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)
Jun 12, 2020, 7:38 pm
#1486
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,949
There is plenty of Award Availability also:
[KVS Tool 9.9.2/Diamond - Awards/BA-OneWorld]
Code:
TYO Tokyo Metro JP = NRT HND SPK Sapporo Metro JP = CTS OKD SAT 18 Jul 2020 | 1 Seat Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive St Award Availability --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------ JL 503 HND 07:10 CTS 08:40 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 505 HND 08:20 CTS 09:55 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 509 HND 09:30 CTS 11:05 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 517 HND 13:30 CTS 15:05 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 521 HND 15:30 CTS 17:05 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 525 HND 17:40 CTS 19:15 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 529 HND 19:40 CTS 21:15 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 255 HND 08:40 HIJ 10:00 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 -> JL 3403 HIJ 10:45 CTS 12:45 0 FS0 CS0 YS+ JL 101 HND 06:30 ITM 07:35 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 -> JL 2003 ITM 08:20 CTS 10:15 0 FS0 CS0 YS+ JL 127 HND 16:30 ITM 17:30 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 -> JL 2019 ITM 19:10 CTS 21:00 0 FS0 CS0 YS+ JL 131 HND 17:30 ITM 18:30 0 FS0 CS0 YS4 -> JL 2019 ITM 19:10 CTS 21:00 0 FS0 CS0 YS+
Jun 17, 2020, 9:23 am
#1487
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Maryland
Programs: DL Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 67
Has anyone had trouble getting AA agents to see Japan Transocean flights when redeeming AAdvantage miles? I've gone through 3 agents who can't even see the flight (it is bookable on both BA and JAL's websites).
Jul 10, 2020, 4:09 pm
#1488
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,972
Award space on AA changes daily. Keep checking and if they're available they'll come back. Sometimes they do sometimes they don't. I've seen JAL F disappear in themthe show back up that night.
Jul 10, 2020, 4:44 pm
#1489
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,397
As the OP is using AA miles for a JAL award, I'll move this to the AA forum for further discussion. Ocn Vw 1K, Senior Moderator.
Jul 10, 2020, 7:43 pm
#1490
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Western PA
Programs: AA EXP/2MM
Posts: 441
Hi all,
Last week there were 3+ award seats available through AA for dfw/hnd on JAL flight 11 on many days in Mid-august... Went to book a couple of days ago and all of a sudden there's nothing available - even for 1 seat - except in main cabin. Hard to believe all flights on all days immediately dried up all at once - does anyone know if there's something going on with the aa/jal partner system or something? Phone rep didn't have any idea... Thanks!
Last week there were 3+ award seats available through AA for dfw/hnd on JAL flight 11 on many days in Mid-august... Went to book a couple of days ago and all of a sudden there's nothing available - even for 1 seat - except in main cabin. Hard to believe all flights on all days immediately dried up all at once - does anyone know if there's something going on with the aa/jal partner system or something? Phone rep didn't have any idea... Thanks!
JAL updated TPAC schedules for August on July 9 -- most destinations aren't daily, so that means people being rebooked on the remaining days. Also, HND-JFK is downsized to a 789.
Bill
Jul 11, 2020, 12:06 pm
#1492
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: LONDON - NEW YORK
Programs: BA Gold / Delta SM
Posts: 10
Any advice on the following would be appreciated - I have a JL flight in J next year booked with AA miles. Im OWE via QR PC. I phoned AA to add my QR FFN to the booking which opened up Row 5.
Forward to last week I had to move the flights from Jan to March. AA cancelled/rebooked the new flights now however Row 5/any of the preferred seats are no longer accessible. Phoned AA asked them to add the QR FFN. Twice. Refresh the JL seat map and still not able to pick those seats. The JL mange my booking tool still shows the AA FFN, does not let me edit the FFN. AA/BA/QR/RJ sites dont seem to work either. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Forward to last week I had to move the flights from Jan to March. AA cancelled/rebooked the new flights now however Row 5/any of the preferred seats are no longer accessible. Phoned AA asked them to add the QR FFN. Twice. Refresh the JL seat map and still not able to pick those seats. The JL mange my booking tool still shows the AA FFN, does not let me edit the FFN. AA/BA/QR/RJ sites dont seem to work either. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Jul 11, 2020, 12:44 pm
#1493
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Western PA
Programs: AA EXP/2MM
Posts: 441
Any advice on the following would be appreciated - I have a JL flight in J next year booked with AA miles. Im OWE via QR PC. I phoned AA to add my QR FFN to the booking which opened up Row 5.
Forward to last week I had to move the flights from Jan to March. AA cancelled/rebooked the new flights now however Row 5/any of the preferred seats are no longer accessible. Phoned AA asked them to add the QR FFN. Twice. Refresh the JL seat map and still not able to pick those seats. The JL mange my booking tool still shows the AA FFN, does not let me edit the FFN. AA/BA/QR/RJ sites dont seem to work either. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Forward to last week I had to move the flights from Jan to March. AA cancelled/rebooked the new flights now however Row 5/any of the preferred seats are no longer accessible. Phoned AA asked them to add the QR FFN. Twice. Refresh the JL seat map and still not able to pick those seats. The JL mange my booking tool still shows the AA FFN, does not let me edit the FFN. AA/BA/QR/RJ sites dont seem to work either. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
I have always found getting row 5 to be a massive challenge. Only one AA agent was ever able to get it for me - the other time it was fortunately still open when I checked in at the airport and I was able to move. In both instances, I called multiple times - both AA and JL.
Bill
Jul 11, 2020, 1:09 pm
#1494
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: LONDON - NEW YORK
Programs: BA Gold / Delta SM
Posts: 10
I have always found getting row 5 to be a massive challenge. Only one AA agent was ever able to get it for me - the other time it was fortunately still open when I checked in at the airport and I was able to move. In both instances, I called multiple times - both AA and JL.
Bill
Bill
Jul 12, 2020, 5:15 am
#1495
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: HND
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K
Posts: 1,230
It is an issue with the AA website.
There is plenty of Award Availability also:
[KVS Tool 9.9.2/Diamond - Awards/BA-OneWorld]
There is plenty of Award Availability also:
[KVS Tool 9.9.2/Diamond - Awards/BA-OneWorld]
Code:
TYO Tokyo Metro JP = NRT HND SPK Sapporo Metro JP = CTS OKD SAT 18 Jul 2020 | 1 Seat Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive St Award Availability --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------ JL 503 HND 07:10 CTS 08:40 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 505 HND 08:20 CTS 09:55 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 509 HND 09:30 CTS 11:05 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 517 HND 13:30 CTS 15:05 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 521 HND 15:30 CTS 17:05 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 525 HND 17:40 CTS 19:15 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 529 HND 19:40 CTS 21:15 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 JL 255 HND 08:40 HIJ 10:00 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 -> JL 3403 HIJ 10:45 CTS 12:45 0 FS0 CS0 YS+ JL 101 HND 06:30 ITM 07:35 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 -> JL 2003 ITM 08:20 CTS 10:15 0 FS0 CS0 YS+ JL 127 HND 16:30 ITM 17:30 0 FS0 CS0 YS9 -> JL 2019 ITM 19:10 CTS 21:00 0 FS0 CS0 YS+ JL 131 HND 17:30 ITM 18:30 0 FS0 CS0 YS4 -> JL 2019 ITM 19:10 CTS 21:00 0 FS0 CS0 YS+
Jul 12, 2020, 1:45 pm
#1496
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Western PA
Programs: AA EXP/2MM
Posts: 441
Just as a random thought, have you tried accessing your booking using the JAL Japan English site (not the US site)? I read somewhere on here that people had better luck with seating assignments using that page.
Jul 12, 2020, 2:39 pm
#1497
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: BOS
Programs: AA PP, DL PM
Posts: 2,087
1. When the reservation is ticketed, type the ticket number into the Qatar Airways website to get the Amadeus PNR.
2. Use the Amadeus PNR on the Japanese JAL website (in English) along with the flight number and my name. I feel like I had to put FirstMiddle (no space) into the name field, but I can't really remember.
I suspect from reading other threads that AA has made it harder to change frequent flyer numbers on award tickets that they control, mostly to prevent folks booking awards with another airline (such as BA for short-haul) and then putting their AA number on for the elite benefits. You may be running into an unintended consequence of that automation. For the BA awards, the solution has been to book for "another person" on their website and NOT put your AA FF# in until after the award has ticketed.
Jul 13, 2020, 3:43 pm
#1498
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: LONDON - NEW YORK
Programs: BA Gold / Delta SM
Posts: 10
I have had some JL award bookings through AA before COVID hit, but I had to cancel them. Here is what I did for seat selection (and it did allow me to select window seats that were blocked for OWS).
1. When the reservation is ticketed, type the ticket number into the Qatar Airways website to get the Amadeus PNR.
2. Use the Amadeus PNR on the Japanese JAL website (in English) along with the flight number and my name. I feel like I had to put FirstMiddle (no space) into the name field, but I can't really remember.
1. When the reservation is ticketed, type the ticket number into the Qatar Airways website to get the Amadeus PNR.
2. Use the Amadeus PNR on the Japanese JAL website (in English) along with the flight number and my name. I feel like I had to put FirstMiddle (no space) into the name field, but I can't really remember.
I suspect from reading other threads that AA has made it harder to change frequent flyer numbers on award tickets that they control, mostly to prevent folks booking awards with another airline (such as BA for short-haul) and then putting their AA number on for the elite benefits. You may be running into an unintended consequence of that automation. For the BA awards, the solution has been to book for "another person" on their website and NOT put your AA FF# in until after the award has ticketed.
Regardless I was able to get the seats I wanted in the end. Thank you for all your suggestions
Jul 16, 2020, 2:25 pm
#1499
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 105
AA is wrong. There is no F award. I checked JL2. Even JL does not show an F award that day. When I search on AA it mistakenly lists an F award but when I check the details AA shows the JL2 F award in class A and I think it should be looking for Z. Now, JL2 does indeed have A2 on the flight which would explain why AA finds F when looking for A class but A is a revenue class not an award and you cannot book an award from it which I assume is why it errors out.
AA is borked. Enjoy Biz and keep looking for a real award to open up but you had best check availability through another method until AA fixes the problem.
ETA: Closest date I saw with F was 4/14.
AA is borked. Enjoy Biz and keep looking for a real award to open up but you had best check availability through another method until AA fixes the problem.
ETA: Closest date I saw with F was 4/14.
- On AA, the website says every 777 flight has F availability but errors out when you actually try to book it.
- On Qantas, all 777 flights >340 days out have F availability , but F always disappears for all flights at <=340 day mark (at least for the past week that I've been checking). No program that I could find opens up at 340 days that would explain them being gobbled up, and all J space is still there, so not sure why it's only F that disappears.
- On BA, for every 777 flight on all the dates in June I've checked, the BA site says that "First Cabin not operated on this flight" even though it's a 777 that does have a First class. This includes dates/flights that Qantas can see F availability.
- On JAL OneWorld search, it seems to say there's no F availability for any date. Also I have to mention that the JAL website is hot garbage and probably the worst website I've used since the 90's.
Hope they can get it figured out soon.
Last edited by BananaFusion; Jul 22, 2020 at 8:28 am
Jul 16, 2020, 2:27 pm
#1500
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,972
It's not just AA, something really weird is going on with JAL F award availability. I'm trying to book F for next year with AA miles but doesn't seem like I can.
On AA, the website says every 777 flight has F availability but errors out when you actually try to book it.
On Qantas, all 777 flights >340 days out have F availability , but F always disappears for all flights at <=340 day mark (at least for the past week that I've been checking). No program that I could find opens up at 340 days that would explain them being gobbled up, and all J space is still there, so not sure why it's only F that disappears.
On BA, for every 777 flight on all the dates in June I've checked, the BA site says that "First Cabin not operated on this flight" even though it's a 777 that does have a First class. This includes dates/flights that Qantas can see F availability.
On JAL OneWorld search, it seems to say there's no F availability for any date. Also I have to mention that the JAL website is hot garbage and probably the worst website I've used since the 90's.
Hope they can get it figured out soon.
On AA, the website says every 777 flight has F availability but errors out when you actually try to book it.
On Qantas, all 777 flights >340 days out have F availability , but F always disappears for all flights at <=340 day mark (at least for the past week that I've been checking). No program that I could find opens up at 340 days that would explain them being gobbled up, and all J space is still there, so not sure why it's only F that disappears.
On BA, for every 777 flight on all the dates in June I've checked, the BA site says that "First Cabin not operated on this flight" even though it's a 777 that does have a First class. This includes dates/flights that Qantas can see F availability.
On JAL OneWorld search, it seems to say there's no F availability for any date. Also I have to mention that the JAL website is hot garbage and probably the worst website I've used since the 90's.
Hope they can get it figured out soon.