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.
Sep 6, 2018, 2:25 pm
#91
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: PHL
Posts: 10,060
Jeff, thanks for your input both on this and other thread.
Sep 7, 2018, 11:57 am
#92
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,975
We did a late change because of health issues on a TATL award booking, changing to AAnytime (more miles) on the outbound and, to keep the return as a SAAver, going on BA with the surcharge and an LHR overnight. Is the situation the same as it appears in post #1458 of this thread, from early 2017, that if we find a SAAver opening up on AA metal, we can get that surcharge refunded? I'd also think of emptying my account to do AAnytime for the return. Refundable in that case as well? No status.
Sep 7, 2018, 2:24 pm
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,498
We did a late change because of health issues on a TATL award booking, changing to AAnytime (more miles) on the outbound and, to keep the return as a SAAver, going on BA with the surcharge and an LHR overnight. Is the situation the same as it appears in post #1458 of this thread, from early 2017, that if we find a SAAver opening up on AA metal, we can get that surcharge refunded? I'd also think of emptying my account to do AAnytime for the return. Refundable in that case as well? No status.
Sep 18, 2018, 10:07 pm
#94
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 46
Executive Platinum ticket changes
Spouse will be Executive Platinum in about 2 weeks. I want to use spouse's miles book an award flight for our child in early January. Award flights are scarce right now and I have a flight on hold but I may need to cancel or change the award flight details - including one of the airports.
Just want to confirm that EXP benefits of having fees waived on cancelled trips (with miles redeposited) or changing the origin/destination will apply if he is not EXP when ticket is booked but is EXP when ticket is changed or cancelled.
Just want to confirm that EXP benefits of having fees waived on cancelled trips (with miles redeposited) or changing the origin/destination will apply if he is not EXP when ticket is booked but is EXP when ticket is changed or cancelled.
Sep 19, 2018, 5:08 am
#95
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,498
Spouse will be Executive Platinum in about 2 weeks. I want to use spouse's miles book an award flight for our child in early January. Award flights are scarce right now and I have a flight on hold but I may need to cancel or change the award flight details - including one of the airports.
Just want to confirm that EXP benefits of having fees waived on cancelled trips (with miles redeposited) or changing the origin/destination will apply if he is not EXP when ticket is booked but is EXP when ticket is changed or cancelled.
Just want to confirm that EXP benefits of having fees waived on cancelled trips (with miles redeposited) or changing the origin/destination will apply if he is not EXP when ticket is booked but is EXP when ticket is changed or cancelled.
Oct 25, 2018, 5:46 pm
#97
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 762
Lax-Itm award ticket idea/ question
Hi everyone.
have a question to ask. I have a award ticket booked from lax-nrt currently in business class for Dec on JAL. Jal recently opened up the award space for the domestic NRT-itm. ITM Which is my final destination. I don't want to rebook a new ticket and pay the $150 fee.
Do you think if I were to tell the agent that Hnd would be my final destination, that they could change the routing to make HND the final destination. That way I can add On the NRT-itm then throw away the connection in ITM-HND?
would that routing be allowed? Something like this
Dec 11 lax-nrt then NRT-itm, ITM-HND?
could that work instead of adding on a new ticket or rebookings everything?
thanks
have a question to ask. I have a award ticket booked from lax-nrt currently in business class for Dec on JAL. Jal recently opened up the award space for the domestic NRT-itm. ITM Which is my final destination. I don't want to rebook a new ticket and pay the $150 fee.
Do you think if I were to tell the agent that Hnd would be my final destination, that they could change the routing to make HND the final destination. That way I can add On the NRT-itm then throw away the connection in ITM-HND?
would that routing be allowed? Something like this
Dec 11 lax-nrt then NRT-itm, ITM-HND?
could that work instead of adding on a new ticket or rebookings everything?
thanks
Oct 25, 2018, 6:13 pm
#98
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,606
Hi everyone.
have a question to ask. I have a award ticket booked from lax-nrt currently in business class for Dec on JAL. Jal recently opened up the award space for the domestic NRT-itm. ITM Which is my final destination. I don't want to rebook a new ticket and pay the $150 fee.
Do you think if I were to tell the agent that Hnd would be my final destination, that they could change the routing to make HND the final destination. That way I can add On the NRT-itm then throw away the connection in ITM-HND?
would that routing be allowed? Something like this
Dec 11 lax-nrt then NRT-itm, ITM-HND?
could that work instead of adding on a new ticket or rebookings everything?
thanks
have a question to ask. I have a award ticket booked from lax-nrt currently in business class for Dec on JAL. Jal recently opened up the award space for the domestic NRT-itm. ITM Which is my final destination. I don't want to rebook a new ticket and pay the $150 fee.
Do you think if I were to tell the agent that Hnd would be my final destination, that they could change the routing to make HND the final destination. That way I can add On the NRT-itm then throw away the connection in ITM-HND?
would that routing be allowed? Something like this
Dec 11 lax-nrt then NRT-itm, ITM-HND?
could that work instead of adding on a new ticket or rebookings everything?
thanks
Oct 25, 2018, 6:29 pm
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,606
Oct 25, 2018, 7:27 pm
#101
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott
Posts: 1,119
I thought you could add an extra segment within the same destination (and/or origin) region on an award free of charge. If true, OP should be allowed to add NRT-ITM without a fee, although it might require citing some rule code (which has been documented in a FT thread.) Is this no longer the case?
Oct 25, 2018, 7:35 pm
#102
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 746
Had an odd situation happen that I think AA processed incorrectly but wanted to check in here to make sure I am right.
Wife had a one-way SAAver award from AUS-HKG. Alaska AUS-SJC-LAX and then AA LAX-HKG.
A better AA domestic routing came up a couple of days before she left, so I put her on it. Now here's what's weird:
AA charged me $150 ticket reissue fee and told me it was because I was switching to a oneworld award.
Now, if she'd have been on Cathay across, I'd have expected that. But I didn't expect a reissue fee for a ticket that was all AA metal.
Wife had a one-way SAAver award from AUS-HKG. Alaska AUS-SJC-LAX and then AA LAX-HKG.
A better AA domestic routing came up a couple of days before she left, so I put her on it. Now here's what's weird:
AA charged me $150 ticket reissue fee and told me it was because I was switching to a oneworld award.
Now, if she'd have been on Cathay across, I'd have expected that. But I didn't expect a reissue fee for a ticket that was all AA metal.
Oct 25, 2018, 8:37 pm
#103
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
Had an odd situation happen that I think AA processed incorrectly but wanted to check in here to make sure I am right.
Wife had a one-way SAAver award from AUS-HKG. Alaska AUS-SJC-LAX and then AA LAX-HKG.
A better AA domestic routing came up a couple of days before she left, so I put her on it. Now here's what's weird:
AA charged me $150 ticket reissue fee and told me it was because I was switching to a oneworld award.
Now, if she'd have been on Cathay across, I'd have expected that. But I didn't expect a reissue fee for a ticket that was all AA metal.
Wife had a one-way SAAver award from AUS-HKG. Alaska AUS-SJC-LAX and then AA LAX-HKG.
A better AA domestic routing came up a couple of days before she left, so I put her on it. Now here's what's weird:
AA charged me $150 ticket reissue fee and told me it was because I was switching to a oneworld award.
Now, if she'd have been on Cathay across, I'd have expected that. But I didn't expect a reissue fee for a ticket that was all AA metal.
AS isn't oneworld so I think you were switching from an all partner award to an oneworld award. Stupid, but the rules.
Oct 25, 2018, 10:47 pm
#104
Join Date: May 2015
Location: WAS, SZX, HKG
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, CX Green
Posts: 736
I thought you could add an extra segment within the same destination (and/or origin) region on an award free of charge. If true, OP should be allowed to add NRT-ITM without a fee, although it might require citing some rule code (which has been documented in a FT thread.) Is this no longer the case?
Oct 25, 2018, 11:24 pm
#105
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Hi everyone.
have a question to ask. I have a award ticket booked from lax-nrt currently in business class for Dec on JAL. Jal recently opened up the award space for the domestic NRT-itm. ITM Which is my final destination. I don't want to rebook a new ticket and pay the $150 fee.
Do you think if I were to tell the agent that Hnd would be my final destination, that they could change the routing to make HND the final destination. That way I can add On the NRT-itm then throw away the connection in ITM-HND?
would that routing be allowed? Something like this
Dec 11 lax-nrt then NRT-itm, ITM-HND?
could that work instead of adding on a new ticket or rebookings everything?
thanks
have a question to ask. I have a award ticket booked from lax-nrt currently in business class for Dec on JAL. Jal recently opened up the award space for the domestic NRT-itm. ITM Which is my final destination. I don't want to rebook a new ticket and pay the $150 fee.
Do you think if I were to tell the agent that Hnd would be my final destination, that they could change the routing to make HND the final destination. That way I can add On the NRT-itm then throw away the connection in ITM-HND?
would that routing be allowed? Something like this
Dec 11 lax-nrt then NRT-itm, ITM-HND?
could that work instead of adding on a new ticket or rebookings everything?
thanks
Moderator
You must redeposit the award and hope the LAX-NRT segment will still be available as an award if you make a destination change or wish to add a segment. Adding a segment is not allowed, and your idea of adding ITM-HND even on a new award would likely be reflected as I doubt JL publishes such a routing as LAX-NRT-ITM-HND as an unconstructed fare - and “Passenger must travel the most direct routing“.