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)
Aug 20, 2018, 11:31 am
#586
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 762
Hi guys need some help here so I'm trying to book award tickets and business class on Jal in December. When I check Jal's website Alaska's website and even BA awebsite it shows the award space available for the days I want but when I call American Airlines and their agents they're not able to see the business class award space available. What can I tell the agent or do so they are able to pull up the business class space??
Aug 20, 2018, 11:43 am
#587
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: All
Posts: 21
Hi guys need some help here so I'm trying to book award tickets and business class on Jal in December. When I check Jal's website Alaska's website and even BA awebsite it shows the award space available for the days I want but when I call American Airlines and their agents they're not able to see the business class award space available. What can I tell the agent or do so they are able to pull up the business class space??
Aug 20, 2018, 11:44 am
#588
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 762
ive tried 3 times. What else can I tell them to find it?
Aug 20, 2018, 12:00 pm
#589
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: All
Posts: 21
Have them search JAL award space as if they were booking a revenue ticket. Tell them to look for fare code U. If they are unsure tell them it is the same way they find award space for Malaysia Airlines.
Also have you asked them to elevate it to their help desk?
Also have you asked them to elevate it to their help desk?
Aug 20, 2018, 12:13 pm
#590
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 762
Lady just looked at code fare U. Says she sees nothing for the entire month. I haven't asked for the help desk, what can they do? Ever time I call the agent says that they only give so many to each airlines, which I know it isn't true.
Aug 20, 2018, 12:29 pm
#591
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: All
Posts: 21
I would keep HUCA. Both recent times I booked JAL with AA I had this issue. They swore up and down they saw no availability even though I saw it with AS and BA. Keep trying. You can mention the memo that went out last year re: booking JAL and that might ring a bell, but chances are that if they can't figure it out then they don't know about the memo.
Aug 20, 2018, 12:54 pm
#592
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 762
They can't find anything. At least the lady found a day a WEEK before what i wanted. So im booking that for myself, but for my wife a week later they can't find anything.
But I know that there is award space in business on JAL.
But I know that there is award space in business on JAL.
Aug 20, 2018, 1:26 pm
#593
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
While in theory you shouldn't have to as all AA agents should now how to and be able to access the same partner inventory, try one of the non-US call centers.
Aug 20, 2018, 2:46 pm
#594
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 762
ok will give that a shot. Also does alaska show phantom award space sometimes?
Last edited by brabb12; Aug 20, 2018 at 2:58 pm
Aug 20, 2018, 5:25 pm
#596
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 26
I have to piggyback on this because I seem to have a similar issue. AS search has been quite reliable for me until now and allowed me to hold ORD-NRT. A better date started showing availability today and I had no luck when calling in. BA does not show the space. Should I take this to mean it’s phantom availability showing on AS?
Aug 23, 2018, 7:06 pm
#597
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 762
No. The agent that was finally able to help me get my two award tickets, she mentioned something about looking it up in the revenue tickets spot. Even though it's under as a award.
Aug 27, 2018, 8:06 pm
#598
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 15
Are JAL.com award tickets availability not visible to AA agents?
I'm seeing 3 business class available but none of the agents at AA can see it...
I'm seeing 3 business class available but none of the agents at AA can see it...
Aug 28, 2018, 7:37 am
#600
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
Hi. I am new to this. Sorry if I missed if there is an easy answer to this. I recently reserved (with AA 5-day hold) JFK-NRT, HND-JFK for March 2019. The JFK-NRT outbound is in first. The HND-JFK return is in economy. Assuming no F or J spots open up between now and when I have to go hard on the award with AA, what are my options for upgrading or changing the HND-JFK segment post-booking, either with miles or cash? Thank you!