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 30, 2022, 4:34 pm
#2042
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,652
Checked today, our flight for October 24, 2023 still shows the same on AA.com as Status: On request
Should I be concerned, we made the original booking with an AA agent on Sunday morning. Since then, we have already booked our flight via Jetblue to JFK to prepare for this trip. When I called AA today, the customer rep said that Japan Airlines needs to review the booking, it's been close to 4 days. Just hope it goes through...
Should I be concerned, we made the original booking with an AA agent on Sunday morning. Since then, we have already booked our flight via Jetblue to JFK to prepare for this trip. When I called AA today, the customer rep said that Japan Airlines needs to review the booking, it's been close to 4 days. Just hope it goes through...
Dec 1, 2022, 3:13 am
#2043
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 88
I tried AA Australia just now, was on hold for about 10 minutes and eventually hung up (will try again later). Can you explain why AA Australia would be able to ticket this booking but AA American can't? I tried to find flyertalk on this but didn't see any. Again, appreciate the help and all of the valuable information, hope this works out.
Dec 1, 2022, 6:19 am
#2044
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
I tried AA Australia just now, was on hold for about 10 minutes and eventually hung up (will try again later). Can you explain why AA Australia would be able to ticket this booking but AA American can't? I tried to find flyertalk on this but didn't see any. Again, appreciate the help and all of the valuable information, hope this works out.
Dec 1, 2022, 8:21 am
#2045
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,652
I tried AA Australia just now, was on hold for about 10 minutes and eventually hung up (will try again later). Can you explain why AA Australia would be able to ticket this booking but AA American can't? I tried to find flyertalk on this but didn't see any. Again, appreciate the help and all of the valuable information, hope this works out.
US AA will tell you it has to go to the partner for review and it's completely out of their hands. AU AA will tell you hold on, I'll send it to ticketing now and voila, it'll be ticketed while you're on the phone.
US AA can't see certain EY F awards. AU AA can.
When in doubt, I call Australia or Singapore and it gets done.
Dec 1, 2022, 1:53 pm
#2046
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 88
Thanks for the awesome info!!! I called AA Australia and they had more updates, said since the booking is not till October of 2023. They need to review more recent flights first, and my case hopefully/may be completed by early next week. Never knew this "trick," you guys are awesome, thanks!!!
Dec 2, 2022, 9:02 am
#2047
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
Hopefully this is the best place to post this, has anyone been able to search for award flight via AA.com to Australasia from Europe or the US? It’s been about 6 months now and it throws up an error when searching, it’s not an availability issue I’m sure as it’s a consistent error for an AUS/NZ/Pacific Is. search, however there are no issues when searching outwith.
Dec 4, 2022, 6:15 am
#2048
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Washington, DC area
Programs: Air: Many; Hotel: HH D, HY G, IHG P, MR S, RR
Posts: 504
Checked today, our flight for October 24, 2023 still shows the same on AA.com as Status: On request
Should I be concerned, we made the original booking with an AA agent on Sunday morning. Since then, we have already booked our flight via Jetblue to JFK to prepare for this trip. When I called AA today, the customer rep said that Japan Airlines needs to review the booking, it's been close to 4 days. Just hope it goes through...
Should I be concerned, we made the original booking with an AA agent on Sunday morning. Since then, we have already booked our flight via Jetblue to JFK to prepare for this trip. When I called AA today, the customer rep said that Japan Airlines needs to review the booking, it's been close to 4 days. Just hope it goes through...
Thanks for the awesome info!!! I called AA Australia and they had more updates, said since the booking is not till October of 2023. They need to review more recent flights first, and my case hopefully/may be completed by early next week. Never knew this "trick," you guys are awesome, thanks!!!
Dec 4, 2022, 1:54 pm
#2049
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 35
Question on Business to First Upgrades
Hello,
Total newb here (both to AAdvantage in general & booking JAL award tickets through it) with a quick question I’m hoping one of you can help me out with. Let me lay out this scenario:
Let’s say I’m able to find award availability on a one way flight in business class when they initially become available (I believe I read it’s 331 days out?), but not first class, and I book the business class ticket for 60k miles. Then I check back when last minute first class availability opens for my dates during the last 2 weeks before the trip, and I find a first class seat. Can I simply upgrade my ticket, I assume by calling AA, for the difference of 20k miles? Or is that not possible and I’m locked into the business class booking?
I know I’m very unlikely to find first class especially since I’m traveling with a companion (so I’d technically be looking for two seats), but figured it can’t hurt to check right up until the end if it’s possible to do this. Thanks!
Total newb here (both to AAdvantage in general & booking JAL award tickets through it) with a quick question I’m hoping one of you can help me out with. Let me lay out this scenario:
Let’s say I’m able to find award availability on a one way flight in business class when they initially become available (I believe I read it’s 331 days out?), but not first class, and I book the business class ticket for 60k miles. Then I check back when last minute first class availability opens for my dates during the last 2 weeks before the trip, and I find a first class seat. Can I simply upgrade my ticket, I assume by calling AA, for the difference of 20k miles? Or is that not possible and I’m locked into the business class booking?
I know I’m very unlikely to find first class especially since I’m traveling with a companion (so I’d technically be looking for two seats), but figured it can’t hurt to check right up until the end if it’s possible to do this. Thanks!
Dec 4, 2022, 2:44 pm
#2050
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
Yes you can do that. AA no longer charges a fee to cancel anyway, but even in the past you could do this (with some exceptions if had had also changed carriers).
Dec 4, 2022, 2:46 pm
#2051
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
Yes you can do that and only pay the difference in tax and miles
Dec 7, 2022, 12:21 am
#2052
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 171
What’s the latest on 2 week in JAL F opening? I see a flight I have in about 4 weeks with F7 and EF shows 4 seats open and 2 blocked. I did some poking around for flights that are currently 2 weeks out and don’t see any thing on Qantas search open even though EF shows F7 and open seats as well.
Dec 7, 2022, 10:06 am
#2053
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
What’s the latest on 2 week in JAL F opening? I see a flight I have in about 4 weeks with F7 and EF shows 4 seats open and 2 blocked. I did some poking around for flights that are currently 2 weeks out and don’t see any thing on Qantas search open even though EF shows F7 and open seats as well.
Dec 7, 2022, 10:41 am
#2054
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 171
So your flight is on Jan 4 (which today is in the pattern)? If your flight is F8 and it is on the alternating 2 week pattern it probably will show 1F award. You say your flight is F7? That means one seat is booked already and they may not release another until closer in.
Dec 7, 2022, 2:58 pm
#2055
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Zurich / Europe / New York
Programs: LH, BA, AA
Posts: 1,309
Is AA still having phantom issue ? it‘s showing available between HEL to TYO (via LHR) in F but can‘t book … thought this was fixed?