Jan 14, 2016, 5:43 am
Last edit by: medellinfein
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:
Please see the archived threads for previous experiences:
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:
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.
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:
- How to: Use AA Miles to Book Award on Etihad / EY (Archive - 2015 and earlier)
- Success stories booking awards on Etihad using AA miles (Archive - 2015 and earlier)
- Booking AA Award travel on Etihad / EY - [2015-17 ARCHIVE]
Booking AA Award travel on Etihad / EY (master thread July 2017 onwards)
Oct 21, 2019, 3:57 pm
#1336
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
IME, the issue lies with booking the MLE>AUH in premium cabin along with AUH>JFK in premium cabin on same reservation. If you add a segment in Y (ie: MLE>AUH in Y; if there is availability in Y), you should not encounter any issues putting the entire itinerary on hold / booking. Again, this is assuming MLE>AUH and JFK>LAX flights still show availability in Y cabin for award redemption for your flights.
There is N (saver economy) availability on MLE-AUH, and there is Saver Economy available LAX-JFK (and also business on a later leg)?
But then I guess I wouldn't be able to re-upgrade them if inventory did show up, assuming that's even possible? It's looking like I made the mistake of booking as soon as inventory opened up. If I had waited, I don't think I would be in this issue.
I don't think that you can change from EY to CX without paying the $150 change fee
It sounds like 1st class is available for a standalone AUH-JFK booking, but if you want to start in Colombom that it isn't available. As far as changing to UL , I doubt that the EY fare rules would permit it and so would require 2 awards - which of course would work since 1st seems to be available for AUH-JFK as a standalone booking
It sounds like 1st class is available for a standalone AUH-JFK booking, but if you want to start in Colombom that it isn't available. As far as changing to UL , I doubt that the EY fare rules would permit it and so would require 2 awards - which of course would work since 1st seems to be available for AUH-JFK as a standalone booking
In addition to paying a change fee, i'd also be eating the $80 booking fee I had to pay, so this would be a costly mistake.
Oct 21, 2019, 4:08 pm
#1337
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
I would call AA and see if the agent can add an extra segment, such as MLE-CMB-AUH-JFK and if so, if that would permit upgrading AUH-JFK to F. Your core issue is that EY marries MLE-AUH-JFK for availability, and isn't making AUH-JFK available in F when booked as a connection from MLE. Another option is to add a stopover in AUH; you'd pay an extra award but AUH-JFK would no longer be a connection.
If you have flexibility, you could also see if you can find availability on a different day for MLE-AUH-JFK, checking for both business and first, and seeing if you can see MLE-AUH in J and AUH-JFK in F. Or ask an agent who sees your desired AUH-JFK as available to try end-to-end on different days.
If you have flexibility, you could also see if you can find availability on a different day for MLE-AUH-JFK, checking for both business and first, and seeing if you can see MLE-AUH in J and AUH-JFK in F. Or ask an agent who sees your desired AUH-JFK as available to try end-to-end on different days.
Oct 21, 2019, 4:10 pm
#1338
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North America
Posts: 2,265
Would it be worthwhile to see if I could downgrade MLE-AUH and LAX-JFK on my current reservation?
There is N (saver economy) availability on MLE-AUH, and there is Saver Economy available LAX-JFK (and also business on a later leg)?
But then I guess I wouldn't be able to re-upgrade them if inventory did show up, assuming that's even possible? It's looking like I made the mistake of booking as soon as inventory opened up. If I had waited, I don't think I would be in this issue.
There is N (saver economy) availability on MLE-AUH, and there is Saver Economy available LAX-JFK (and also business on a later leg)?
But then I guess I wouldn't be able to re-upgrade them if inventory did show up, assuming that's even possible? It's looking like I made the mistake of booking as soon as inventory opened up. If I had waited, I don't think I would be in this issue.
Anyway, when they tell you they no longer see F as avail when searching on your existing reservation, ask them to try searching with the MLE>AUH leg in Economy and AUH>JFK in F. It sounds odd so you’d need a cooperative and understanding agent. I have done it but it’s not easy as it goes against ‘logic’.
Your JFK>LAX leg isn’t the issue, you don’t need to tell them to rebook that into Y. I was only suggesting that (for your new booking) with the assumption that your JFK>LAX flight doesn’t have any more Saver award space left in J.
Oct 21, 2019, 4:12 pm
#1339
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
I would call AA and see if the agent can add an extra segment, such as MLE-CMB-AUH-JFK and if so, if that would permit upgrading AUH-JFK to F. Your core issue is that EY marries MLE-AUH-JFK for availability, and isn't making AUH-JFK available in F when booked as a connection from MLE. Another option is to add a stopover in AUH; you'd pay an extra award but AUH-JFK would no longer be a connection.
If you have flexibility, you could also see if you can find availability on a different day for MLE-AUH-JFK, checking for both business and first, and seeing if you can see MLE-AUH in J and AUH-JFK in F. Or ask an agent who sees your desired AUH-JFK as available to try end-to-end on different days.
If you have flexibility, you could also see if you can find availability on a different day for MLE-AUH-JFK, checking for both business and first, and seeing if you can see MLE-AUH in J and AUH-JFK in F. Or ask an agent who sees your desired AUH-JFK as available to try end-to-end on different days.
As I mentioned above, there is availability in Economy from MLE-AUH, would requesting a downgrade be an option?
Last edited by BThumme; Oct 21, 2019 at 4:17 pm
Oct 21, 2019, 5:21 pm
#1340
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
Keeping in mind Dave Noble 's comment then, would it maybe make sense to push out MLE-AUH-JFK a day (or bring it in one day early), and then see if MLE-AUH gets J again on my date, and then move back to my original dates? Maybe that would get around the redeposit fee. I'd have to move JFK-LAX around since I can't create a stopover as well.
As I mentioned above, there is availability in Economy from MLE-AUH, would requesting a downgrade be an option?
As I mentioned above, there is availability in Economy from MLE-AUH, would requesting a downgrade be an option?
It sounds that CMB-JFK via AUH has no availability for AUH-JFK in 1st class. If you really want 1st class on AUH-JFK, perhaps buy CMB-AUH separately and just have a 1st award for AUH-JFK
Oct 21, 2019, 5:47 pm
#1341
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Does it show that MLE-UL-CMB-UL-AUH-JFK is permitted by EY's routings or just MLE-CMB-AUH-JFK? I doubt that EY's routing permits travel on UL
With married segment availability, playing around at changing dates out n back will almost cetainly not make any difference
It sounds that CMB-JFK via AUH has no availability for AUH-JFK in 1st class. If you really want 1st class on AUH-JFK, perhaps buy CMB-AUH separately and just have a 1st award for AUH-JFK
With married segment availability, playing around at changing dates out n back will almost cetainly not make any difference
It sounds that CMB-JFK via AUH has no availability for AUH-JFK in 1st class. If you really want 1st class on AUH-JFK, perhaps buy CMB-AUH separately and just have a 1st award for AUH-JFK
If you can find an agent to work with you on that task, sure give it a try. Call one of the In’tl numbers and ask them to check if AUH>JFK is avail in F, when they say Yes, give them your record locator and say you’d like to pay the mileage diff and upgrade ... at which point (as you already know) you’ll be told they no longer see the F space lol. Sidebar....you can ask them if they can try to sort this out for you with their helpdesk since the availability is there for a new reservation (unlikely that would yield a meaningful result but hey).
Anyway, when they tell you they no longer see F as avail when searching on your existing reservation, ask them to try searching with the MLE>AUH leg in Economy and AUH>JFK in F. It sounds odd so you’d need a cooperative and understanding agent. I have done it but it’s not easy as it goes against ‘logic’.
Your JFK>LAX leg isn’t the issue, you don’t need to tell them to rebook that into Y. I was only suggesting that (for your new booking) with the assumption that your JFK>LAX flight doesn’t have any more Saver award space left in J.
Anyway, when they tell you they no longer see F as avail when searching on your existing reservation, ask them to try searching with the MLE>AUH leg in Economy and AUH>JFK in F. It sounds odd so you’d need a cooperative and understanding agent. I have done it but it’s not easy as it goes against ‘logic’.
Your JFK>LAX leg isn’t the issue, you don’t need to tell them to rebook that into Y. I was only suggesting that (for your new booking) with the assumption that your JFK>LAX flight doesn’t have any more Saver award space left in J.
-If I tried adding in CMB as as stop, AUH-JFK showed Y only,
-If I tried downgrading MLE-AUH to economy, no result AUH-JFK
-However, if I did that a day earlier, it would work. But I'm not clear if this was breaking the rules (forcing a stopover, so really looking at two awards), or if that was just as one award with both segments moved up 24 hours.
Also if I were to call and try to rebuild my itinerary separate, would AA's computer freak out when I have overlapping reservations (even though one is on hold) when I try to do this? And back to the married segments - how can I tell if what I'm looking at is married or not? How could I check the day before or after without calling in - is the core of my issue that my current MLE-AUH flight does not have J?
Last edited by BThumme; Oct 21, 2019 at 7:04 pm
Oct 22, 2019, 3:58 pm
#1342
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Here's my update for today:
Spoke to a very helpful Australian agent (I really recommend calling these guys first, they are great).
I was able to place CMB-AUH-JFK on hold, with CMB-AUH in biz no problem, and AUH-JFK in First no issue.
Here's what I don't get though:
When I first booked this, I booked MLE-AUH-JFK in Biz. I then called AA to add JFK-LAX - was there no checking married segments there? Because sholuldn't there have been two seats available on the same flights then for that leg to be added? If I call the US location back now to add it, they aren't going to check again?
I feel like I'm playing one of those games where you have to turn all the lights out - hit one button, all the other options open up or close out. I'm not sure how good of an idea starting out in CMB is. The EY flight is at 935pm, so I would have time to hop over, although I'd have to clear immigration and all to re-check my bags.
What I might do is cancel my current booking, see if that inventory reopens, and if it does see if I can switch back to MLE-AUH (or is that going to be a problem since there won't be any first class availability now from AUH-JFK since I have those two seats??)...
Spoke to a very helpful Australian agent (I really recommend calling these guys first, they are great).
I was able to place CMB-AUH-JFK on hold, with CMB-AUH in biz no problem, and AUH-JFK in First no issue.
Here's what I don't get though:
When I first booked this, I booked MLE-AUH-JFK in Biz. I then called AA to add JFK-LAX - was there no checking married segments there? Because sholuldn't there have been two seats available on the same flights then for that leg to be added? If I call the US location back now to add it, they aren't going to check again?
I feel like I'm playing one of those games where you have to turn all the lights out - hit one button, all the other options open up or close out. I'm not sure how good of an idea starting out in CMB is. The EY flight is at 935pm, so I would have time to hop over, although I'd have to clear immigration and all to re-check my bags.
What I might do is cancel my current booking, see if that inventory reopens, and if it does see if I can switch back to MLE-AUH (or is that going to be a problem since there won't be any first class availability now from AUH-JFK since I have those two seats??)...
Oct 22, 2019, 4:50 pm
#1343
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
Here's what I don't get though:
When I first booked this, I booked MLE-AUH-JFK in Biz. I then called AA to add JFK-LAX - was there no checking married segments there? Because sholuldn't there have been two seats available on the same flights then for that leg to be added? If I call the US location back now to add it, they aren't going to check again?
When I first booked this, I booked MLE-AUH-JFK in Biz. I then called AA to add JFK-LAX - was there no checking married segments there? Because sholuldn't there have been two seats available on the same flights then for that leg to be added? If I call the US location back now to add it, they aren't going to check again?
I feel like I'm playing one of those games where you have to turn all the lights out - hit one button, all the other options open up or close out. I'm not sure how good of an idea starting out in CMB is. The EY flight is at 935pm, so I would have time to hop over, although I'd have to clear immigration and all to re-check my bags.
Cancelling what you have is risky.
Oct 22, 2019, 6:05 pm
#1344
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Congratulations, I'm glad to hear it. It sounds like perhaps EY is not marrying CMB-AUH-JFK they way they marry MLE-AUH-JFK, or else they are married but they have award availability when married.
Married segments apply to connecting flights marketed by the same airline, so in your case, EY can marry MLE-AUH and AUH-JFK if they wish, and by doing so they are able to have different inventory on MLE-AUH, AUH-JFK, and MLE-JFK. AA flights can be married to other AA flights, not to EY flights.
Can you add MLE-CMB to your booking?
Cancelling what you have is risky.
Married segments apply to connecting flights marketed by the same airline, so in your case, EY can marry MLE-AUH and AUH-JFK if they wish, and by doing so they are able to have different inventory on MLE-AUH, AUH-JFK, and MLE-JFK. AA flights can be married to other AA flights, not to EY flights.
Can you add MLE-CMB to your booking?
Cancelling what you have is risky.
If I could add MLE-CMB to my new reservation, wouldn’t that suggest that it wasn’t married after all? I wanted to try and turn my current reservation into that by adding a connection in CMB, but agents weren’t able.
Oct 22, 2019, 6:19 pm
#1345
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
It's possible that EY marries MLE-AUH-JFK but not CMB-AUH-JFK, in which case adding CMB-AUH might be married to CMB-AUH but probably won't be married to AUH-JFK. It's also possible that CMB-AUH-JFK is married but EY has released award inventory for these segments as married.
Last edited by anabolism; Oct 22, 2019 at 7:25 pm Reason: Fix typo ("QR" when obviously "EY" meant)
Oct 22, 2019, 7:04 pm
#1346
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
It's possible that EY marries MLE-AUH-JFK but not CMB-AUH-JFK, in which case adding CMB-AUH might be married to CMB-AUH but probably won't be married to AUH-JFK. It's also possible that CMB-AUH-JFK is married but QR has released award inventory for these segments as married.
Edit: and now it's added.
Last edited by BThumme; Oct 22, 2019 at 7:11 pm
Oct 22, 2019, 7:26 pm
#1347
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
Very glad to hear it. (And sorry for typing "QR" above when obviously it should have been "EY" -- I had QR on the brain as I was just making seat assignments on five or six QR flights upcoming.)
Oct 22, 2019, 7:33 pm
#1348
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
If anyone cares, availability returned immediately (or I guess within 10 minutes, that's when I looked) for my original MLE-AUH flight. I'm going to call back and see if I can get back on that now.
Edit: I wasn't able to get on the nonstop, despite there being availability. I'm perfectly happy with the routing I have now, the only downside is if being in economy on the first leg of this award ticket is going to impact my baggage allowance(s).
So now I have booked:
MLE - CMB - Sri Lankan Economy
CMB - AUH - Etihad Business
AUH - JFK - Etihad First Class
JFK - LAX - AA Business
So since EY is the overwater carrier, am I subject to their baggage allowance?
Last edited by BThumme; Oct 22, 2019 at 9:06 pm
Oct 23, 2019, 11:31 am
#1349
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Here's my last update on this as I believe I have full resolution.
I called last night to cancel my current award and have the miles redeposited. The agent said it would take about 2 hours to get my miles back, and the cost was as expected $150 + 25 USD to get my miles back.
I called in to AA (USA) this afternoon to check the status, as I wasn't charged, and saw no movement. I told the agent my situation, what I was trying to do (I need the miles for a new reservation I had to put on hold)...she came back a couple minutes later letting me know that AA would waive the redeposit fee since I was moving up a class of service. I was stunned. I also was not charged for (another) booking fee since I paid that on the now-cancelled reservation. My only charge was the award taxes, which at $166 USD, seems like a bargain.
It's going to be on request for a couple days I would imagine, but assuming this tickets, this is just one big item I don't have to worry about anymore. Thanks to anabolism , CodeAdam10 , and Dave Noble for the thoughts on the previous couple days.
Also, my original AA flight just showed back up (so about 12 hours from when I cancelled, not instantly), so I was able to get placed back on that too.
Hopefully this experience helps out people in a similar situation!
I called last night to cancel my current award and have the miles redeposited. The agent said it would take about 2 hours to get my miles back, and the cost was as expected $150 + 25 USD to get my miles back.
I called in to AA (USA) this afternoon to check the status, as I wasn't charged, and saw no movement. I told the agent my situation, what I was trying to do (I need the miles for a new reservation I had to put on hold)...she came back a couple minutes later letting me know that AA would waive the redeposit fee since I was moving up a class of service. I was stunned. I also was not charged for (another) booking fee since I paid that on the now-cancelled reservation. My only charge was the award taxes, which at $166 USD, seems like a bargain.
It's going to be on request for a couple days I would imagine, but assuming this tickets, this is just one big item I don't have to worry about anymore. Thanks to anabolism , CodeAdam10 , and Dave Noble for the thoughts on the previous couple days.
Also, my original AA flight just showed back up (so about 12 hours from when I cancelled, not instantly), so I was able to get placed back on that too.
Hopefully this experience helps out people in a similar situation!
Last edited by BThumme; Oct 23, 2019 at 1:55 pm
Oct 23, 2019, 12:20 pm
#1350
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
she came back a couple minutes later letting me know that AA would waive the redeposit fee since I was moving up a class of service. I was stunned. I also was not charged for (another) booking fee since I paid that on the now-cancelled reservation. My only charge was the award taxes, which at $166 USD, seems like a bargain.