Guy Betsy

My understanding is NO.

Routing must remain the same.

mster

You could *drop* an LAX-ORD (AA) segment since it wouldn't change your award type. But you can't add a new one.

Zinc_Saucier

(Edit - See below for much better info)

JonNYC

There's an extra layer of confusion here.

There is, at present, a definitive, authoritative and undisputed set of rules (NOT to say they aren't, though, complicated) complied by me.

Anything in any wiki or on any blog or elsewhere on FT on this subject can be ignored if it contradicts this info-- I'm right, it's wrong, in the case of any disagreement between same.

Here I compiled 3 links that cover this issue (or dropping, changing, etc) and this is 100% authoritative and 100% accurate as of NOW:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26083132-post808.html

Anyone who you find contradicting the info in those links is incorrect or misinformed or posting opinion and/or preference as fact.

THAT HAVING BEEN SAID; trying to explapolate from the list of no-fee changes as we know them NOW to a definitive list of what will be a mileage-increase-free change post-devaluation on an award ticket pre-devaluation is proving to be FAR more of an art than a science.

Orginally, it was assumed-- and almost confirmed-- that most anything listed that is free of charge now would be free of additional mileage penalty post-devaluation for pre-devaluation awards.

No one I know who's well-informed is currently proffering that as authoritative.

So, all I can say for sure is I sure as hell don't know. And, as an opinion, I say anyone who claims they know 100% at this point doesn't have any real solid reason for that certainty-- my opinion, of course, YMMV.

None of this applies to date/time changes which are obviously guaranteed within the confines of the current terms.

sadiqhassan

I currently have an award on hold YYZ-LGA (22h in NY) JFK-NRT in Y. Is there anyway to pre-select a seat before departure? I tried on the JL site but was unsuccessful. I don't want to wait till check-in because i) I frequently 'randomly' get SSSS and can't OLCI. ii) I don't know how well the JL/AA check in systems will handle my itinerary.

I don't want to risk sitting in the middle for 13 hours so my other option is LGA-DFW-NRT on AA but it seems that JL's product is significantly better.

Zinc_Saucier

For the JL site you had your JL (not AA) confirmation number and weren't able? If so, maybe try giving them a call?

sadiqhassan

I am not sure if this is because the ticket isn't issued yet or if it because I cannot pre-select a seat.

Edited to Add: Turns out I was using the Japan version of the website. Was able to assign seats on the USA version without issue!

Zinc_Saucier

Glad to see it worked out^

5DMarkIIguy

The past week, it seems like JAL only releases 1 F per flight. They used to release 2F/flight like clockwork.
LAX-NRT has been impossible to even grab 1.

Montacute

I can find availability on the JL website but when I call AA, they are telling me they cannot see it.
Does JL restrict availability to partners?

shootermcgav1n

no but are you asking them to look for the JL leg first? if you add a domestic leg and don't have the proper layover time (115 min), it'll hide it from them.

jkuok

Wait how many segment is allowed for AA rewards I thought it was limited to 3 or is it more than that?

Can I go YVR-NRT-ICN-HKG-SIN or YVR-NRT-HKG-SIN?

YoungSoloTraveler

I'm running scan for every possible flight route. Seems like nothing nothing nothing. Best alternative is to book a routing via HND-HKG with "F" leg to hold the award price.

WillTravel4Food

Here's as complicated as I can get.

I have. Y seat on SFO-HND and want to upgrade this to J, which currently isn't available on my required date. However there are Y+ (Prem. Economy) seats available. Can I upgrade the reward to a J award and take a voluntary downgrade to Y+? I would hope that sometime before my flight a J seat would open up and I'd be able to grab it at that time.

Would this be permissible?

susiesan

I just discovered a new wrinkle in JL awards. I have an F award ticket HAN-NRT in J, NRT-ORD in F, ORD-MCI in F. Travel date is Jan. 25, 2017 ticketed on March 13., used 67.5K miles. I have a second ticket on the same date and flights for my husband, a J award. I am going to try to change travel date to between Feb. 25-March 13, 2017. If I cannot find an F seat on any acceptable dates I would accept a voluntary downgrade to J. I want to take the trip and don't care if I 'm in J to go. I would willingly give up my F seat. Apparently that would cause a redeposit of the miles and $150 charge and then a reticket at the new higher rate of 70K for J on JL. You can change the date but you cannot change the class of service without a big payment.

So just because you might find an F award on an arbitrary date to book as a placeholder ticket doesn't mean you will ever get to take your flight when you want to without paying lots of money and lots more miles if there are no F seats. You could take your chances and wait until 14 days before you want to travel for an F seat to be released but I cannot do that in my case. I have to book vacations at least 6 months in advance to give notice at work of time off.

I thought I understood all the rules about changing award tickets but apparently not. This will come as a surprise to many people who booked placeholder F tickets on both JL and CX. I'm contemplating taking the downgrade to J now, paying the $150 and getting back 12,500 miles. It would cost me less in the long run than if I wait until after March 22.