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)
Nov 1, 2018, 9:02 pm
#676
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
Hmm! Can you elaborate on this, please? The issue is that award flights -- particularly in premium classes -- aren't showing as available for me (on multiple airlines!) until a few days prior.
In fact, a JAL SFO-HND F seat for Monday just opened up today (Thursday) and, yes, I snagged it for $80 + 80K AA points
.
On another happy / surprising note: my itin was ticketed within an hour (!).
In fact, a JAL SFO-HND F seat for Monday just opened up today (Thursday) and, yes, I snagged it for $80 + 80K AA points
.On another happy / surprising note: my itin was ticketed within an hour (!).
Now, you *could" be refused entry but I doubt it for Japan, been there a couple of times and never been asked. It is more likely the airline you are flying might refuse to board you on your outbound if they do a thorough doc check. This is so they do not have to fly you back at their expense if you are denied entry. Even this is not common. Most likely you will be OK but be prepared to book a last minute flight out of Japan if they demand it. It does not have to be a return to the US, it could be just the cheapest or award ticket out of Japan to somewhere close.
Nov 1, 2018, 11:36 pm
#677
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Hmm! Can you elaborate on this, please? The issue is that award flights -- particularly in premium classes -- aren't showing as available for me (on multiple airlines!) until a few days prior.
In fact, a JAL SFO-HND F seat for Monday just opened up today (Thursday) and, yes, I snagged it for $80 + 80K AA points.
On another happy / surprising note: my itin was ticketed within an hour (!).
In fact, a JAL SFO-HND F seat for Monday just opened up today (Thursday) and, yes, I snagged it for $80 + 80K AA points
.On another happy / surprising note: my itin was ticketed within an hour (!).
Just wanted to give you a heads up of a potential risk of showing up without an onward ticket.
Nov 5, 2018, 12:00 am
#678
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 368
Hello, I booked an award ticket on JAL using AA miles two days ago and it hasn't ticketed yet. I've seen from the thread that it can take a few days. The weird thing, it my account it's showing up like this: Please call to book your trip.
Is that normal? The agent at the time asked if I wanted to book or place it on hold, I said book and gave her my credit card information.
Thanks!
Is that normal? The agent at the time asked if I wanted to book or place it on hold, I said book and gave her my credit card information.
Thanks!
Nov 5, 2018, 5:09 am
#679
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
Hello, I booked an award ticket on JAL using AA miles two days ago and it hasn't ticketed yet. I've seen from the thread that it can take a few days. The weird thing, it my account it's showing up like this: Please call to book your trip.
Is that normal? The agent at the time asked if I wanted to book or place it on hold, I said book and gave her my credit card information.
Thanks!
Is that normal? The agent at the time asked if I wanted to book or place it on hold, I said book and gave her my credit card information.
Thanks!
Nov 5, 2018, 6:32 am
#680
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 805
Hello, I booked an award ticket on JAL using AA miles two days ago and it hasn't ticketed yet. I've seen from the thread that it can take a few days. The weird thing, it my account it's showing up like this: Please call to book your trip.
Is that normal? The agent at the time asked if I wanted to book or place it on hold, I said book and gave her my credit card information.
Thanks!
Is that normal? The agent at the time asked if I wanted to book or place it on hold, I said book and gave her my credit card information.
Thanks!
Nov 5, 2018, 6:55 am
#681
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
Hello, I booked an award ticket on JAL using AA miles two days ago and it hasn't ticketed yet. I've seen from the thread that it can take a few days. The weird thing, it my account it's showing up like this: Please call to book your trip.
Is that normal? The agent at the time asked if I wanted to book or place it on hold, I said book and gave her my credit card information.
Thanks!
Is that normal? The agent at the time asked if I wanted to book or place it on hold, I said book and gave her my credit card information.
Thanks!
Nov 5, 2018, 8:45 am
#682
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,434
Hello, I booked an award ticket on JAL using AA miles two days ago and it hasn't ticketed yet. I've seen from the thread that it can take a few days. The weird thing, it my account it's showing up like this: Please call to book your trip.
Is that normal? The agent at the time asked if I wanted to book or place it on hold, I said book and gave her my credit card information.
Thanks!
Is that normal? The agent at the time asked if I wanted to book or place it on hold, I said book and gave her my credit card information.
Thanks!
Nov 5, 2018, 9:35 am
#683
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: SJC
Programs: AA 2MM PLT, HH Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 612
Luckily J space popped up on the flight, though I'm still hoping for F; a bit surprised that it hasn't, as it's just over 2 weeks out and HND-SFO is still showing F3. Even NRT-ORD isn't showing F availability, and that's F6!
Nov 5, 2018, 9:40 am
#684
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: SJC
Programs: AA 2MM PLT, HH Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 612
The AA agent checking you in may ask for a return/onward ticket. There is also a chance that immigration in Japan might ask to see an onward ticket—although some above have indicated that this is unlikely to happen. I also have never been asked for a return/onward ticket at Japanese immigration. But then I never thought I would need to show proof of onward travel when entering Canada (as a US citizen), and yet it happened recently.
Just wanted to give you a heads up of a potential risk of showing up without an onward ticket.
Just wanted to give you a heads up of a potential risk of showing up without an onward ticket.
Nov 5, 2018, 11:17 am
#685
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Yes. I've booked separate awards for outbound and return using different airlines/mileage currency, and I've never had an issue with simply showing proof of the return itinerary.
Nov 5, 2018, 1:38 pm
#686
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 805
The options I've seen recently are "on hold" or "on request." If it's "on request" it'll also say to call in but this should just be a bug with the new website.
Nov 12, 2018, 8:39 am
#688
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Plat; IHG Diamond-Amb; Meliá & HH & Marriott Gold
Posts: 5,450
Just a brief data point from this week, partly to reassure anyone worried about AAgents having trouble seeing JAL award availability.
Morning in Europe, 330 days out, BA showing the F availability I'd been hoping for. A few minutes later, after a very pleasant phone call with an AA call center in the Caribbean, the booking had been made and seats assigned.
A confirmation email with ticket numbers followed just over 24 hours later. Much faster than expected, based on previous AA redemptions and reports above. All in all, an easy and positive booking experience. ^
Morning in Europe, 330 days out, BA showing the F availability I'd been hoping for. A few minutes later, after a very pleasant phone call with an AA call center in the Caribbean, the booking had been made and seats assigned.
A confirmation email with ticket numbers followed just over 24 hours later. Much faster than expected, based on previous AA redemptions and reports above. All in all, an easy and positive booking experience. ^
Last edited by IMH; Nov 13, 2018 at 2:27 am Reason: Added details.
Nov 15, 2018, 8:12 pm
#689
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: กรุงเทพมหานคร
Programs: *G, oneworld Sapphire
Posts: 100
I just had a very disappointing interaction with an AA agent, after 40 minutes on hold no less.
I confirmed availability for a JAL flight from BKK-HND on January 26 via both BA and Alaska, but this guy claims it's not available on AA. Twitter rep says the same thing.
Is this possible? I know some airlines have different availability buckets on partner airlines than others (as is the case with CX and AS), but I wasn't aware that a JAL flight could show as available via BA but not be bookable on AA.
I confirmed availability for a JAL flight from BKK-HND on January 26 via both BA and Alaska, but this guy claims it's not available on AA. Twitter rep says the same thing.
Is this possible? I know some airlines have different availability buckets on partner airlines than others (as is the case with CX and AS), but I wasn't aware that a JAL flight could show as available via BA but not be bookable on AA.
Nov 15, 2018, 8:23 pm
#690
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
I just had a very disappointing interaction with an AA agent, after 40 minutes on hold no less.
I confirmed availability for a JAL flight from BKK-HND on January 26 via both BA and Alaska, but this guy claims it's not available on AA. Twitter rep says the same thing.
Is this possible? I know some airlines have different availability buckets on partner airlines than others (as is the case with CX and AS), but I wasn't aware that a JAL flight could show as available via BA but not be bookable on AA.
I confirmed availability for a JAL flight from BKK-HND on January 26 via both BA and Alaska, but this guy claims it's not available on AA. Twitter rep says the same thing.
Is this possible? I know some airlines have different availability buckets on partner airlines than others (as is the case with CX and AS), but I wasn't aware that a JAL flight could show as available via BA but not be bookable on AA.