Jul 27, 2015, 9:19 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
Please feel free to add to or correct the information herein.
NOTE: For involuntary award changes (caused by the operating carriers), see Involuntary Award Changes / What To Do (merged threads).
Ordinarily, one must call to request or make changes to award tickets.
Award changes, ordinary
NOTE: More extensive listing of terms and conditions are listed in oneworld and other all partner awards rules, Information 2015 on
Award carrier, connection, date or routing changes: As long as origin and destination (but read on for exceptions such as first / last segment) remain the same, change / award redeposit fees are usually waived for awards under certain circumstances when date, connection, routing or carrier changes are made But:Airline / carrier changes incur no change or redeposit fees as long as you do not try to change between all AA oneworld airlines and non-oneworld airlines or vice versa.
E.g. an AA award such as SEA-HNL-SYD using AS can not be changed to use JL without requiring award redeposit. An award using AA LAX-HKG can be changed to JL via NRT or CX Without redeposit ing miles.
If Maximum Permitted Miles (usually 125% of the most direct available routing) for an award is exceeded, two awards may be charged
or
MSC fare requirements: The most significant or prevailing carrier, usually the one with the transoceanic sector, must offer an unconstructed fare between desired origin and destination; if a fare would require "married segments", two awards may be required.
Award validity: Awards must be used within one year of original booking. For travel beyond that, the award miles will have to be redeposited and new awards secured.
Award cancellations can be by phone or online, but online cancellation requires separate action to reinstate the miles. Canceling online does not request or result in miles redeposit.
Award miles reinstatement: Redeposit fees are waived for Executive Platinum members. See here for more information on award miles reinstatement.
"Upgrading" class of service by using miles requires redepositing the original award and issuing a new one for the higher class if service. AA will waive the deposit fee on the redeposited award, and will not charge for this. (However, taxes may differ, such as going from the discounted U.K. Air Passenger Duty to the full APD if upgrading from Y / PE to J; if there are higher taxes and fees imposed by the new fare, the passenger is charged for those.)
Co-terminals: For award purposes, there are no co-terminals; changing co-terminal airports (MIA and FLL, PBI; JFK, LGA, EWR etc.) will incur a $150 change fee. See this thread for detail on award miles redeposit.
An award using AS, FJ, HA or TN to South Pacific (e.g. AKL, SYD) can not be changed to AA or QF without requiring award redeposit (or vice versa).
Dropping segments: Awards made on AA or / and "all partner" carriers will allow changes mentioned above without requiring redeposit fees. Instances of dropping an origin segment can be allowed, or a final segment - as long as doing so does not change the destination zone (or sub-zone, in the case of intra-North America awards); changing the mileage (miles required) of the award claimed or the number of awards claimed.
Segments can be dropped as long as doing so does not change the destination zone (or sub-zone, in the case of intra-North America awards). If you are refused, refer agents to the in-house memo/advisory dated 02/03/11 entitled "Dropping OWFA segments." (guv1976)
As JonNYC posted:
This document was current as of December 2014:
For permitted changes and fees, see this post in the airline partner award thread.
If the award is AA and oneworld, changes may be made as long as the main / governing /Most Significant Carrier makes an unconstructed fare on the award routing and the governing fare's carrier is not changed to one not offering such a fare.
Close-in booking fee: Changes made to bring travel to under 21 days from award issue will incur close-in booking fees of $75.
Schedule changes: On international awards, schedule changes of two hours or longer, or those breaking connections by bringing them below MCT / minimum connection times, flight cancellations, generally may be cancelled and redeposited without fees, or engender greater flexibility in changes. With AA awards, it is possible award seating may be opened when there is none; with partners, AA can appeal to the Liaison to the partner to open seating in these cases (the partner airline may or may not grant the exception requested). Equipment change constitutes a schedule change and you will be able to get the fee waived pre this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Partner changes: If the award includes non-oneworld partners such as AS, EY, FJ or TN, or a oneworld carrier award is changed to include a non-oneworld carrier, or vice versa, significant fees will be incurred ($150).
"Upgrading" class of service by using miles requires redepositing the original award and issuing a new one for the higher class if service. AA will waive the deposit fee on the redeposited award, and will not charge for this. (However, taxes may differ, such as going from the discounted U.K. Air Passenger Duty to the full APD if upgrading from Y / PE to J; if there are higher taxes abd fees imposed by the new fare, the passenger is charged for those.)
Changes that require different award type -
Changes to the itinerary which involve different AAdvantage award(s) than originally ticketed require a reinstatement of the original award ticket, payment of the applicable award reinstatement charge (see below), and a new award ticket issued (waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members using miles from their account). However, SAAver awards canceled for AAnytime awards, or changing to a higher class of service, will not incur redeposit fees.
Changes to your outbound travel date, resulting in a departure within 21 days -
Close-in booking fee: A $75 USD award processing charge will apply for a confirmed change to the date on an AAdvantage MileSAAver and AAnytime award ticket if the change results in a new outbound travel date that is within 21 days of the original booking date (waived for AAdvantage elite members using miles from their account).
Contact AAdvantage Reservations to change your itinerary, pay the applicable charge and have your ticket reissued prior to travel.
Canceling Awards / Reinstating Award Tickets
(Waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members using miles from their account)
AAdvantage® mileage will be reinstated for unused and unexpired awards upon payment of a processing fee. For tickets booked on or after November 1, 2018, AAdvantage®mileage will be reinstated upon payment of a processing fee for unused and unexpired awards canceled prior to departure. For each additional award reinstatement from the same account at the same time, an additional charge will be collected. These charges are payable by credit card.
Award class changes: MileSAAver to AAnytime changes generally incur no fees; conversely, AAnytime to MileSAAver awards generally will.
Award cabin class "upgrades" (e.g. Y to J): If the change made is an increase of miles to another cabin class, fees are not normally charged (but some government required fees such as UK Air Passenger Duty, airport passenger facility fees, etc. may change).
Redepositing awards incurs a fee of $150 other than for Executive Platinum members redepositing to their accounts. If two or more awards are being redeposited to the same account at the same time, the fees are $150 for the first award, $25 for every award thereafter. Note the awards do not have to share the same PNR, though some less knowledgeable agents will insist so.
Note: given a 120 hr / 5 day hold is offered, there is no right to “Free” cancellation (without redeposit) within 24 hours of securing the award. OTOH, mere date changes to a year from Booking are free of charge in most instances.
Please see: State of the award reinstatement fee (Nov 2015 - clarifying)
FAQ: Cancel award ticket / cancellation (time frame, taxes, etc.) (merged threads)
Link to ARCHIVE 2017: Award Change for date, time, routing, co-terminal, cost, all changes.
Link to ARCHIVE 2015-2016: Award Change for date, time, routing, co-terminal, cost, all changes.
Link to ARCHIVE 2012-14: Award Change for date, time, routing, co-terminal, cost, all changes.
NOTE: For involuntary award changes (caused by the operating carriers), see Involuntary Award Changes / What To Do (merged threads).
Ordinarily, one must call to request or make changes to award tickets.
Award changes, ordinary
NOTE: More extensive listing of terms and conditions are listed in oneworld and other all partner awards rules, Information 2015 on
Award carrier, connection, date or routing changes: As long as origin and destination (but read on for exceptions such as first / last segment) remain the same, change / award redeposit fees are usually waived for awards under certain circumstances when date, connection, routing or carrier changes are made But:Airline / carrier changes incur no change or redeposit fees as long as you do not try to change between all AA oneworld airlines and non-oneworld airlines or vice versa.
E.g. an AA award such as SEA-HNL-SYD using AS can not be changed to use JL without requiring award redeposit. An award using AA LAX-HKG can be changed to JL via NRT or CX Without redeposit ing miles.
If Maximum Permitted Miles (usually 125% of the most direct available routing) for an award is exceeded, two awards may be charged
or
MSC fare requirements: The most significant or prevailing carrier, usually the one with the transoceanic sector, must offer an unconstructed fare between desired origin and destination; if a fare would require "married segments", two awards may be required.
Award validity: Awards must be used within one year of original booking. For travel beyond that, the award miles will have to be redeposited and new awards secured.
Award cancellations can be by phone or online, but online cancellation requires separate action to reinstate the miles. Canceling online does not request or result in miles redeposit.
Award miles reinstatement: Redeposit fees are waived for Executive Platinum members. See here for more information on award miles reinstatement.
"Upgrading" class of service by using miles requires redepositing the original award and issuing a new one for the higher class if service. AA will waive the deposit fee on the redeposited award, and will not charge for this. (However, taxes may differ, such as going from the discounted U.K. Air Passenger Duty to the full APD if upgrading from Y / PE to J; if there are higher taxes and fees imposed by the new fare, the passenger is charged for those.)
Co-terminals: For award purposes, there are no co-terminals; changing co-terminal airports (MIA and FLL, PBI; JFK, LGA, EWR etc.) will incur a $150 change fee. See this thread for detail on award miles redeposit.
An award using AS, FJ, HA or TN to South Pacific (e.g. AKL, SYD) can not be changed to AA or QF without requiring award redeposit (or vice versa).
Dropping segments: Awards made on AA or / and "all partner" carriers will allow changes mentioned above without requiring redeposit fees. Instances of dropping an origin segment can be allowed, or a final segment - as long as doing so does not change the destination zone (or sub-zone, in the case of intra-North America awards); changing the mileage (miles required) of the award claimed or the number of awards claimed.
Segments can be dropped as long as doing so does not change the destination zone (or sub-zone, in the case of intra-North America awards). If you are refused, refer agents to the in-house memo/advisory dated 02/03/11 entitled "Dropping OWFA segments." (guv1976)
As JonNYC posted:
This document was current as of December 2014:
For permitted changes and fees, see this post in the airline partner award thread.
If the award is AA and oneworld, changes may be made as long as the main / governing /Most Significant Carrier makes an unconstructed fare on the award routing and the governing fare's carrier is not changed to one not offering such a fare.
Close-in booking fee: Changes made to bring travel to under 21 days from award issue will incur close-in booking fees of $75.
Schedule changes: On international awards, schedule changes of two hours or longer, or those breaking connections by bringing them below MCT / minimum connection times, flight cancellations, generally may be cancelled and redeposited without fees, or engender greater flexibility in changes. With AA awards, it is possible award seating may be opened when there is none; with partners, AA can appeal to the Liaison to the partner to open seating in these cases (the partner airline may or may not grant the exception requested). Equipment change constitutes a schedule change and you will be able to get the fee waived pre this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Partner changes: If the award includes non-oneworld partners such as AS, EY, FJ or TN, or a oneworld carrier award is changed to include a non-oneworld carrier, or vice versa, significant fees will be incurred ($150).
"Upgrading" class of service by using miles requires redepositing the original award and issuing a new one for the higher class if service. AA will waive the deposit fee on the redeposited award, and will not charge for this. (However, taxes may differ, such as going from the discounted U.K. Air Passenger Duty to the full APD if upgrading from Y / PE to J; if there are higher taxes abd fees imposed by the new fare, the passenger is charged for those.)
Changes that require different award type -
Changes to the itinerary which involve different AAdvantage award(s) than originally ticketed require a reinstatement of the original award ticket, payment of the applicable award reinstatement charge (see below), and a new award ticket issued (waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members using miles from their account). However, SAAver awards canceled for AAnytime awards, or changing to a higher class of service, will not incur redeposit fees.
Changes to your outbound travel date, resulting in a departure within 21 days -
Close-in booking fee: A $75 USD award processing charge will apply for a confirmed change to the date on an AAdvantage MileSAAver and AAnytime award ticket if the change results in a new outbound travel date that is within 21 days of the original booking date (waived for AAdvantage elite members using miles from their account).
Contact AAdvantage Reservations to change your itinerary, pay the applicable charge and have your ticket reissued prior to travel.
Canceling Awards / Reinstating Award Tickets
(Waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members using miles from their account)
AAdvantage® mileage will be reinstated for unused and unexpired awards upon payment of a processing fee. For tickets booked on or after November 1, 2018, AAdvantage®mileage will be reinstated upon payment of a processing fee for unused and unexpired awards canceled prior to departure. For each additional award reinstatement from the same account at the same time, an additional charge will be collected. These charges are payable by credit card.
Award class changes: MileSAAver to AAnytime changes generally incur no fees; conversely, AAnytime to MileSAAver awards generally will.
Award cabin class "upgrades" (e.g. Y to J): If the change made is an increase of miles to another cabin class, fees are not normally charged (but some government required fees such as UK Air Passenger Duty, airport passenger facility fees, etc. may change).
Redepositing awards incurs a fee of $150 other than for Executive Platinum members redepositing to their accounts. If two or more awards are being redeposited to the same account at the same time, the fees are $150 for the first award, $25 for every award thereafter. Note the awards do not have to share the same PNR, though some less knowledgeable agents will insist so.
Note: given a 120 hr / 5 day hold is offered, there is no right to “Free” cancellation (without redeposit) within 24 hours of securing the award. OTOH, mere date changes to a year from Booking are free of charge in most instances.
Please see: State of the award reinstatement fee (Nov 2015 - clarifying)
FAQ: Cancel award ticket / cancellation (time frame, taxes, etc.) (merged threads)
Link to ARCHIVE 2017: Award Change for date, time, routing, co-terminal, cost, all changes.
Link to ARCHIVE 2015-2016: Award Change for date, time, routing, co-terminal, cost, all changes.
Link to ARCHIVE 2012-14: Award Change for date, time, routing, co-terminal, cost, all changes.
Voluntary Award Change / changes: date, time, routing, airline, co-terminal, etc.
Feb 12, 2020, 12:49 am
#376
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: DCA/IAD & BUF
Posts: 1,399
Simple question, but I couldn't find it.
When calling to have Award miles redeposited, can I call AA reservations? or do I need to wait to call AAdvantage customer service when they open?
Thanks. I don't want to spend the TBD amount of time on hold with reservations only to be told they can't process it. :-)
When calling to have Award miles redeposited, can I call AA reservations? or do I need to wait to call AAdvantage customer service when they open?
Thanks. I don't want to spend the TBD amount of time on hold with reservations only to be told they can't process it. :-)
Feb 12, 2020, 5:12 am
#377
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,466
Simple question, but I couldn't find it.
When calling to have Award miles redeposited, can I call AA reservations? or do I need to wait to call AAdvantage customer service when they open?
Thanks. I don't want to spend the TBD amount of time on hold with reservations only to be told they can't process it. :-)
When calling to have Award miles redeposited, can I call AA reservations? or do I need to wait to call AAdvantage customer service when they open?
Thanks. I don't want to spend the TBD amount of time on hold with reservations only to be told they can't process it. :-)
Feb 12, 2020, 10:08 am
#378
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: DCA/IAD & BUF
Posts: 1,399
Thanks JJeffrey. I called reservations this morning. My hold time was literally less than 30 seconds and my miles were re-deposited within the hour. Thoroughly seamless process and excellent response times.
Very happily surprised, but maybe shouldn't be. The majority of my interactions with AA have been that way recently.
Very happily surprised, but maybe shouldn't be. The majority of my interactions with AA have been that way recently.
Feb 18, 2020, 7:45 am
#379
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 204
AA fees for changing or cancelling award itinerary?
I have an AA First saver award in June (2 connections) that has had 2 schedule changes, shaving my connection in DFW down from 1:13 to 41 minutes, which I think is likely undoable even it is still above the MCT for Dallas (35 minutes?).
I just called to try and change it but the phone agent was the most rude I've ever spoken too and she gave me a too bad too sad it's still above the minimum connection time so I'm not going to do anything for you.
Is there a fee to cancel and redeposit the miles? Or a fee to change flights since that one agent doesn't think I have any problem with the current itinerary? There is another 25,000 mile Saver First available that it could be switched to. Or I can just cancel and pay the anytime miles for a one-connection itinerary.
I just called to try and change it but the phone agent was the most rude I've ever spoken too and she gave me a too bad too sad it's still above the minimum connection time so I'm not going to do anything for you.
Is there a fee to cancel and redeposit the miles? Or a fee to change flights since that one agent doesn't think I have any problem with the current itinerary? There is another 25,000 mile Saver First available that it could be switched to. Or I can just cancel and pay the anytime miles for a one-connection itinerary.
Feb 18, 2020, 7:57 am
#380
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 329
If it's a MileSAAver award, you can change dates and times without a fee (no change in origin/destination). If it's a Web Special award, you may need a more significant schedule change to be able to change your ticket. You can cancel and redeposit for a fee (no fee if you have EXP status).
Feb 18, 2020, 8:00 am
#382
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAS, ZQN
Programs: UA PP (2MM), BA gold
Posts: 2,198
If above MCT there is no obligation for AA to do anything. However, would suggest you see if requires terminal change and the % of on time and try again with facts on another call (HUCA).
Feb 18, 2020, 8:03 am
#383
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 204
If it's a MileSAAver award, you can change dates and times without a fee (no change in origin/destination). If it's a Web Special award, you may need a more significant schedule change to be able to change your ticket. You can cancel and redeposit for a fee (no fee if you have EXP status).
Anyone know what the fee would be to cancel and redeposit? If I buy-up to a more expensive award ticket there shouldn't be any fee?
Feb 18, 2020, 8:15 am
#384
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 329
It's a MileSAAver award; I expect that I would buy up (with more miles) to an Anytime F award ticket if they won't allow me to change the original award ticket to better scheduled flights.
Anyone know what the fee would be to cancel and redeposit? If I buy-up to a more expensive award ticket there shouldn't be any fee?
Anyone know what the fee would be to cancel and redeposit? If I buy-up to a more expensive award ticket there shouldn't be any fee?
Feb 18, 2020, 1:32 pm
#385
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
It's a MileSAAver award; I expect that I would buy up (with more miles) to an Anytime F award ticket if they won't allow me to change the original award ticket to better scheduled flights.
Anyone know what the fee would be to cancel and redeposit? If I buy-up to a more expensive award ticket there shouldn't be any fee?
Anyone know what the fee would be to cancel and redeposit? If I buy-up to a more expensive award ticket there shouldn't be any fee?
Feb 19, 2020, 1:03 am
#386
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Midwest
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, IHG Diamond, BonVoy Gold, BW Diamond, RR Premium
Posts: 390
For the record, 41 minutes at DFW is totally doable. I do it quite often. Last one I did was Satellite E, quite a walk, to either A or C departure gate in 15 minutes flat. I even impressed myself with that one. VERY efficient airport.
Feb 19, 2020, 3:41 am
#387
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
AFAIK, changing from MilesAAver to AAnytime is a change of AAward type, and requires a redeposit fee.
Feb 23, 2020, 6:57 am
#388
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: London
Posts: 726
Multiple Flights - better for multiple PNRs?
Hi all - is it better to have multiple award flights(with mix of oneworld & non oneworld carriers) on different PNRs/tickets?
I'm thinking no in terms of "protection" of missed/cancelled flights etc however each of the 4 segments is a week apart so risk minimized.
I'm thinking yes in terms of potential changes - ie if I want to change one particular segment easier to just change just that rather than the entire itinerary needing to be re-ticketed(particularly if availability opens up after I've commenced the itinerary I may want to change from a non Oneworld airline to a Oneworld airline?)
Thoughts?
I'm thinking no in terms of "protection" of missed/cancelled flights etc however each of the 4 segments is a week apart so risk minimized.
I'm thinking yes in terms of potential changes - ie if I want to change one particular segment easier to just change just that rather than the entire itinerary needing to be re-ticketed(particularly if availability opens up after I've commenced the itinerary I may want to change from a non Oneworld airline to a Oneworld airline?)
Thoughts?
Feb 23, 2020, 7:10 am
#389
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,466
Hi all - is it better to have multiple award flights(with mix of oneworld & non oneworld carriers) on different PNRs/tickets?
I'm thinking no in terms of "protection" of missed/cancelled flights etc however each of the 4 segments is a week apart so risk minimized.
I'm thinking yes in terms of potential changes - ie if I want to change one particular segment easier to just change just that rather than the entire itinerary needing to be re-ticketed(particularly if availability opens up after I've commenced the itinerary I may want to change from a non Oneworld airline to a Oneworld airline?)
Thoughts?
I'm thinking no in terms of "protection" of missed/cancelled flights etc however each of the 4 segments is a week apart so risk minimized.
I'm thinking yes in terms of potential changes - ie if I want to change one particular segment easier to just change just that rather than the entire itinerary needing to be re-ticketed(particularly if availability opens up after I've commenced the itinerary I may want to change from a non Oneworld airline to a Oneworld airline?)
Thoughts?
For the flights that are weeks apart, there is no benefit in terms of flight cancellation or protection since you're not connecting between the PNR's on the same day, or anything like that.
Assuming there's little risk that you would decide to cancel the whole trip, I would book them as separate PNRs, much easier to change the individual segments if that's a possibility, as you mentioned.
Feb 23, 2020, 7:29 am
#390
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: London
Posts: 726
Thank you very much for this.
Proposed trip is late March till mid April and only possibility of cancelling entire trip is if the Coronavirus gets more serious in Europe and Australia - small chance of that of course however if it got that serious id expect some waivers from the airlines.
Proposed trip is late March till mid April and only possibility of cancelling entire trip is if the Coronavirus gets more serious in Europe and Australia - small chance of that of course however if it got that serious id expect some waivers from the airlines.