Jan 14, 2016, 5:43 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Booking Award Seats on EY / Etihad Airways Using AA / AAdvantage Miles

Also see: Earning AA Miles EQM / EQD / EQS on EY / Etihad (master thread)

This thread is about how to book Etihad / EY award seats using AA AAdvantage miles, and sharing success stories. This wiki is new, so anyone with 90/90 who wishes to add helpful information is, of course, urged to do so.

NOTE:AA has removed most EY and QR award access from aa.com due to a glitch booking these:

Quote:

From One Mile at a Time (link)

Bottom Line

For the time being you’ll have to call American if you want to ticket AAdvantage awards on Etihad & Qatar that aren’t for travel to & from the US or Canada. It makes sense that American took these awards “offline,” and now it also makes sense why so many passengers have been having issues with checked bags on awards.

You can now search or book awards for travel on EY (Etihad) on www.aa.com.
You can search award availability on EY's website. Look only for seats on flights operated by Etihad Airways that are labeled as "GuestSeats". You can also search on ExpertFlyer
- Note: You may see more availability if you search on EY's website using itineraries that do not originate in the US. In other words, to potentially see more availability on a USA-XYZ segment, search for XYZ-USA-XYZ. Expertflyer does not report this additional availability (if any), and US-based agents probably will not be able to see or book it (but see further below for Fiji).
- To expand on this point a bit, it seems that even if you only want to fly USA-AUH (or to other foreign destinations, since they route through AUH), due to an EY website quirk you need to search AUH-USA-AUH in order to find available USA-AUH routes.
You no longer 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:
It is often or even typically the case that for first and business class awards US agents cannot see the award space that you see on Etihad's site. Your best bet, then, is to call AA Australia (+61 2-9101-1948 ) then press 3 - or the New Zealand number (+64 09-308-4014) (actually South African contractor Mindpearl in Fiji) or Singapore (+65 6349-8444) as an alternative - what you need is the specific call center which is actually in Suva, Fiji (I believe it's our old South African agency friend Mindpearl) or, according to recent reports, in Trinidad (since there have been some reports that the Fiji center has closed). You can put the EY segments on hold so you can flesh out the award afterward and/or pay the fees in USD through the US call center, or simply buy it through non-US call center if you think you won't be making subsequent routing changes (such as adding AA connecting flights within the USA) that would incur fees. (NOTE: calls may get picked up by the local Brisbane office, or rerouted to Trinidad or the USA. As noted, there are reports that the Fiji call center has closed, but people have still been able to book some of the time, particularly if they reach the Trinidad center since that seems to be the call center that yields the greatest success in late 2017 and 2018 - with the big caveat that there are at least as many failures as successes in calling there, including repeatedly. To increase the chances of success, you may have to call several times, since for some reason a given customer service representative at a given time won't see availability even if it shows at the EY site, but another CSR at the same center may be able to do so even a few minutes later. It's conceivable that this difference is due to some CSRs knowing how to search for award availability better than others do, but that's simply a matter of speculation at this point.)
- Note: EY award holds only last 72 hours...irrespective of what AA reservation hold email states
Booking connections via AUH / Abu Dabhi using one award is now allowed.
Get both AA and EY reservation codes/numbers: Upon booking with AA, make sure to get the EY reservation number as well as that of AA from the AA CSR, as without the EY number it will be difficult or impossible to deal with EY, such as for checking or managing your reservation online. And of course, if there is another airline involved in the reservation as well (such as BA), get its reservation number.
A handy EY route map is here: http://flights.etihad.com/routemap.
The applicable AAdvantage miles award chart is the oneworld and partner airlines award chart.
Award routing rules are in the wikipost of this thread.
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.
WARNING: While this trick is great for new bookings (especially if you have patience to get lucky for call to be routed to Fiji office), modifying booking on partner airlines is always risky especially when an overseas center is involved, Your original seats are immediately released and while new reservation is supposedly confirmed, it may actually not the case until ticket desk actually issues ticket after approval of the partner liaison. Weekend/Holidays/Time-Difference can delay issuance of ticket and if something goes wrong, there is always risk of being SOL. (Mistakes by agents are rare but not unheard of).
SEAT ASSIGNMENTS: You cannot choose seats until after ticketing. Even then, the regular web site will not allow seat assignments to be made for AAdvantage award bookings. The mobile site (which can be reached with either a mobile or a desktop browser) may work in some cases. Calling EY to make seat assignments always works, as long as you can give them the EY record locator, and as long as AA has issued the ticket (which can take a few days, you will get e-mail). Call 1-877-690-0767, press 1 for English, then 2 for First/Business, then 2 for existing bookings, then they will tell you the call is ending - but it's not: they have added "press 1 to speak to an agent", so finally, press 1 to continue the call. After this, you should have someone on the line quickly to help you. They will ask you a series of questions such as "What class are you traveling in?" and "Where are you going?" Alternatively, you can choose your seats on the Etihad website and app by using the EY record locator to find your award itinerary.
Availability: EY award availability using AA miles can be fairly good, including in business and first class - IF you get past the big, aforementioned challenge of actually booking award seats that the EY site shows as available but that AA agents have trouble finding. But it ebbs and flows quite a bit in at least two respects (in addition to the general rule that the further in advance you seek availability, the better, as well as reports that availability is easier to find from one to three weeks before a flight): 1) availability showing at the EY site and 2) even if availability shows at the EY site, the ability of non-US call centers (especially the "least bad" ones for finding availability, which might have been Fiji and might now be Trinidad) to find that availability. So if the EY site is not showing availability for a given day or week, and if you have flexibility, check other dates. And if availability seems to be particularly constrained across many dates, particularly if you are searching many months in advance, check again periodically to see if this has changed (or arrange an alert via ExpertFlyer, if it provides such a service for EY flights).
"Baby-sit" your tickets: Though this advice could apply to many award bookings, EY's systems can be glitchy and the airline apparently is going through some financial challenges. So it makes sense to check online or via phone occasionally with EY to make sure everything remains in order, particularly if there have been even minor changes in things like your flight times. And if there seem to be problems, including with checking in online or other procedures, the EY forum here at FT can be a source of useful advice about whether or not those problems are worth worrying about.
Itinerary: You can use https://www.virtuallythere.com/new/login.html to enter your EY record locator and last name to 1)display your complete itinerary 2)save a pdf 3)add to outlook/ical 4)view ticket # and different times the ticket has been reissued
AA lounge access: If you book a premium cabin itinerary on EY with domestic connections on AA, you will not be able to access the Admiral's Club during your domestic layovers because EY is not a member of OW.

Please see the archived threads for previous experiences:

NOTE: From AUH to the USA you will receive full USCBP Pre-Clearance in Abu Dhabi and will arrive in the USA as a domestic flight. However, AA and at least some other airlines (AS) will still demand International to Domestic MCT be met for ticketing purposes.

Booking AA Award travel on Etihad / EY (master thread July 2017 onwards)

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Jul 27, 2020, 5:50 pm

#1636

Elleny76

Join Date: Oct 2019

Location: NYC

Posts: 92

Quote:

Originally Posted by meercater

I called Australia 3x. About a total of an hour on the phone. They saw no availability in any class. I called Singapore and they changed my flight without a single question as to why or any fees. Was off the phone within 5 minutes.

Can you please share the numbers to call? what method you use for free calls international? whats app? Skype? tx

Jul 27, 2020, 8:09 pm

#1637

anabolism

Join Date: Aug 2004

Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)

Posts: 8,937

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elleny76

Can you please share the numbers to call? what method you use for free calls international? whats app? Skype? tx

I go to AA's "Contact Us" page and go through the Reservations numbers in different countries. I use Google Hangouts or Skype. It's not free, but at 1-3 cents per minute (it varies by country) it's a lot cheaper than using a regular or cell phone. Others here use other services. It's best to call multiple times a day, running down the list, as getting the right agent seems to be largely a matter of luck. Sometimes Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and other countries can be lucky.

Aug 12, 2020, 10:44 am

#1638

Chgo2AD

Join Date: Jun 2012

Location: Chicago & AUH

Programs: AA PLT Pro, EY Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 172

We have tickets booked to Abu Dhabi for November. We've decided to push back until March (kids spring break) when hopefully things have calmed down a bit more. I called Singapore they were immediately able to see the availability but when she went to book it they disappeared. I hung up and called Australia and the exact same thing happened. Has anyone had success booking EY business class tickets via AA in any country recently?

Aug 12, 2020, 11:12 am

#1639

KVS

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jan 2004

Location: Worldwide

Posts: 12,949

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chgo2AD

What's the flight #/date?

Aug 12, 2020, 11:30 am

#1640

Chgo2AD

Join Date: Jun 2012

Location: Chicago & AUH

Programs: AA PLT Pro, EY Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 172

We have 6 people with different routings.

EY 150 ORD-AUH, Friday, March 26th and EY151 ORD-AUH,Tuesday, April 6th for 2 pax in biz.

EY140 YYZ-AUH, Friday, March 26th and EY151 ORD-AUH,Monday, April 5th for 2 pax in biz.

EY130 IAD-AUH, Friday, March 26th and EY19 AUH-LHR on Tuesday, April 6th for 2 pax in biz.

Both agents could see the availability but when they went to hold the seats to make the changes it disappeared however it still shows on EY as available.

Aug 13, 2020, 12:22 am

#1641

KVS

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jan 2004

Location: Worldwide

Posts: 12,949

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chgo2AD

Those Award Seats are definitely available with a non-US POS for new bookings:

[KVS Tool 10.0.2/Diamond - Awards/EY/AE-Auto]

Code:

ORD  Chicago O'Hare Intl IL US [KORD]
AUH  Abu Dhabi Intl AE [OMAA]
FRI  26 Mar 2021 | 1 Seat

Carrier    Flight   From     Depart    To       Arrive    A/C  St  Award Availability
---------  -------  -------  --------  -------  --------  ---  --  ------------------
EY         150      ORD      21:25     AUH      19:50 +1  77W  0   FS0  CS2  YS5

However, since you are changing an existing booking, the system reverts to US POS (for which they are not Available):

[KVS Tool 10.0.2/Diamond - Awards/EY/Unknown-Origin]

Code:

ORD  Chicago O'Hare Intl IL US [KORD]
AUH  Abu Dhabi Intl AE [OMAA]
FRI  26 Mar 2021 | 1 Seat

Carrier    Flight   From     Depart    To       Arrive    A/C  St  Award Availability
---------  -------  -------  --------  -------  --------  ---  --  ------------------
EY         150      ORD      21:25     AUH      19:50 +1  77W  0   FS0  CS0  YS0

If you make a new booking, it should work.

Aug 13, 2020, 8:24 pm

#1642

Chgo2AD

Join Date: Jun 2012

Location: Chicago & AUH

Programs: AA PLT Pro, EY Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 172

Quote:

Originally Posted by KVS

Those Award Seats are definitely available with a non-US POS for new bookings:

[KVS Tool 10.0.2/Diamond - Awards/EY/AE-Auto]

Code:

ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl IL US [KORD]
AUH Abu Dhabi Intl AE [OMAA]
FRI 26 Mar 2021 | 1 Seat

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Award Availability
--------- ------- ------- -------- ------- -------- --- -- ------------------
EY 150 ORD 21:25 AUH 19:50 +1 77W 0 FS0 CS2 YS5

However, since you are changing an existing booking, the system reverts to US POS (for which they are not Available):

[KVS Tool 10.0.2/Diamond - Awards/EY/Unknown-Origin]

Code:

ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl IL US [KORD]
AUH Abu Dhabi Intl AE [OMAA]
FRI 26 Mar 2021 | 1 Seat

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Award Availability
--------- ------- ------- -------- ------- -------- --- -- ------------------
EY 150 ORD 21:25 AUH 19:50 +1 77W 0 FS0 CS0 YS0

If you make a new booking, it should work.

Thank you! I was able to cancel the current reservation and make new ones. 😊

KVS, DMPHL and ExpatExp like this.

Aug 27, 2020, 3:37 am

#1643

joecool1885

Join Date: Jul 2014

Location: Sacramento

Programs: Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Amtrak Select

Posts: 1,341

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Noble

Once the flight is changed to an aeroplane that does not have 1st class, then you will be entitled to a refund;

Now that this has occurred, I'm being told by an agent that I am not entitled to a refund. Any idea on where I can locate terms?

Aug 27, 2020, 4:45 am

#1644

Dave Noble

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Jan 2002

Posts: 44,624

Quote:

Originally Posted by joecool1885

Now that this has occurred, I'm being told by an agent that I am not entitled to a refund. Any idea on where I can locate terms?

So there is no 1st class on any segments in the itinerary?

Aug 27, 2020, 5:21 am

#1645

joecool1885

Join Date: Jul 2014

Location: Sacramento

Programs: Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Amtrak Select

Posts: 1,341

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Noble

So there is no 1st class on any segments in the itinerary?

Resolved via HUCA (they did the HU, I did the CA).
Was a single leg ticket.

Aug 27, 2020, 5:47 am

#1646

Dave Noble

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Jan 2002

Posts: 44,624

Quote:

Originally Posted by joecool1885

Resolved via HUCA (they did the HU, I did the CA).
Was a single leg ticket.

Definitely shouldn't have been an issue there - good that it is resolved

Aug 27, 2020, 8:16 pm

#1647

anabolism

Join Date: Aug 2004

Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)

Posts: 8,937

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Noble

So there is no 1st class on any segments in the itinerary?

It shouldn't matter; if one or more legs were ticketed in first and there was a schedule change so that first is not available, passenger is entitled to refund (even if some flights remain in first).

Aug 27, 2020, 10:01 pm

#1648

Dave Noble

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Jan 2002

Posts: 44,624

Quote:

Originally Posted by anabolism

It shouldn't matter; if one or more legs were ticketed in first and there was a schedule change so that first is not available, passenger is entitled to refund (even if some flights remain in first).

Indeed - but depending on the conversation with and understanding of agent, it could have been agent thinking it was a part refund for downgrade - given that it was a single segment, that wouldn't have been the case

Aug 29, 2020, 6:17 am

#1649

fly747first

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2004

Location: East Coast

Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND

Posts: 11,970

Quote:

Originally Posted by anabolism

It shouldn't matter; if one or more legs were ticketed in first and there was a schedule change so that first is not available, passenger is entitled to refund (even if some flights remain in first).

This isn't correct. If you have a 3-leg itinerary of which 2 are in F, if there is a schedule change and one gets downgraded to J but the other remains in F, AA doesn't have to refund any miles unless none of the legs remain in F.

Aug 29, 2020, 10:41 am

#1650

bdubs7

Join Date: Dec 2012

Posts: 159

Hey guys,

Right now I have a JFK-AUH-CMB-MLE award flight booked in first with EY and SriLanka Airlines (for the latter two segments). I now see guestsaver award availability on etihad's website for AUH-MLE, but when I called the Australian and Singapore offices neither could see the AUH-MLE flights.

1) Is this because EY is running a promotional 30% off, so maybe that guestsaver isn't available to partners? This is for an Oct-2020 flight and the flight schedule appears to have just changed in the last few days, so perhaps it hasn't loaded to AA?

2) Also I read in the wiki, that its risky to modify the awards, is there an alternative so that I don't screw up my award?

3) I booked the award flights originally in Feb-20, I am grandfathered in to the old AA award changes structure whereby I don't get charged if I get keep the origin and destination the same and thus can make unlimited changes, correct?

Thank you!