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.
Oct 26, 2018, 11:37 am
#106
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Oct 27, 2018, 2:48 pm
#109
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Jon will correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that a change that adds/removes a partner, non-oneworld airline (e.g., AS, EY, etc.) will incur a $150 change fee, even though technically the award "type" doesn't change. There are only two types of awards: (1) AA awards, and (2) partner awards (this includes both oneworld and non-oneworld partners, although changing among oneworld airlines generally doesn't incur a fee if origin and destination do not change).
Oct 27, 2018, 11:31 pm
#111
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,595
You were, I believe, correctly charged. There are some situations where AA offers a waiver of the $150 fee , but changing a journey carrier with a non-OW flight in it, is iirc not a case where the waiver will apply
Oct 27, 2018, 11:39 pm
#112
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: UA, QF, VS, AA, US, HH, SPG
Posts: 974
Here's a related question - I have an itinerary booked in business class as follows:-
SYD-AKL(QF)-PPT(TN)
PPT-AKL(TN)-SYD(QF)
On the return I need to overnight in AKL (i.e. arrive at 1pm depart the following day at 8:30am) - I would really like to connect the same day but the only suitable QF flight is only available in Y - I called and the agent told me the $150 fee would apply but on double checking with the "help desk" she came back and said it would beOK to change without any fee - so I told her to go ahead; but then the "system" would not accept the change. Since I am departing tomorrow I told her to just leave it as is as I was concerned the the booking could get stuffed up .....
So should I try again in the morning when the Australian call centre should be operating (my call to the Aussie number seemed to be switched through to the US, based on the accent of the agent).
SYD-AKL(QF)-PPT(TN)
PPT-AKL(TN)-SYD(QF)
On the return I need to overnight in AKL (i.e. arrive at 1pm depart the following day at 8:30am) - I would really like to connect the same day but the only suitable QF flight is only available in Y - I called and the agent told me the $150 fee would apply but on double checking with the "help desk" she came back and said it would beOK to change without any fee - so I told her to go ahead; but then the "system" would not accept the change. Since I am departing tomorrow I told her to just leave it as is as I was concerned the the booking could get stuffed up .....
So should I try again in the morning when the Australian call centre should be operating (my call to the Aussie number seemed to be switched through to the US, based on the accent of the agent).
Oct 28, 2018, 12:27 am
#113
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Here's a related question - I have an itinerary booked in business class as follows:-
SYD-AKL(QF)-PPT(TN)
PPT-AKL(TN)-SYD(QF)
On the return I need to overnight in AKL (i.e. arrive at 1pm depart the following day at 8:30am) - I would really like to connect the same day but the only suitable QF flight is only available in Y - I called and the agent told me the $150 fee would apply but on double checking with the "help desk" she came back and said it would beOK to change without any fee - so I told her to go ahead; but then the "system" would not accept the change. Since I am departing tomorrow I told her to just leave it as is as I was concerned the the booking could get stuffed up .....
So should I try again in the morning when the Australian call centre should be operating (my call to the Aussie number seemed to be switched through to the US, based on the accent of the agent).
SYD-AKL(QF)-PPT(TN)
PPT-AKL(TN)-SYD(QF)
On the return I need to overnight in AKL (i.e. arrive at 1pm depart the following day at 8:30am) - I would really like to connect the same day but the only suitable QF flight is only available in Y - I called and the agent told me the $150 fee would apply but on double checking with the "help desk" she came back and said it would beOK to change without any fee - so I told her to go ahead; but then the "system" would not accept the change. Since I am departing tomorrow I told her to just leave it as is as I was concerned the the booking could get stuffed up .....
So should I try again in the morning when the Australian call centre should be operating (my call to the Aussie number seemed to be switched through to the US, based on the accent of the agent).
I would try again and ask for a supervisor if the first agent can’t do it.
Oct 28, 2018, 4:51 am
#114
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
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 28, 2018, 7:47 am
#115
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 407
Advice kindly sought • re: AA partner award change
Firstly, many thanks for taking the time to read this -- I do appreciate it.
Would anyone be able to advise me on the following? From AA's website, I notice that award changes are fee-free if there is no change in the origin and destination.
However, does this still apply if:
(i) My origin (NRT, Japan) and destination (LHR, UK) remain the same, but:
(ii) I wanted to change my current award (which is an indirect flight via, AUH) to a direct flight?
Really, I'm trying to confirm whether it would still be free for me to change my current, indirect award on EY -- which is: NRT-- AUH, then AUH--LHR -- to a direct BA flight from NRT--LHR, where, with both awards, the origin and destination cities remain the same?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
All the best
Would anyone be able to advise me on the following? From AA's website, I notice that award changes are fee-free if there is no change in the origin and destination.
However, does this still apply if:
(i) My origin (NRT, Japan) and destination (LHR, UK) remain the same, but:
(ii) I wanted to change my current award (which is an indirect flight via, AUH) to a direct flight?
Really, I'm trying to confirm whether it would still be free for me to change my current, indirect award on EY -- which is: NRT-- AUH, then AUH--LHR -- to a direct BA flight from NRT--LHR, where, with both awards, the origin and destination cities remain the same?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
All the best
Oct 28, 2018, 8:30 am
#117
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,584
Switching from a partner award with a non-oneworld carrier like EY to a partner award with a oneworld partner like BA (or vice versa) would normally trigger the $150 change fee -- even though origin and destination are unchanged.
Oct 28, 2018, 10:16 am
#118
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 539
As mentioned by the previous poster, switching from non-OW to OW carriers will result in a change fee. But if you HUCA a few times you may get an AAgent that allows it without the charge or is willing to waive it. Also be aware that switching to BA will result in a significant increase in fuel surcharges.
Oct 28, 2018, 12:10 pm
#119
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 407
erik123 / guv1976 / Merlinrnr - Many thanks all for your replies. 
That's a little frustrating that a fee will be levied because of any non-OW to OW award change in spite of the origin/destination remaining the same. But thank you all the same for alerting me to this as I was a little suspicious that any such change would be free. In saying that, I'm a believer in HUCA, Merlinrnr, so thanks for making that comment -- if I do end up making this award change, I will certainly give the HUCA approach a good work-out first.
That's a little frustrating that a fee will be levied because of any non-OW to OW award change in spite of the origin/destination remaining the same. But thank you all the same for alerting me to this as I was a little suspicious that any such change would be free. In saying that, I'm a believer in HUCA, Merlinrnr, so thanks for making that comment -- if I do end up making this award change, I will certainly give the HUCA approach a good work-out first.
Oct 28, 2018, 12:22 pm
#120
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,331
erik123 / guv1976 / Merlinrnr - Many thanks all for your replies. That's a little frustrating that a fee will be levied because of any non-OW to OW award change in spite of the origin/destination remaining the same. But thank you all the same for alerting me to this as I was a little suspicious that any such change would be free. In saying that, I'm a believer in HUCA, Merlinrnr, so thanks for making that comment -- if I do end up making this award change, I will certainly give the HUCA approach a good work-out first.
That's a little frustrating that a fee will be levied because of any non-OW to OW award change in spite of the origin/destination remaining the same. But thank you all the same for alerting me to this as I was a little suspicious that any such change would be free. In saying that, I'm a believer in HUCA, Merlinrnr, so thanks for making that comment -- if I do end up making this award change, I will certainly give the HUCA approach a good work-out first. It’s a complete scam.