Aug 4, 2015, 1:37 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
GUIDE to redeeming AA miles for Japan Air Lines awards:
For 2012-2015 posts, please see
ARCHIVE: AA Award on JL / JAL / Japan Airlines (master thd)
For further information, see:
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
- JL awards are now shown show and can be booked on aa.com
- AwardNexus (free to FlyerTalk members for basic searches) will also reveal, and (for a fee) alert, on JL award seats
- AA awards on JL must be MileSAAver (AAnytime awards are only available on AA marketed and AA operated flights)
- There are no onerous fuel or carrier-imposed surcharges using AAdvantage miles for awards using JL
- JL initially releases awards to AAvantage members 330 days out at 10:00 am JST time (18:00 PDT, 17:00 PST). Note, JL award inventory is released to members of other FFPs 360 day out and updates award and revenue seat award availability once daily ~09:30-12:00 Pacific time
- JL may release 0-2 F and 0-4 J award seats initially; until taken they remain available up to three months from release
- No further seats are likely to be released until shortly (~14 days) prior to scheduled departure - but the last F seat will be retained for sale, not released into award inventory
- No stopovers are allowed on AA awards. Connections may be as long as 23:59.
- Only JAL Mileage Bank members can waitlist awards
- All awards for domestic Japan will default to Economy (including international F or J award with domestic segments); these can often be upgraded at reasonable cost at the ticket counter in the Japan connecting airport
- If JL & QF are showing availability, but AA can't see it, try calling the Australia AA center as it may be a point-of-sale issue
For 2012-2015 posts, please see
ARCHIVE: AA Award on JL / JAL / Japan Airlines (master thd)
For further information, see:
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
AAdvantage Award on JL / JAL / Japan Airlines (2016-2023)
Dec 31, 2018, 7:09 am
#736
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Washington, DC 20016
Programs: AA Gold; US silver
Posts: 95
I see availability on the JAL Mileage Bank for dates I need in October/November, 2 business class seats. Called AA twice, both agents said they are reserved for JAL Mileage Bank holders. I asked about the new process for searching using revenue tickets (above), both said they only look for AA allocated seats. Any suggestions for other numbers to call (used USA Platinum line)?
Dec 31, 2018, 7:39 am
#737
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
I see availability on the JAL Mileage Bank for dates I need in October/November, 2 business class seats. Called AA twice, both agents said they are reserved for JAL Mileage Bank holders. I asked about the new process for searching using revenue tickets (above), both said they only look for AA allocated seats. Any suggestions for other numbers to call (used USA Platinum line)?
Dec 31, 2018, 8:11 am
#738
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Washington, DC 20016
Programs: AA Gold; US silver
Posts: 95
I see 2 business class seats, one way, on BA for 210,000 Avios but I couldn't tell from the BA website what kind of award it is...I found it under OFF PEAK. I haven't looked at the Qantas or BA sites recently...they both seem way more complicated than they used to be.
Dec 31, 2018, 10:22 am
#739
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 319
On LHR-HND they’ve been releasing the last F seat into award availability about 5 days out.
On the other hand I recently had the rudest AA agent when trying to book JL. He said he couldn’t see it, and I informed him about the new process to check for JL inventory. He cut me off and told me “he knows how to do it, and that he had recently been on a 4-week training course”. When i I asked about other JL flights I knew had 8+ award seats, he couldn’t see those either. I asked to speak to a supervisor, and he refused because in a rude tone “I know how to do my job sir”. Eventually I convinced him to check with someone and he informed me that just as he thought nothing was available.
Hung up, called back and next agent was able to see and book it within 5 minutes.
Sigh.
On the other hand I recently had the rudest AA agent when trying to book JL. He said he couldn’t see it, and I informed him about the new process to check for JL inventory. He cut me off and told me “he knows how to do it, and that he had recently been on a 4-week training course”. When i I asked about other JL flights I knew had 8+ award seats, he couldn’t see those either. I asked to speak to a supervisor, and he refused because in a rude tone “I know how to do my job sir”. Eventually I convinced him to check with someone and he informed me that just as he thought nothing was available.
Hung up, called back and next agent was able to see and book it within 5 minutes.
Sigh.
Jan 1, 2019, 1:32 am
#740
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Northwest, United
Posts: 3,256
Award seat selection?
Do I understand correctly that for booking JL award seats using AA miles in the business class cabins, seat selection is restricted by JL, with zero window seats available for selection (all being reserved for JL elites?) and the only seats that can be assigned are non-window aisles or middles?
I'm specifically looking at an award trip in J on a 788 with Skysuites, where A&K are window seats, and CDGH are "aisle" seats. Is it true that I will only be able to select CDG or H?
Thanks.
I'm specifically looking at an award trip in J on a 788 with Skysuites, where A&K are window seats, and CDGH are "aisle" seats. Is it true that I will only be able to select CDG or H?
Thanks.
Jan 1, 2019, 3:17 am
#741
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 319
Do I understand correctly that for booking JL award seats using AA miles in the business class cabins, seat selection is restricted by JL, with zero window seats available for selection (all being reserved for JL elites?) and the only seats that can be assigned are non-window aisles or middles?
I'm specifically looking at an award trip in J on a 788 with Skysuites, where A&K are window seats, and CDGH are "aisle" seats. Is it true that I will only be able to select CDG or H?
Thanks.
I'm specifically looking at an award trip in J on a 788 with Skysuites, where A&K are window seats, and CDGH are "aisle" seats. Is it true that I will only be able to select CDG or H?
Thanks.
Jan 1, 2019, 4:02 am
#742
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Northwest, United
Posts: 3,256
I can understand them blocking some seats for elites, but blocking every window seat in J just seems a bit extreme (and mean). Was just wondering if that was their normal practice (I've seen older posts suggesting that was the case, but it wasn't completely clear). Don't have a specific date yet (looking at next summer).
Jan 1, 2019, 9:54 am
#743
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
No status here.
I can understand them blocking some seats for elites, but blocking every window seat in J just seems a bit extreme (and mean). Was just wondering if that was their normal practice (I've seen older posts suggesting that was the case, but it wasn't completely clear). Don't have a specific date yet (looking at next summer).
I can understand them blocking some seats for elites, but blocking every window seat in J just seems a bit extreme (and mean). Was just wondering if that was their normal practice (I've seen older posts suggesting that was the case, but it wasn't completely clear). Don't have a specific date yet (looking at next summer).
ETA: It looks like a good way to see what is available to us plebeians is to make a dummy booking on Expedia and preview seat availability.
Last edited by skimthetrees; Jan 1, 2019 at 10:00 am
Jan 1, 2019, 10:57 am
#744
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Northwest, United
Posts: 3,256
It is not their normal practice to block all window seats. The one situation I saw where they were blocking all window seats is on the new SEA-NRT route on a 787-8 which has a relatively small Business Class cabin with 30 seats. On the 777's they block the windows in the forward cabin and for maybe 1 or 2 rows in the rear cabin but many windows are available on the 777 (if not already assigned).
ETA: It looks like a good way to see what is available to us plebeians is to make a dummy booking on Expedia and preview seat availability.
ETA: It looks like a good way to see what is available to us plebeians is to make a dummy booking on Expedia and preview seat availability.
Of course, the route I'm looking at is exactly the one you mentioned (SEA-NRT next year). So that begs the next question...if that happens, and I go to book the award and find every window seat in J is blocked, is there any way around that (ie calling some JAL office somewhere at some point and requesting a seat swap, etc.)? Am booking this for my wife who has become very excited about trying this flight (based on me describing it) but I suspect she will have her heart set on a window seat...any suggested strategy (other than adjusting expectations, or replacing wife...)?
Thank you for the help, much appreciated.
Jan 1, 2019, 11:35 am
#745
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
Thanks, useful info.
Of course, the route I'm looking at is exactly the one you mentioned (SEA-NRT next year). So that begs the next question...if that happens, and I go to book the award and find every window seat in J is blocked, is there any way around that (ie calling some JAL office somewhere at some point and requesting a seat swap, etc.)? Am booking this for my wife who has become very excited about trying this flight (based on me describing it) but I suspect she will have her heart set on a window seat...any suggested strategy (other than adjusting expectations, or replacing wife...)?
Thank you for the help, much appreciated.
Of course, the route I'm looking at is exactly the one you mentioned (SEA-NRT next year). So that begs the next question...if that happens, and I go to book the award and find every window seat in J is blocked, is there any way around that (ie calling some JAL office somewhere at some point and requesting a seat swap, etc.)? Am booking this for my wife who has become very excited about trying this flight (based on me describing it) but I suspect she will have her heart set on a window seat...any suggested strategy (other than adjusting expectations, or replacing wife...)?
Thank you for the help, much appreciated.
Most of the windows that are blocked for elites are not hard blocked, which is to say when you pull up the seat map in ExpertFlyer most of the window seats are shown as available, not blocked, but when you pull up the seat map on JAL's website without status they show as unavailable. You might try searching for a JAL partner airline that would allow you to manage the reservation and see if the partner's site would allow assignment to a seat shown as available on ExpertFlyer.
The other thing you could try is calling JAL and asking for a window assignment. If the rest of the cabin is empty, who knows, they might oblige? Maybe your wife has a fear of flying and sitting by a window and being able to look out is the best way to calm her fear?
Last edited by skimthetrees; Jan 1, 2019 at 5:24 pm
Jan 1, 2019, 1:57 pm
#746
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Northwest, United
Posts: 3,256
There are some things you could try. I do not know how likely they are to succeed.
Most of the windows that are blocked for elites are not hard blocked, which is to say when you pull up the seat map in ExpertFlyer most of the window seats are shown as available, not blocked, but when you pull up the seat map on JAL's website without status they show as unavailable. You might try searching for a JAL partner airline that would allow you to manage the reservation and see if the partner's site would allow assignment to a seat shown as available on ExpertFlyer.
The other think you could try is calling JAL and asking for a window assignment. If the rest of the cabin is empty, who knows, they might oblige? Maybe your wife has a fear of flying and sitting by a window and being able to look out is the best way to calm her fear?
Most of the windows that are blocked for elites are not hard blocked, which is to say when you pull up the seat map in ExpertFlyer most of the window seats are shown as available, not blocked, but when you pull up the seat map on JAL's website without status they show as unavailable. You might try searching for a JAL partner airline that would allow you to manage the reservation and see if the partner's site would allow assignment to a seat shown as available on ExpertFlyer.
The other think you could try is calling JAL and asking for a window assignment. If the rest of the cabin is empty, who knows, they might oblige? Maybe your wife has a fear of flying and sitting by a window and being able to look out is the best way to calm her fear?
Jan 1, 2019, 9:05 pm
#747
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA MM Gold, AA Ex Plat, SPG Plat,Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 992
F Award opened 1 day out
As a data point : HND-JFK was showing F1 for quite a while on expert flyer. BA was not showing any availability but I decided to call AA the night before and bingo they saw the award seat and I grabbed it
Jan 2, 2019, 11:57 pm
#748
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 319
I believe BA cut off access to JL booking within 72 hours of departure.
Jan 3, 2019, 8:00 pm
#750
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New York
Programs: Marriott Gold, AA, United, Delta, Alaska
Posts: 144