koi

Does anyone knows why AA keeps showing unavailable flights as available?
For example, if I search for JFK <-->TYO for the month of July, only AA availability shows up (no JL). but when I search for ORD to NGO, a bunch of availability shows up on ORD-->LGA, JFK--> HND, HND-->NGO route, but I cannot book any of these. I'm assuming it's because JFK -->TYO not being available, but why does AA site do this? Any recommendation on filtering on flights that are actually available? Right now, I'm having to click each of them just being told the fare is no longer available.

chris4096

I have an AAdvantage Award booked on JAL from AAA-BBB-SAN-NRT-ZZZ next week with the domestic portion AAA-BBB-SAN on AA metal.

The flight AAA-CCC-SEA-NRT-ZZZ is now available and works better for total distance and connection times for me. NRT-ZZZ is not currently available on a mileage award.



So, my question is how does married segment logic apply to my trip? Is it based on the whole trip from AAA-ZZZ or only from where JL picks up the trip, i.e., SAN/SEA?



My concern is that if I try to change the flight with AAdvantage to the trip through SEA that I will lose my NRT-ZZZ seat if the married segment logic gets screwed up. Does anyone have any recent experience with this?

skimthetrees

JL married segment logic only applies to JL flights so from SAN/SEA-NRT-ZZZ. I think if they do it right you should be able to keep NRT-ZZZ. Make sure the agent knows it's all or nothing. If they cannot confirm the complete new itin then do not make any changes.

palmanfr

Newbie on AAAdvantage, but I have about 30k miles standing in my account and due to expire in a few months which I wanted to use for an upcoming trip in Asia using JL.
I was looking on the AA website to book GMP-HND-HKD, where there is availablity on the AA website for both GMP-HND and HND-HKD when looked at separately. But I cannot find availability for the same flights, when booked together.
I only get options with one more stop, let's say CTS/OKD to HKD. And when I try to book this, the system errors out :
"Choose a different flight or fare - We're sorry but at least one of the flights or fares you chose is no longer available", and this is the same for any options proposed.
Same thing if I search between GMP and CTS, and opting for one of the options proposed... via HKD on the HND-HKD I want to fly initially !
I called AA tonight and the agent old me that there was no availability on the GMP-HND that day. This is surprising as both AS, BA and even AF can sell me an award ticket (not using those programs as I don't have enough AS miles and AF or BA are charging too much in taxes, I wanted to use the AA miles since they may expire otherwise).
Any advice on what to do ? The agent was ok, and when I told her there was availability on AS, BA or AF, she said 'they must be using a different system..." I am not sure I want to HUACA too many times since it already took me an hour holding to speak to someone...
Thanks in advance for the help !

skimthetrees

JAL has married segment logic and that is most likely what you are running into here. In this case, for at least one of the segments, JAL is not allowing it to be married to another JAL segment. This is the opposite of the most common married segment logic but it is something JAL has been doing a lot recently. I doubt AA will be able to book this and I am a bit skeptical as to whether another partner could book it either. You may find even though another partner shows it as available that when you go to actually book it you might get an error similar to what is happening when you attempt to book on AA.

Edit:
It looks you might be running into multiple issues. GMP-HND must be married to another JAL segment but HND-HKD is not allowed to be married to another JAL segment. Not much you can do about it unfortunately.

SawBo

Randomish Question.

Flying out of SEA, I have booked both one ways to/from TYO via J in May.

I'm going to change one segment to F if available near time of flight as I have the points required, but I'm looking on opinions to fly to Tokyo in F vs flying back to SEA in F.

I know the lounge in HND for F is amazing, but I'll have OW Emerald which I think will get me into JAL 1st Class Lounge.

The only real difference I feel flying out of HND vs LAX/SFO F is Salon Champagne is offered via HND departures, other than that I think I would feel I would enjoy the experience more flying to Tokyo in F vs flying back as I'll be burnt out from a 3 week trip, I think I'll sleep most of the flight back.

Any opinions appreciated!

remyjette

For flying to Japan from the west coast of the US specifically, I also agree that you'll enjoy the experience a bit more with F on the outbound as opposed to the return. Flights to Tokyo from the US west coast typically land in the evening in Tokyo, meaning by the time you land, clear customs and get to your lodging it's already pretty late and getting to be time for bed, so there's less of a need to make sure you sleep the whole flight. Whereas the flight back to the US, in addition to just being tired from the trip, you'll generally be landing in the morning or shortly after noon. So you pretty much have to spend the flight sleeping otherwise adjusting back to PST will be rough.

lrdpenn

Agree with above, and I would add I think the same applies for east coast flights.

Definitely not worth prioritizing ex-TYO to potentially get half glass of Salon. JL is minimally stocking beverages. The food is better ex-TYO, but that might not weigh heavily if you are coming off of several weeks in Japan. I also think it's more exciting to kick off the trip in F.

SawBo

Thanks all, I flew ANA F back in 2020 and found myself really taking in the ex-LAX flight and just dead tired and not taking advantage of the ex-TYO flight. Glad we have similar experiences/views.

kcaluwae

An update on my expensive award ticket for class J.
I assumed that my award ticket would only grant me 1 bag of 20kg as it was booked in class J. (AA showed 2 bags of 32kg, BA 3 bags of 32kg).
There does seem to be a difference between award bookings in class J and regular bookings.
I booked my wife's tickets on JAL's website and she got 1 bag of 20kg.
I was indeed allowed to check 3 bags. (it showed this during check-in but it didn't say how much kg)
Very odd,

babystepper

Advice please - do we need to do anything before check in?

I am OWE and spouse *just* yesterday made OWE (yay!). We are on AA award tickets in business on JAL at the end of this coming week JL5 JFK HND and then JL33 to BKK. I think I read each individual needs to be OWE to use the priority check in and/or security lane, otherwise not sure it makes a difference. And who knows if I have that right lol. We are both GE. Both on the same PNR under my name (hm, and I was not OWE when reservation was made)

Do we just swan up to priority lane at JFK for check in and security, or will we want to do something before that to update the record, and if so with who? Conveniently we'll be at JFK twice before the JAL trip so have time to go to customer service for either AA of JAL if that helps.

Thanks!!

saaveraward

If you are changing terminals in HND, you are entering Japan and should follow this for fast track immigration. If you are not changing terminals, then you would not need to do this. I'm going to "guess" since it's I-to-I and not I-to-D, you're not changing terminals. But someone more knowledgeable than me can chime in,

https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/#link_03

skimthetrees

I have no experience with JFK check-in but in general since you both have business class tickets you can for sure check-in using the business class check-in. As OWE I believe you can also use the First Class check-in. Even if one of you is OWE it should not be a problem to bring your companion with you to the same check-in counter. Does your spouses OWE status show online yet? You should make sure at check-in that your FF # showing OWE status is listed in the reservation so that you can have the benefit of better lounge access (Business vs First check-in is a small deal, better lounge access is a bigger deal). If your FF # was put in the reservation before you attained OWE status you may have to have them remove and re-add it to refresh the status to reflect your OWE status.

babystepper

Thanks all!

Yes, showed online this morning and as of about an hour ago spouse got the congratulary email =)

JJeffrey

As noted above, I would give it 2-3 days to let her new status fully flow through the systems then call AA to refresh her FF# on the reservation.