Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > American Airlines | AAdvantage
Reload this Page >

Change FFN / frequent flyer number on AA booking? (master thread)

Old Jul 5, 2017, 12:02 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Prospero
Changing a Frequent Flyer Number on AA Bookings
You may find the Frequent Flyer Number area grayed out, or be unable to change FFN online via aa.com. Alternatives:

Call AA reservations at 800-433-7300.

Tweet @AmericanAir and ask the Twitter team to do it - though the best way is to have them follow you first and then send them a DM to keep your information private.

Request the FFN change at the check-in counter or, if you arrive before they get very busy, the gate.

Using the Finnair or Royal Jordanian website to change your FFN seems to no longer work. (AA use Sabre, several other one world airlines use Amadeus.)

NOTE: If switching from AAdvantage to another scheme's FFN, please be aware: Benefitting from a privilege granted for your AAdvantage status and changing your FFN to earn on another airline is generally prohibited by AAdvantage Terms and Conditions. Doing so might risk that benefit (e.g. upgrade).

From the AAdvantage Terms and Conditions (link)

Earning AAdvantage Miles

"You cannot accrue partner airline miles with your partner frequent flyer number if you have already used your AAdvantage number to obtain AAdvantage program benefits such as First or Business Class upgrades, baggage fee waivers or complimentary access to Preferred/Main Cabin Extra seats. Additionally, you cannot redeem partner airline miles with your partner frequent flyer number and obtain AAdvantage program benefits such as priority boarding and access to preferred seats."

Older and obsolete posts have been moved to ARCHIVE: Changing FFN / Frequent Flyer Number on AA Bookings

Updated 5 Jul 2017 by JDiver
Print Wikipost

Change FFN / frequent flyer number on AA booking? (master thread)

Old Feb 2, 2017, 11:35 am
  #16  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Programs: BA GGL; AA LT Gold; AS 100K; DL MM GM; Hyatt G*list, Hilton Diamond; SQ silver
Posts: 3,803
Originally Posted by aama
Is it even theoretically possible to change FF # after clearing 500/mile/UDU as an EXP?
That is against AA rules. As JonNYC stated.
DeltaFlyingProf is offline  
Old Feb 2, 2017, 11:40 am
  #17  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Programs: BA GGL; AA LT Gold; AS 100K; DL MM GM; Hyatt G*list, Hilton Diamond; SQ silver
Posts: 3,803
Originally Posted by SpammersAreScum
As well they should. Warning to OP: AA rules require that if you use the benefits of your AA status on a flight you may not credit its earnings to another airline's FF program. Not always enforced, but there you are.
kauppias did not state (s)he received any advantage due to AA status. So maybe we should ask that be clarified first.
DeltaFlyingProf is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2017, 10:39 am
  #18  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,895
To clarify:

I was NOT using ANY benefits of my AA status that required crediting to AA. I WAS using a SWU but those can be used by ANYONE!

I had only entered by baEC number as the new AA has lost me as a customer

My AA number was supposedly removed by AADV Exp desk and they entered my baec number BEFORE my trip began. My boarding passes indicated my baEC number.

All miles still went to AADV!

As a result I had to make a extra MR.

I had asked AA to remove them flights from my account so I could credit the flights to baEC but they refused. Asked a second time again refused told this is NOT done...

So i gave up as my baEC year was ending in a weeks to me I did the MR!

I have hd this happend before with both AA and ba and NEVER had a issue in having it corrected, so caught me by suprise...
kauppias is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2017, 10:44 am
  #19  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Originally Posted by kauppias
To clarify:

I was NOT using ANY benefits of my AA status that required crediting to AA. I WAS using a SWU but those can be used by ANYONE!

I had only entered by baEC number as the new AA has lost me as a customer

My AA number was supposedly removed by AADV Exp desk and they entered my baec number BEFORE my trip began. My boarding passes indicated my baEC number.

All miles still went to AADV!

As a result I had to make a extra MR.

I had asked AA to remove them flights from my account so I could credit the flights to baEC but they refused. Asked a second time again refused told this is NOT done...

So i gave up as my baEC year was ending in a weeks to me I did the MR!

I have hd this happend before with both AA and ba and NEVER had a issue in having it corrected, so caught me by suprise...
Originally Posted by JonNYC
The T&C state:


While it's true that some have misread that as applying only to upgrades that were elite status-based, or whatever angle they might want to read that as; it's as stated above-- that technically you're not supposed to use an AAdv upgrade of any type but then try and accrue partner FF miles on the same flight.
JonNYC is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2017, 10:59 am
  #20  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,895
Talking

I have never been told by any agent so far that SWUs required the flight to be credited to AA. Infact the outbound was ba metal so that would NOT have applied in anycase...

I just applied a SWU to a friend who has a AA flight with a AY FF number that the agent had no problem with so if that is a rule then the EXP agents are not in the loop nor is that AA IT system, all of which is not news to me

At anyrate I wont have to worry about it anymore

Last edited by kauppias; Feb 19, 2017 at 11:07 am
kauppias is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2017, 11:03 am
  #21  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Originally Posted by kauppias
...At anyrate I wont have to worry about it anymore
Can't argue with that!
JonNYC is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2017, 11:05 am
  #22  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,895
Ok, sorry I just read more upthread I have been absent too much from the AA forum this year as AA stopped being my main program...

I will accept your info as I havent read any post by you that had not been factual so far I just wish AAs own agents would know these too many are caught unaware

"Luckily" most of my SWUs havent cleared so no worries
kauppias is offline  
Old Mar 14, 2017, 10:39 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
Originally Posted by flyercity
Tried to 'manage booking' with various OW carriers and they no longer recognize AA locater numbers. They return an error message.

Guess that all OW sites have now curtailed this function?
I have been playing with this for hours to no avail. I tried BA "managing your booking" and Qantas "manage booking"...on each I tried more than 10 times on several days, nothing useful showed up.
coolguy100 is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2017, 9:39 am
  #24  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: LON
Programs: AA : BA
Posts: 276
Originally Posted by coolguy100
I have been playing with this for hours to no avail. I tried BA "managing your booking" and Qantas "manage booking"...on each I tried more than 10 times on several days, nothing useful showed up.
I recently called and got the agent to change 2 bookings. She checked they had saved, but they now still show my AAdvantage #.

When I've tried in the past, to change at the airport, it didn't work either, despite showing correctly on the BP

SoggyDollar is offline  
Old Jul 5, 2017, 5:14 am
  #25  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Originally Posted by davidtai
Another problem is will this action pull you down on the list since you've had swtiched to another FF# and become nobody instead of an elite on AA as a punishment for not being loyal and faithful to AA?

Or I can put my AA# back to the reservation once I've flown my outbound flight and do the same thing to the inbound flight if my upgrade was cleared too lol?
"Loyal and faithful".. AA is getting the revenue from the ticket. So, it seems you are loyal......
mvoight is offline  
Old Jul 5, 2017, 6:05 am
  #26  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: BA
Posts: 609
Question crediting each flight leg to different program

Appreciate the knowledge on this forum. My question is different as not switching to use an elite benefit per se.

Can I use my BA number outbound and then change to AAdvantage number at airport for inbound BA flight to collect AAdvantage EQM/EQD?

I really only need the AA EQM/EQD for one leg of a BA roundtrip to USA to give me the EQM needed for award.

Thanks!
BOStonTravels is offline  
Old Jul 5, 2017, 11:18 am
  #27  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Some might get away with it, but there's a risk.

From the AAdvantage Terms and Conditions (link)

Earning AAdvantage Miles

"You cannot accrue partner airline miles with your partner frequent flyer number if you have already used your AAdvantage number to obtain AAdvantage program benefits such as First or Business Class upgrades, baggage fee waivers or complimentary access to Preferred/Main Cabin Extra seats. Additionally, you cannot redeem partner airline miles with your partner frequent flyer number and obtain AAdvantage program benefits such as priority boarding and access to preferred seats."


JDiver is offline  
Old Jul 5, 2017, 11:28 am
  #28  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Originally Posted by BOStonTravels
Appreciate the knowledge on this forum. My question is different as not switching to use an elite benefit per se.

Can I use my BA number outbound and then change to AAdvantage number at airport for inbound BA flight to collect AAdvantage EQM/EQD?

I really only need the AA EQM/EQD for one leg of a BA roundtrip to USA to give me the EQM needed for award.

Thanks!
It can indeed be done successfully, but we do have a few reports that occasionally the flights were all credited to AA even though a FFN change was requested. Perhaps verifying or requesting at the gate (arriving early enough it won't be difficult) would help.

Last edited by JDiver; Jul 5, 2017 at 12:31 pm
JDiver is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2017, 6:10 pm
  #29  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Boston, MA (BOS)
Programs: AA PLT Pro 2MM, DL Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Ambassador + LT Plat, COFC Venture X, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 5,587
Not sure if this is the proper place to share, but here it goes. I believe this is just a HUCA type problem, but something didn't seem right

Called over the weekend to have my AAdv EP number added to a single segment domestic non-stop Avios award. Agent told me first that I need to contact BA...strike one.

Persisted and agent finally agreeed to "try" and said system was promoting for $75 agency fee. Explained to agent this isn't an agency issued ticket, AA is operating carrier and servicing my PNR in this manner should not be subject to the fee.

Agent says support desk allowed a "one time exception" and insisted this had been policy for years.

Agent is located at SERO (LAA Cary, NC) and both provided full spelling of name and agent sign without objection.

Overall very bizarre, was interesting way to spend 15 minutes yesterday but hopefully not indicative of what may be forthcoming.

Any thoughts?
AAerSTL is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2017, 6:22 pm
  #30  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Originally Posted by AAerSTL
Not sure if this is the proper place to share, but here it goes. I believe this is just a HUCA type problem, but something didn't seem right

Called over the weekend to have my AAdv EP number added to a single segment domestic non-stop Avios award. Agent told me first that I need to contact BA...strike one.

Persisted and agent finally agreeed to "try" and said system was promoting for $75 agency fee. Explained to agent this isn't an agency issued ticket, AA is operating carrier and servicing my PNR in this manner should not be subject to the fee.

Agent says support desk allowed a "one time exception" and insisted this had been policy for years.

Agent is located at SERO (LAA Cary, NC) and both provided full spelling of name and agent sign without objection.

Overall very bizarre, was interesting way to spend 15 minutes yesterday but hopefully not indicative of what may be forthcoming.

Any thoughts?
Personally, I can't see that there's much to be gleaned from that narrative of events, off hand.
JonNYC is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.