You booked fairy early, so I am suprised they don't have seats towards the back of the plane wide open. those are usually not "preferred seats"

I looked at the seats options it will let me choose and it doesn't give me any options for the 2 seats next to the window. Only the 4 seats in the middle. Any idea when I check in online for my flight it will let me choose the seats next to window?

At the 24 hour mark you should see the actual seating chart with all of the -hidden- non MCE seats. Hopefully at that point you'll have better choices. You can see this on AA.com by looking at your flight # before and after the 24 HR mark for something before the date your actual flight. If it's a seasonal route not operating now, just look at something operating now. Good luck.

Seeing some interesting options on the app this morning for MCE. I can purchase MCE seats on a 763 OGG-DFW for $64-$70 on a milesaver award. No other award reservations have the option and it is only on the app.

AA Economy MileSAAver USA to Europe award = only middle rows
 

Hello, In recent past I've used lowest level R/T award redemption from USA to Europe with United (Star Alliance). No problems, plenty of seats (minus premium) selection ahead of time. Decent connections.

This time I used AA Economy MileSSaver (60K R/T) CLT to MAD. When booked, the only seats I am offered are in the middle of the plane. So, all window seats and aisle seats on the sides are blocked (not occupied). I called, they explained it is due to my low level award used (MileSSaver). And I cannot pay to reserve a seat nor upgrade, due to the MileSSaver level redemption. Wow! This is bold!

Wondering if this is a trend or just an AA award thing? This is a trip for Sept 2017! Agent told me at times they release last few rows window seats, to check a few weeks ahead.

Amazing how I've worked years to earn miles by charging purchases on the AAdvantage credit card, to be surprised now by this seat restriction + long layover connections itinerary (to get to CLT from DCA, and then LIS from MAD.

Also, another issue with OneWorld is that award flying with BA from USA to Heathrow averages $350 in airport and other fees, each way! I think I will stick to Star Alliance.

Is it worth using the airline loyalty credit cards? Thanks.

Do you have AA elite status? If not, it's not unheard of for all preferred seats to be reserved for elite and/or lying pax.

What lie do you have to tell to get a preferred seat on award travel?

:D

Welcome to flyertalk!

The outer 2 seats on AA widebodies with a 2 seat section (A33X, 763) are all listed as at least preferred even for revenue bookings. If there are any preferred seats left at ~T-26, they will be released for anyone to select.

I'm moving this thread over to the AA forum.

Pat89339, Moderator Mileage Run Forum

Using them in isolation? No, not worth it in my opinion. To earn extra miles and/or gain benefits on an airline that you already fly somewhat regularly (but not extremely frequently), they can be really useful. But it doesn't sound like you were in that situation. A general-purpose program with transferable points, like Chase UR, might be more up your alley.

Enjoy Star Alliance. All of your complaints have been the case on AA for years, so I'm a little surprised you put in so much time and effort to earn AA miles without first getting a basic sense of the pros and cons of redeeming them.

Just checked my upcoming Q fare RT trip from JFK to LHR and the taxes are $140 and carrier fees are $250. How did you get $350 each way?

Terico, welcome to FlyerTalk.

Unless you have oneworld Sapphire / AA Platinum or above, with a MileSAAver award you're limited to those seats. At T-26 or so you might have more selection.


http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html

We will likely merge this into the "welcome newbie lounge" thread. /Moderator

Thanks! My bad for missing the " flying with BA from" part and compared it to a AA marketed and operated flight...

IMO, BA's bad. Horrible, consumer unfriendly policy. Of course, it's exactly why SAAver awards are available so freely on BA.

Gold gets you "preferred" (blocked, non-MCE) seats, and 50% off MCE (before T-24). Not sure about non-AA oneworld Ruby.

All the airlines block seats for elites, but I think AA is the worst offender of the domestics.

This is not a "policy". It is limitation due to a technical quirk in AA's reservation system which appears to be hard for them to fix. AA is unable to process anything paid (ie, anything which could incur taxes) on an award reservation. So on an AA award reservation, only those seats you can get free (at booking, at online check-in, or at the gate) are available to you.

Even AA Gold, who normally can buy MCE for 1/2 price at booking time, cannot buy MCE at any price on an award reservation.

So this limitation affects a lot of people. And thus yours is far from the first post about this, and there's a big thread about it already:

Not on MileSAAver awards it doesn't. They can't handle the payment.

You explained very well on the problem - because the paid fee would make the award ticket has value thus triggers at least 3 US taxes that otherwise would not be there had the ticket is indeed "free", i.e. no value.

For that matter, the award on CX ex HKG now has a lot more taxes due to CX opted to pass along the 3rd runway fee and that is NOT classified as tax, making the award ticket now has $50 or more (forgot the actual amount) taxes and fee than before the 3rd runway fee became in effect.

Does NOT apply to award tickets.

On an award ticket Gold can get to select the MCE after T-24 if there is still any available. Else there is NOTHING Gold could do about it even MCE is available for sale on a pay ticket.

It is Award Ticket we are talking about here so your comment is not even relevant, and frankly, misleading.

AS has buy up to premium on an award ticket. I think I recently upgraded a UA award to economy+ without any additional tax issues. The no MCE on award is an AA policy not a tax issue.

It's a tax issue caused by IT incompetence, which in this instance doesn't plague UA

I CAN select a MCE seat for free on an award booking - why?
 

I'm probably completely missing something but I'm confused - from skimming over this thread, it seems that MCE seats should not be available on an award booking, but I *am* able to choose them (as well as the starred seats that are "for elite members").

I have no status at all with AA, and this is a coach award ticket (20k miles) from JFK to LAX. I do have the Aviator Red credit card.

On the seat selection screen I can choose between a couple "normal" (i.e. middle, rear) seats, a number of starred "for elite members" seats, and many MCE seats, including exit row.

After selecting my seat (MCE, for example), I'm brought to the payment screen, where I can hold or pay. I can go as far through the process as possible without actually buying the ticket, and at no point are extra charges added (it's just 20k + $5.60 regardless of what seat I pick).

1) Why can I choose these seats? Is this expected?

2) Will AA later change my seat if I book one of these?

A 20k domestic coach ticket is a full fare Y ticket which entitles you to free MCE seats. The inability to choose mce seats is limited to saver awards

Ahhh...got it. Not a horrible consolation prize for having to pay 20k for coach I guess (it is Memorial Day weekend after all). Thanks!

20k actually seems like a pretty decent deal, especially since it includes MCE. I hadn't looked at the domestic chart in a while, I thought it was always 25k/50k r/t saver/anytime. Now I see the Anytimes were split into 40/60k. Somewhat surprised the holiday weekend didn't bump it up, IIRC, the different Anytime levels are predetermined for specific dates, and don't really change all that much (i.e., not dependent upon specific inventory availability).

Couple 'a years later, onemileatatime reports this finally implemented.

Do you mean that I (a lowlife status-less kettle) can book a main cabin award and purchase MCE now?

oops, yes, sorry-- I forgot the link:
http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...award-tickets/

Thanks for the update, I can see it is active on the app.

Used just now in booking milesaver travel for family, was glad to have the option!

I bought Saver seats for my sister and brother-in-law; my parents bought and got placed in bulkhead seats because he's virtually wheelchair-bound. They are all non-status.

I got bulkhead aisle across from them for myself on the same flight. When I got upgraded yesterday, I contacted my sister so she could grab the seat; she was unable to see it as available. So I called and got her moved for $37; I questioned the fee but since I'm not on that PNR I guess I'm stuck with it?

how much does it cost to upgrade to MCE? is it a flat rate or based upon something else?

AA gold here.

Got a paid ticket for me -- DFW to SCL.
3 sAAver award tickets for my family.

If I am reading the wiki correctly, I need to link the PNRs, and then I can call in and pay for MCE seats for all of us? I assume this will be at half price. Can anyone confirm?

As a data point, there's possibly some hinkiness going on with the system. AAnytime award booked for my GF, HKG/DFW/LGA (one flight #) -- it wouldn't allow selection of MCE, despite it being wide open. Figured I'd check again closer in and still nada.

Had to call in and the EXP desk couldn't fix it. They called help desk and help desk put THEM on hold to try and fix it. Was eventually fixed, but took about 15 minutes (well worth the time for my GF to hate me less for that flight!) and sounded like some unusual system shenanigans...

Also, unless I'm missing it (always possible) -- it's possible that the FAQ/MCE section regarding AAnytime awards getting it free is gone; I certainly can't seem to find it, only mention of "Full fare Economy tickets" which they may choose to not include AAnytime awards. I'm sure someone well more knowledgeable than I can determine this!

Looks like AA now offers upgrades on MileSaver bookings
 

I logged on to see my LAX/HTR reservation and looked at my seat assignments. I could see premium seats being offered. I bought the seats I wanted for $80 each.

Confusion from non AA flyer
 

Deleted

After I use BA miles or AS miles to book tickets on AA, would I be able to pay for "Main Cabin Extra" seats? Also, would I be able to pay for "Priority" check-in, security, and boarding?

(If it matters, I have no status on BA, AS, or AA.)

Thanks!