Jan 2, 16, 12:17 am
Last edit by: JY1024
Welcome to the 2016 "NEWBIE LOUNGE"
Ask Your Consolidated / Combined AA Questions Here (flame free)
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The Newbie Lounge is a place for newer and less experienced members to ask their questions about American Airlines and the AAdvantage program and have answered by our more experienced and knowledgeable members. Feel free to ask any question related to American Airlines and AAdvantage here.
NOTE: This is a "flame free" thread; flaming, personal criticism for "failing to search" etc. is not allowed (if posted, the post will be summarily deleted, the poster subject to sanctions).
We volunteer Moderators monitor this "lounge" thread to assist you as well. When browsing the fora, look at the page tops of the various forums. There will be a menu, and often "sticky" threads, and threads with header "wiki posts" (created and maintained by the FlyerTalk community) with important information relating to that forum / topic.
Don't hesitate to contact a moderator or another member if you have any additional questions. You can PM the Moderators by clicking on
, which pops up a message box; the message goes to all this forum's Moderators. Note that unlike some sites with paid staff moderators, FlyerTalk Moderators are volunteers, and most work, travel, go on holiday, etc. You can Private Message us using the PM system (My Flyertalk) and our handles.We're glad you've chosen to join the Flyertalk frequent flyer community!
Your American Airlines | AAdvantage Forum Moderation Team,
AZ Travels the World, aztimm, dstan, JDiver, JY1024, Microwave
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FlyerTalk Rules (We all agree to abide by these, and are held accountable.)[/LIST]
To prevent this from occurring, please note we try to:
Keep a few "sticky" threads: such as GUIDE posts, OSO / IROPS, etc. for urgent and quick reference, such as basic "where do I find" reasons
Keep threads to specific topics: Prevent information fragmentation and loss by consolidating questions, answers and discussion of one topic contained in one thread. (This also honors those members who have already shared valuable information and experiences.)
"Popular" threads are likely to have a wikipost at the head that will summarize important information and have resource links. These are "community property", and as any wiki are established, maintained and updated by the members (with 90 days of tenure and 90 posts on FlyerTalk).
You may find your question or post merged into one of those threads. Be sure that we will leave a link behind from your original thread, and to look up to see if there's a wiki with information. We apologize for any possible inconvenience or difference between this forum and others, but we think you'll like some of the resources and tools here to enable more convenient, comfortable travel on AA and greater knowledge sharing.
Keep it welcoming: We're proud the members of both FFPs have kept the brickbats to a minimum; we want this forum to be welcoming, civil and information rich, so name calling (including calling a member one disagrees with "AApologist") and snark are not tolerated. Posts with such are likely to be summarily deleted in their entirety; repeated such behavior may result in suspension of one's membership privileges or being banned from this forum. Let's keep it friendly and in accordance with the FT Rules.
FlyerTalk Rules (We all agree to abide by these, and are held accountable.)[/LIST]
Thanks for reading!
[2016 NEWBIE LOUNGE] Ask Your "Newbie" AA Questions Here (flame free)
Oct 30, 15, 8:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BNA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 766
[2016 NEWBIE LOUNGE] Ask Your "Newbie" AA Questions Here (flame free)
Hi, first post, been lurking for awhile...I recently flew TYS-DFW-SFO, and the miles for the DFW-SFO leg are missing. I've called the Platinum desk a few times and both agents (one was rude as hell, BTW) say that I'm not on the flight manifest. I definitely got to SFO, and I had zero delays / hiccups on the way out. (return was a much different story, I went thru DFW during the Oct 22/23 meltdown, Geez).
The only hard documentation is have is my baggage tag. No ticket (who the hell keeps tickets anyway).
Anyone had cases where they were mysteriously missing from the manifest? Agents act like there's NO way the manifest is incorrect. This was the day after the US AA merger (Oct 18). Feels like an episode of lost.
Thanks.
The only hard documentation is have is my baggage tag. No ticket (who the hell keeps tickets anyway).
Anyone had cases where they were mysteriously missing from the manifest? Agents act like there's NO way the manifest is incorrect. This was the day after the US AA merger (Oct 18). Feels like an episode of lost.
Thanks.
Oct 30, 15, 8:34 pm
#2
Moderator: American AAdvantage, TAP, Mexico, Technical Support and Feedback, and The Suggestion Box
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,953
Originally Posted by oysterhead43
Hi, first post, been lurking for awhile...I recently flew TYS-DFW-SFO, and the miles for the DFW-SFO leg are missing. I've called the Platinum desk a few times and both agents (one was rude as hell, BTW) say that I'm not on the flight manifest. I definitely got to SFO, and I had zero delays / hiccups on the way out. (return was a much different story, I went thru DFW during the Oct 22/23 meltdown, Geez).
The only hard documentation is have is my baggage tag. No ticket (who the hell keeps tickets anyway).
Anyone had cases where they were mysteriously missing from the manifest? Agents act like there's NO way the manifest is incorrect. This was the day after the US AA merger (Oct 18). Feels like an episode of lost.
Thanks.
The only hard documentation is have is my baggage tag. No ticket (who the hell keeps tickets anyway).
Anyone had cases where they were mysteriously missing from the manifest? Agents act like there's NO way the manifest is incorrect. This was the day after the US AA merger (Oct 18). Feels like an episode of lost.
Thanks.
Did AA not send you an e-ticket? Did you not have a boarding pass? Check for those. The Platinum line (it's all the same people, other than EP, with prioritized answering) might have been better able to serve with the ticket number; if you retrieve it, try calling again.
Most of us keep the first and retain the second until the miles show up in our accounts. (If all you have is your PNR, that may not help so much as they get retired and reused.)
We'll eventually move this to the "Newbie Lounge" thread.
/Moderator
Oct 30, 15, 8:39 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BNA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 766
Hi, thanks. Yes I have an eTicket. They find my ticket, but are asserting that I flew from to DFW to SFO on a unicorn (not the flight on my ticket).
I do not have the boarding pass, deleted from my wallet. Good advice to keep until the miles post.
What's REALLY annoying is the lost miles will keep me from qualifying for EXP when I travel next week.
I do not have the boarding pass, deleted from my wallet. Good advice to keep until the miles post.
What's REALLY annoying is the lost miles will keep me from qualifying for EXP when I travel next week.
Oct 30, 15, 9:33 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: OKC
Programs: IHG Spire, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 2,122
Can you not challenge them to look and see who was in the seat you were in? Also, if they insist you didn't fly, insist that you get a credit for the unused portion of your ticket..
I keep my BP's until the miles post - but that is only when I happen to have paper BPs. What happens for those that use the AA app and have no copy of them in these situations?
I keep my BP's until the miles post - but that is only when I happen to have paper BPs. What happens for those that use the AA app and have no copy of them in these situations?
Oct 30, 15, 10:01 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: ORD
Posts: 276
Originally Posted by bchandler02
I keep my BP's until the miles post - but that is only when I happen to have paper BPs. What happens for those that use the AA app and have no copy of them in these situations?
Oct 31, 15, 1:27 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP...couple hotels and cars too
Posts: 4,004
Originally Posted by aschuett
Since starting to use mobile, I take a screenshot every time for just this reason.
And a picture of where I parked in the airport garage....
Oct 31, 15, 2:15 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 299
Originally Posted by oysterhead43
They find my ticket, but are asserting that I flew from to DFW to SFO on a unicorn
Do you get a PDB if flying on a unicorn?
Oct 31, 15, 11:57 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BNA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 766
Originally Posted by AyeCaramba
ROTFL
Do you get a PDB if flying on a unicorn?
Do you get a PDB if flying on a unicorn?
Nov 2, 15, 8:58 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BNA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 766
Realized this is a good use of the iPhone app :
If you turn on the widget, then you can pull down from top and see the active boarding passes only. Then the old BPs ,which are being stored until miles post, don't get in your way (which bothers me when going to straight to iWallet, and is why I had deleted the now-missing boarding pass).
If you turn on the widget, then you can pull down from top and see the active boarding passes only. Then the old BPs ,which are being stored until miles post, don't get in your way (which bothers me when going to straight to iWallet, and is why I had deleted the now-missing boarding pass).
Nov 2, 15, 10:55 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AA LT PLT; HH Diamond; AS 75K
Posts: 2,648
Originally Posted by aschuett
Since starting to use mobile, I take a screenshot every time for just this reason. I also make a habit of emailing myself a boarding pass if I check in online.
I'm still waiting 2 months later for my SEA-LAX AS flight to post after doing a gate upgrade and not having the original BP.
Dec 30, 15, 8:13 am
#11
Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,271
[2016 NEWBIE LOUNGE] Ask Your "Newbie" AA Questions Here (flame free)
Welcome to our 2016 Newbie Lounge thread! 
Please see the wiki above for more information. Thanks!
/AA Mod Team
Please see the wiki above for more information. Thanks!
/AA Mod Team
Last edited by JY1024; Jan 2, 16 at 12:23 am Reason: update
Dec 30, 15, 8:13 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: SPG Gold, SW Companion Pass, Hilton Gold
Posts: 128
My fianc got the Citi AAdvantage Platinum card back in November and met the spending requirement in December. Her statement closing date was 12/22/15 and the online Citi statement shows that she is owed 54,000 miles to her AA account. Yet, as of 12/30/15, still no miles. After her statement closed during the previous month, on 11/22/15, the earned miles (just 151 miles), posted correctly on 11/23/15.
Why is it taking so long during this second month with the large bonus miles? Is anyone else seeing a delay in their credit card-earned miles posting?
Why is it taking so long during this second month with the large bonus miles? Is anyone else seeing a delay in their credit card-earned miles posting?
Dec 30, 15, 11:14 am
#13
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 12
[2016 NEWBIE LOUNGE] Ask Your Consolidated / Combined AA Questions Here (flame free)
Question about the AA miles sale (this is the 150k+115k bonus miles for $4425). Basically I want to buy the miles twice by taking advantage of the calendar year ending, but I'm not sure if they have a rule against this I might not be aware of.
The rules seem to say "Each AAdvantage member is limited to purchasing or receiving in a calendar year, a combined total of no more than 150,000 AAdvantage miles." (from googling elsewhere, it appears the 115k bonus doesn't count in this limit).
Has anyone tried taking advantage of this, ie: buy 150k miles on the 31st of Dec, buy another 150k on the 1st of Jan.
(while I know FT'ers don't normally think buying miles is a good idea, for 3 business class seats R/T BOI to BKK in Oct/Nov 2016, it appears that the cost of purchasing miles and then booking award travel on an AA partner is way less than 3x business class 'real money' tickets. )
So, my questions are:
1) Any reason I can't buy miles 'twice' (once this calendar year, once next calendar year)
2) Can I in fact put award tickets 'on hold' for 3 days even if I don't yet have enough miles to fund the trip I'm holding? (would like to hold the tickets before I buy the miles if possible)
3) Can I generally trust the award ticket availability info on the carriers websites (I read online to use BA's website to check award availability, as AA's website doesn't seem to work for checking most carriers award availability).
4) Am I right in understanding that 3 first class award tickets in the same flight never go on offer, and I should limit myself to business class? (additional note: we'll also have a lap child, so we'll be paying 10% of the first class fare I guess for the lap child.. which sounds expensive vs 10% of the business class fare, so this isn't a huge deal, although the miles difference is so tiny it feels like I'm throwing value away if I only book business class)
W.
The rules seem to say "Each AAdvantage member is limited to purchasing or receiving in a calendar year, a combined total of no more than 150,000 AAdvantage miles." (from googling elsewhere, it appears the 115k bonus doesn't count in this limit).
Has anyone tried taking advantage of this, ie: buy 150k miles on the 31st of Dec, buy another 150k on the 1st of Jan.
(while I know FT'ers don't normally think buying miles is a good idea, for 3 business class seats R/T BOI to BKK in Oct/Nov 2016, it appears that the cost of purchasing miles and then booking award travel on an AA partner is way less than 3x business class 'real money' tickets. )
So, my questions are:
1) Any reason I can't buy miles 'twice' (once this calendar year, once next calendar year)
2) Can I in fact put award tickets 'on hold' for 3 days even if I don't yet have enough miles to fund the trip I'm holding? (would like to hold the tickets before I buy the miles if possible)
3) Can I generally trust the award ticket availability info on the carriers websites (I read online to use BA's website to check award availability, as AA's website doesn't seem to work for checking most carriers award availability).
4) Am I right in understanding that 3 first class award tickets in the same flight never go on offer, and I should limit myself to business class? (additional note: we'll also have a lap child, so we'll be paying 10% of the first class fare I guess for the lap child.. which sounds expensive vs 10% of the business class fare, so this isn't a huge deal, although the miles difference is so tiny it feels like I'm throwing value away if I only book business class)
W.
Last edited by williamdw; Dec 30, 15 at 11:26 am
Dec 30, 15, 11:38 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 25,958
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
1. Surely this question is better addressed directly with AA. Ordinarily, I'd say no problem, but here you are trying to use the exact same bonus offer in two consecutive calendar years. But why can't one of your traveling companions purchase miles as well? Not an AAdvantage member?
2. Yes.
3. Websites occasionally display "phantom" availability. Since you have to call AA anyway to book CX/JL award travel, just call AA now to see if the seats you want are available. Put them on hold if they are.
4. Probably correct, but might not be universal.
Originally Posted by williamdw
Question about the AA miles sale (this is the 150k+115k bonus miles for $4425). Basically I want to buy the miles twice by taking advantage of the calendar year ending, but I'm not sure if they have a rule against this I might not be aware of.
The rules seem to say "Each AAdvantage member is limited to purchasing or receiving in a calendar year, a combined total of no more than 150,000 AAdvantage miles." (from googling elsewhere, it appears the 115k bonus doesn't count in this limit).
Has anyone tried taking advantage of this, ie: buy 150k miles on the 31st of Dec, buy another 150k on the 1st of Jan.
(while I know FT'ers don't normally think buying miles is a good idea, for 3 business class seats R/T BOI to BKK in Oct/Nov 2016, it appears that the cost of purchasing miles and then booking award travel on an AA partner is way less than 3x business class 'real money' tickets. )
So, my questions are:
1) Any reason I can't buy miles 'twice' (once this calendar year, once next calendar year)
2) Can I in fact put award tickets 'on hold' for 3 days even if I don't yet have enough miles to fund the trip I'm holding? (would like to hold the tickets before I buy the miles if possible)
3) Can I generally trust the award ticket availability info on the carriers websites (I read online to use BA's website to check award availability, as AA's website doesn't seem to work for checking most carriers award availability).
4) Am I right in understanding that 3 first class award tickets in the same flight never go on offer, and I should limit myself to business class? (additional note: we'll also have a lap child, so we'll be paying 10% of the first class fare I guess for the lap child.. which sounds expensive vs 10% of the business class fare, so this isn't a huge deal, although the miles difference is so tiny it feels like I'm throwing value away if I only book business class)
W.
The rules seem to say "Each AAdvantage member is limited to purchasing or receiving in a calendar year, a combined total of no more than 150,000 AAdvantage miles." (from googling elsewhere, it appears the 115k bonus doesn't count in this limit).
Has anyone tried taking advantage of this, ie: buy 150k miles on the 31st of Dec, buy another 150k on the 1st of Jan.
(while I know FT'ers don't normally think buying miles is a good idea, for 3 business class seats R/T BOI to BKK in Oct/Nov 2016, it appears that the cost of purchasing miles and then booking award travel on an AA partner is way less than 3x business class 'real money' tickets. )
So, my questions are:
1) Any reason I can't buy miles 'twice' (once this calendar year, once next calendar year)
2) Can I in fact put award tickets 'on hold' for 3 days even if I don't yet have enough miles to fund the trip I'm holding? (would like to hold the tickets before I buy the miles if possible)
3) Can I generally trust the award ticket availability info on the carriers websites (I read online to use BA's website to check award availability, as AA's website doesn't seem to work for checking most carriers award availability).
4) Am I right in understanding that 3 first class award tickets in the same flight never go on offer, and I should limit myself to business class? (additional note: we'll also have a lap child, so we'll be paying 10% of the first class fare I guess for the lap child.. which sounds expensive vs 10% of the business class fare, so this isn't a huge deal, although the miles difference is so tiny it feels like I'm throwing value away if I only book business class)
W.
2. Yes.
3. Websites occasionally display "phantom" availability. Since you have to call AA anyway to book CX/JL award travel, just call AA now to see if the seats you want are available. Put them on hold if they are.
4. Probably correct, but might not be universal.
Dec 30, 15, 11:44 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 12
I just made AA gold and also have the Citi Executive Platinum card. Both say they give one free checked bag. This should mean that I will be able to check two bags free of charge on my flight right? Or is it some weird wording where they both only offer the first checked bag for free?
