Jan 13, 2015, 2:43 pm
Last edit by: SingaporeDon
Booking Award Seats on EY / Etihad Airways Using AA / AAdvantage Miles
This thread is about "how to" book Etihad / EY award seats using AA AAdvantage miles. This wiki is new, so anyone with 90/90 who wishes to add helpful information is, of course, urged to do so.
- You cannot search or book awards for travel on EY (Etihad) on www.aa.com
- You can search award availability on EY's website. Look for seats on flights operated by Etihad Airways labeled as "GuestSeats".
- You have to call AA to book them. You may need to request the AA agent to look up the inventory one segment at a time in order to find the inventory in their system. OR:
- Your best bet is to call AA Australia (+61 2-9101-1948 ) - although the call center is actually in Suva, Fiji -as they can see the inventory reliably, and you can book (or put the EY segments on hold so you can flesh out the award afterward).
- A handy EY route map is at http://flights.etihad.com/routemap
- The applicable AAdvantage miles award chart is the oneworld and Other Airline Award Chart
- Award routing rules are in the wikipost of this thread
- It can be instructive to read about our members' successful award bookings on EY using AAdvantage miles in the Success stories of award booking on Etihad using AA miles (>= 2015) thread. [Note: posts prior to 2015 about this topic (with the exception of a few 2014 end of year posts brought forward for continuity) are archived at ARCHIVE: Success stories of award booking on Etihad using AA miles]
- If you find EY inventory from your continent but not your city of choice, as usual you can include any other AAdvantage award airlines in order to complete the itinerary. E.g. LHR-xAUH-DEL-xAUH-CDG on EY connecting to CDG-LHR on BA.
How to: Use AA Miles to Book Award on Etihad / EY (Archive - 2015 and earlier)
Dec 5, 2015, 6:32 pm
#1036
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Yes. A week ago or so on the JFK-AUH route Etihad was still releasing a bunch of F guest seats last minute, usually at least 2 or 3 days before the flight date. Now they're not even releasing the open F seats on the day of the flight. This seemed to happen right around the time several bloggers made posts explaining that you could still find award space close in.
Dec 5, 2015, 9:18 pm
#1038
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: KYE
Posts: 4,156
Has anybody had success booking the free "premium stopover" hotel on an AA award?
http://www.etihad.com/en/plan-and-bo...ium-stopovers/
I can't seem to find any restrictions about using a mileage ticket or booking through another airline, but I'd love to hear if anybody has done this successfully?
http://www.etihad.com/en/plan-and-bo...ium-stopovers/
I can't seem to find any restrictions about using a mileage ticket or booking through another airline, but I'd love to hear if anybody has done this successfully?
AA redemptions are NOT eligible. Even EY's own redemptions aren't. And they're only applicable to return itineraries.
From the page:
The offer is valid for bookings made in any booking subclass within First or Business Class, except for frequent flyer redemption bookings.
The offer is only valid for adults traveling on return tickets and is applicable on one direction only via Abu Dhabi.
The offers are not valid for seats purchased either partially or fully using Etihad Guest Miles or any other frequent flyer currency for flight rewards tickets, award upgrades, or a fare excluding taxes as part of a cash plus miles promotion.
The offer is only valid for adults traveling on return tickets and is applicable on one direction only via Abu Dhabi.
The offers are not valid for seats purchased either partially or fully using Etihad Guest Miles or any other frequent flyer currency for flight rewards tickets, award upgrades, or a fare excluding taxes as part of a cash plus miles promotion.
Dec 5, 2015, 9:18 pm
#1039
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, NYC
Programs: Marriott Gold, JGC, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold, AC 25K
Posts: 1,025
Has anybody had success booking the free "premium stopover" hotel on an AA award?
http://www.etihad.com/en/plan-and-bo...ium-stopovers/
I can't seem to find any restrictions about using a mileage ticket or booking through another airline, but I'd love to hear if anybody has done this successfully?
http://www.etihad.com/en/plan-and-bo...ium-stopovers/
I can't seem to find any restrictions about using a mileage ticket or booking through another airline, but I'd love to hear if anybody has done this successfully?
The offers are not valid for seats purchased either partially or fully using Etihad Guest Miles or any other frequent flyer currency for flight rewards tickets, award upgrades, or a fare excluding taxes as part of a cash plus miles promotion.
Dec 5, 2015, 9:28 pm
#1040
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
Transits are exempt the APD, not the PSC
Of course for an EY award , would need to verify that the routing rules would permit travel via London
If in the UK, the saving is quite reduced if having to fly to another country to start the journey, plus of course the risks of a misconnect on separate tickets
If starting outside of UK and need to connect , then no major issue going via London - the A$86.20 PSC would still apply
Of course for an EY award , would need to verify that the routing rules would permit travel via London
If in the UK, the saving is quite reduced if having to fly to another country to start the journey, plus of course the risks of a misconnect on separate tickets
If starting outside of UK and need to connect , then no major issue going via London - the A$86.20 PSC would still apply
Dec 5, 2015, 10:27 pm
#1041
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North America
Posts: 2,265
Grr. I wanted to make a destination change to an award I booked. US desk couldn't see any availability. Australia and China can BOTH see availabilities but when they open my reservation to make the change, the availability disappears. Haha. I think I have hit a catch-22 here. There's something up with 'USA based' reservations and system, seems almost deliberate at this point.
I suppose I can cancel / rebook the entire award but being that it is for 5 people and all the funny stuff going on with EY awards, I'm finding this option too risky.
I suppose I can cancel / rebook the entire award but being that it is for 5 people and all the funny stuff going on with EY awards, I'm finding this option too risky.
Dec 6, 2015, 5:31 am
#1042
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,995
I wonder if EY are restricting GDS availability for North American based locations while not doing so for those in the South West Pacific.
Dec 6, 2015, 6:44 am
#1043
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: PVD/BOS
Posts: 879
Now I just wait for those tickets to go from "On request" to "Ticketed"!
Dec 6, 2015, 10:40 am
#1044
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 68
Well, I take it back! Checking this morning my SYD-AUH date magically opened up 2 in F. Called US AA - couldn't see them, so hung up and immediately called AU AA - she saw the tickets immediately, got me rebooked and waived the $150 miles redeposit fee. YAY!!!
Now I just wait for those tickets to go from "On request" to "Ticketed"!
Now I just wait for those tickets to go from "On request" to "Ticketed"!
Nothing outside of tomorrow and Tuesday for JFK-AUH in F, although they did just add the seats for tomorrow as I mentioned above. I'm trying to get another seat so my sister can join me on my trip next month, which is why I've been checking regularly.
Dec 6, 2015, 10:52 am
#1045
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AA Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 136
The same magic happened for tomorrow's first JFK-AUH flight. 3 guest seats in F just opened up. No other dates besides Tuesday on the Jetihad flight, but that had already been there for a while.
Nothing outside of tomorrow and Tuesday for JFK-AUH in F, although they did just add the seats for tomorrow as I mentioned above. I'm trying to get another seat so my sister can join me on my trip next month, which is why I've been checking regularly.
Nothing outside of tomorrow and Tuesday for JFK-AUH in F, although they did just add the seats for tomorrow as I mentioned above. I'm trying to get another seat so my sister can join me on my trip next month, which is why I've been checking regularly.
However, return to US is as normally offered.
Dec 6, 2015, 10:59 am
#1046
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
The JFK-AUH flights-- especially if one is hoping for the A380 (and who wouldn't be,) are clearly gonna be a day-before type thing-- at best-- for the foreseeable future.
Dec 6, 2015, 3:37 pm
#1047
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,135
Can anybody help me find where etihad's website booking system indicates a guest seat?
From wiki
You can search award availability on EY's website. Look for seats on flights operated by Etihad Airways labeled as "GuestSeats".
From wiki
You can search award availability on EY's website. Look for seats on flights operated by Etihad Airways labeled as "GuestSeats".
Dec 6, 2015, 4:38 pm
#1048
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boulder
Programs: AA Plat, CX Silver
Posts: 2,361
Dec 6, 2015, 4:54 pm
#1049
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,135
Thx - found it. I have to book a sept/nov itinerary and trying to do it early because I read about the award chart changes. However, only flights till aug are available. I guess I'll just have to wait another 3 months
Dec 6, 2015, 9:31 pm
#1050
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New York
Programs: Marriott Gold, AA, United, Delta, Alaska
Posts: 144
They do release C space 30 days out, in both directions. The statement above is accurate for F space--I see 0 F space in advance, with seats released day before for JFK-AUH but not for AUH-JFK. Anybody know why AUH-JFK isn't released?