertised on FT for so long that it finally brings the closure.
The close in fee is charged by virtually all US legacy airlines at $75 or more. You can, of course, choose to use BA miles which do not have close in fee but charge a hefty fuel surcharge on award tickets.
The close in fee is charged by virtually all US legacy airlines at $75 or more. You can, of course, choose to use BA miles which do not have close in fee but charge a hefty fuel surcharge on award tickets.
A couple points of clarification....there are no fuel surcharges for domestic AA tickets booked using BA miles. All Avios award ticket changes now incur a $40 fee per passenger (when departing from the US).
Feb 18, 2012, 9:03 pm
#38
Moderator: American AAdvantage
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The fee would be directed particularly, in this context and in example, at someone booking May 1 for July 30, then calling a day or two later for May 5 departure because they did not hold the status to avoid the fee booking less than 21 days out.
Postponing travel from July to September would not be a problem anytime, AFAIK. As another member stated very succinctly, loophole plugged. "Chapter 11 may be the mother of loopholes seeking", said nobody I know.
Postponing travel from July to September would not be a problem anytime, AFAIK. As another member stated very succinctly, loophole plugged. "Chapter 11 may be the mother of loopholes seeking", said nobody I know.
Feb 19, 2012, 9:45 am
#39
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if this is the case then this is a downgrade of the elite benefits. previously i have been able to book tickets within 21 days without the fee since i was an elite member. this change would be more than a loophole closure if now everyone is charged the fee regardless of status.
Feb 19, 2012, 10:01 am
#40
Moderator: American AAdvantage
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I would wait for verification this is true - or not. 
if this is the case then this is a downgrade of the elite benefits. previously i have been able to book tickets within 21 days without the fee since i was an elite member. this change would be more than a loophole closure if now everyone is charged the fee regardless of status.
Feb 19, 2012, 12:17 pm
#41
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Join Date: Jan 2002
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if this is the case then this is a downgrade of the elite benefits. previously i have been able to book tickets within 21 days without the fee since i was an elite member. this change would be more than a loophole closure if now everyone is charged the fee regardless of status.
From http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/re...servations.jsp
Originally Posted by AA
AAdvantage Award Processing Charges
Ticketing less than 21 days prior to departure $75
(Waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum®, AAdvantage Platinum® and
AAdvantage Gold® members using miles from their account)
Ticketing less than 21 days prior to departure $75
(Waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum®, AAdvantage Platinum® and
AAdvantage Gold® members using miles from their account)
Last edited by Dave Noble; Feb 19, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Feb 19, 2012, 3:31 pm
#42
Join Date: Nov 2011
Programs: AA EXP, 3MM AA, Admirals Club
Posts: 461
if this is the case then this is a downgrade of the elite benefits. previously i have been able to book tickets within 21 days without the fee since i was an elite member. this change would be more than a loophole closure if now everyone is charged the fee regardless of status.
Feb 19, 2012, 4:03 pm
#43
Moderator: American AAdvantage
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There is confirmation that the $75 fee is an award processing fee for those who book over 21 days out and then voluntarily request the outbound leg(s) begin in fewer than 21 days. The fee will not apply to AAdvantage statusholders using miles from their own account, no changes in this last bit. The source verified; you can confirm as much on TB. The sky is not falling, the loophole has finally been properly stoppered.
Feb 19, 2012, 5:03 pm
#44
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 1,413
It should also be noted that the link to TB that JDiver provided in the immediately preceding post reveals that this entire loophole pluggage was foreshadowed back in October of last year on that website. While FT clearly has the volume of posts on AAdvantage, if you want advanced notice of something like this, your best chance of finding it is on TB.
Feb 20, 2012, 4:16 am
#45
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Now wait a second.
The loophole allowed you to bypass the fee when the new travel date was within 21 days of the ticketing date.
The new rule here, as described (we haven't seen the formal language), would charge the fee when the new travel date was within 21 days of the change date.
That's a big difference. I'll bet it's pretty common for someone to book an award months in advance, then decide at the last minute to leave a day early or return a day later; probably much more common than the loophole-evaders.
The loophole allowed you to bypass the fee when the new travel date was within 21 days of the ticketing date.
The new rule here, as described (we haven't seen the formal language), would charge the fee when the new travel date was within 21 days of the change date.
That's a big difference. I'll bet it's pretty common for someone to book an award months in advance, then decide at the last minute to leave a day early or return a day later; probably much more common than the loophole-evaders.