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)
Mar 25, 2018, 7:53 pm
#511
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
Mar 25, 2018, 7:54 pm
#512
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
Mar 25, 2018, 8:00 pm
#513
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,454
In the future I'd recommend booking the seat (especially if there's only one seat left) and placing the booking on a 5-day hold. The ability to hold awards is one of the remaining lone bright spots of using AA miles these days.
Mar 25, 2018, 8:20 pm
#515
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,455
he who hesitates and all that.
Anyway, enjoy the trip you are taking.
Mar 25, 2018, 8:36 pm
#517
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,249
Flights have been booked between the time I searched for it and the 30 seconds after that I decided to book it.
sucks but that is life.
sucks but that is life.
Mar 25, 2018, 8:42 pm
#518
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Mar 25, 2018, 9:10 pm
#519
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
Is the BA search engine as problematic for phantom inventory on JAL flights as it is for CX? Maybe the OP's open seat was never really there.
Mar 25, 2018, 9:17 pm
#520
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
Anything is possible but it vanished when I went back to check so I think it really was there initially. Also the flight I ended up taking showed there and then when I went back the seat I took was gone.
Mar 25, 2018, 9:26 pm
#521
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Aspen, CO
Posts: 792
awesome! less grAAbers in JL F 
Mar 25, 2018, 9:39 pm
#522
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AA PP 1.8MM, PC Spire, Hertz 5*, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,030
Next time, if you are EXP, take it. There is no fee to cancel an award flight as an EXP. A couple of times this has helped out as I have needed to change my itinerary.
Mar 26, 2018, 7:49 pm
#523
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
I found a flight I wanted on JAL using BA.com. It showed four seats open in F on the date I wanted. I called AA and they flatly said there are no seats available. Is this something wrong with the rep at AA where I need to call again or is the BA website not reliable to indicate open award space on JAL? Is there a different website I should be using to check for AA availability?I know back in November there was some sort of issue with AA reps not seeing JAL award space but not sure if this is still going on. The rep indicated that BA would have availability on JAL open to them that is not open to AA. That doesn't really sound right to me is it?
Mar 26, 2018, 8:03 pm
#524
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
I found a flight I wanted on JAL using BA.com. It showed four seats open in F on the date I wanted. I called AA and they flatly said there are no seats available. Is this something wrong with the rep at AA where I need to call again or is the BA website not reliable to indicate open award space on JAL? Is there a different website I should be using to check for AA availability?I know back in November there was some sort of issue with AA reps not seeing JAL award space but not sure if this is still going on. The rep indicated that BA would have availability on JAL open to them that is not open to AA. That doesn't really sound right to me is it?
Mar 26, 2018, 8:05 pm
#525
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272