SF1K

I've done a number of searched both on FT and Google and can't find the answer. Does AA allow you to purchase up to F from discounted economy in same flight/same schedule without paying the change fee?

Looks like my company is going to have us use a travel agent and may end up on AA on some longer flights that I'd be willing to pay the difference out of pocket.

Often1

Your employer can be very helpful and at no cost, by instructing the TA to accept two forms of payment. The second can be a personal CC which you may choose to place on file if you wish.

When you purchase a ticket where you wish to fly in F, your personal CC is charged the difference between what the company paid and what your ticket will cost.

This can be particularly helpful as it is often the case that discounted F tickets cost very little more than Y on certain routes and when purchased in advance.

This is one of those benefits which costs the employer nothing and builds employee goodwill.

SF1K

We use personal cards regardless. So I guess I'll try to work with the TA.

rather_be_on_a_griffin

I'm answer to your original question I don't think the fact that you stay on the same flight would make any difference if it is ticketed. You'd have to pay any applicable change fee. With US you can buy a 1st seat at T-24 if they are available without paying a change fee. AA may have airport kiosk upgrades that are similar. Maybe as suggested above your employer would let you get a quote from the TA for expensing and then you just pay for the F ticket.

SeattleDavid

Employers vary a lot and mine certainly doesn't work this way - we are required to use corporate card for all air travel, but when I expense it back I split it into a corporate charge (and attach a screenshot of economy price on the day I bought the ticket) and a personal charge for the balance (to premium economy, or 1.0 EQP earning fare, or whatever). The personal charge is taken straight from my bank account when the expenses form gets processed.

To answer your question, the only way I know to avoid the change fee is to place the fare on hold initially and then call in to get it upfared. Then you have to ask the agent on the phone to take two separate forms of payment to purchase the ticket. Whether this works for you will depend on your employer's policies (my previous employer required that the TA buy all tickets on their account, and airfare costs could never be part of an expenses claim - except for last minute change fees).

The best advice would be to do it once in whatever way seems to work for you and employer and see if anyone notices or complains - if they do you apologise; if they don't you can do it the same way again.

Often1

In that case, it's easy. Determine from your employer what it wants in order to document the price it would have paid. A note from you, a note in the remarks from the TA, a screen shot? Then buy the F ticket and seek reimbursement of the reimburseable amount only. No second CC or anything.

JonNYC

Yes, they do. It's an official policy-- no change fee to do so, just fare difference.

1KHI

Often, changes to a TA booking after ticketing will require payment of the TA fee. This can be avoided when booking the desired cabin initially. Better to work it with the TA or work directly.

JonNYC

I'm responding to the OP's question and only that question. He asks:

The correct answer is; YES.