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)
May 22, 2018, 6:41 am
#421
Join Date: May 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: SQ QPPS, *A Gold, EK Skywards Gold
Posts: 673
Replenishment of EY award seats
Hi
Trying to book my family together in J from MAA-AUH-LAX. My search only revealed a maximum of 2 seats in J (or F for that matter) across any segment across multiple date ranges. Question: does one see a replenishment of award inventory on a particular segment after the initial 2 seats are booked? Trying to determine what my chances are of seeing additional award seats opening up if I ticket 2 and wait for one other to open up.
Trying to book my family together in J from MAA-AUH-LAX. My search only revealed a maximum of 2 seats in J (or F for that matter) across any segment across multiple date ranges. Question: does one see a replenishment of award inventory on a particular segment after the initial 2 seats are booked? Trying to determine what my chances are of seeing additional award seats opening up if I ticket 2 and wait for one other to open up.
May 22, 2018, 8:39 pm
#422
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 190
I've been out of the loop for a while. Whats the consensus on booking Etihad J class more than 30 days out? I remember seeing reports saying its no longer possible but it seems like there's DP's in this thread of people booking J class months out.
Also, it's free to change the dates (within 12 months of original ticket) of an AA award as long as the home and destination stay the same?
Also, it's free to change the dates (within 12 months of original ticket) of an AA award as long as the home and destination stay the same?
May 23, 2018, 12:21 am
#423
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,700
No one here can tell you. It’s magic. And it depends.
Hi
Trying to book my family together in J from MAA-AUH-LAX. My search only revealed a maximum of 2 seats in J (or F for that matter) across any segment across multiple date ranges. Question: does one see a replenishment of award inventory on a particular segment after the initial 2 seats are booked? Trying to determine what my chances are of seeing additional award seats opening up if I ticket 2 and wait for one other to open up.
Trying to book my family together in J from MAA-AUH-LAX. My search only revealed a maximum of 2 seats in J (or F for that matter) across any segment across multiple date ranges. Question: does one see a replenishment of award inventory on a particular segment after the initial 2 seats are booked? Trying to determine what my chances are of seeing additional award seats opening up if I ticket 2 and wait for one other to open up.
May 23, 2018, 5:36 am
#424
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: MLB
Programs: DL DM/2.9M, AA EXP, *A Gold
Posts: 245
If there is business class availablity on a Etihad flight and then later on Apt availability opens up later, can you the American agent help you rebook? If so, what is the cost?
Additionally, how likely is it that guest saver availability for the apt will open up if it's sold out now (but standard is available) and availability for basically every other day around it (except for the day that I want)? This is for AUH-JFK.
Thank you.
Additionally, how likely is it that guest saver availability for the apt will open up if it's sold out now (but standard is available) and availability for basically every other day around it (except for the day that I want)? This is for AUH-JFK.
Thank you.
You can change an AA J booking to F without any change fees. You will be charged the additional 45K AA miles for the F award and any minor difference in taxes/fees (generally none IME).
The availability question can't be predicted. FWIW, my experience with the exact scenario you've mentioned is that it never opens up. Some dates and/or days of the week just sell better (or have already sold). If there is existing availability on every day surrounding your date of travel, I'd suggest changing to one of those dates if you are flexible.
May 23, 2018, 12:16 pm
#425
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 248
Data point - Called the New Zealand call center, they were able to put a 5 day hold for me for LHR-AUH-MLE. I then ticketed it 4 days later.
When I go on Virtuallythere the e-ticket numbers show. On AA login, it shows the reservation as ticketed.
However, when I go to the Etihad site to manage my booking it does not allow me to change my seats online. It mentiones that I need to call in to do so. Is this normal?
When I go on Virtuallythere the e-ticket numbers show. On AA login, it shows the reservation as ticketed.
However, when I go to the Etihad site to manage my booking it does not allow me to change my seats online. It mentiones that I need to call in to do so. Is this normal?
May 23, 2018, 12:23 pm
#427
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: MLB
Programs: DL DM/2.9M, AA EXP, *A Gold
Posts: 245
Data point - Called the New Zealand call center, they were able to put a 5 day hold for me for LHR-AUH-MLE. I then ticketed it 4 days later.
When I go on Virtuallythere the e-ticket numbers show. On AA login, it shows the reservation as ticketed.
However, when I go to the Etihad site to manage my booking it does not allow me to change my seats online. It mentiones that I need to call in to do so. Is this normal?
When I go on Virtuallythere the e-ticket numbers show. On AA login, it shows the reservation as ticketed.
However, when I go to the Etihad site to manage my booking it does not allow me to change my seats online. It mentiones that I need to call in to do so. Is this normal?
May 23, 2018, 12:37 pm
#428
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NY, NY
Posts: 695
This has been normal for me. Some have had luck using the mobile app to select seats - you can find info on this thread about a month ago. The mobile app has never worked for me. However, EY is very quick and efficient by phone - a quick call to the US call center and you'll have your seats finalized.
May 23, 2018, 12:44 pm
#429
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 248
This has been normal for me. Some have had luck using the mobile app to select seats - you can find info on this thread about a month ago. The mobile app has never worked for me. However, EY is very quick and efficient by phone - a quick call to the US call center and you'll have your seats finalized.
May 24, 2018, 5:39 am
#430
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 32
Feeling ambitious, I called the US call center last night around 10PM. After a five-minute hold, I was connected to an agent. She had no trouble immediately seeing the Qantas J and Etihad F flights I wanted. For 215,000 AA miles and $50, I now have AKL-SYD-AUH-JFK on one ticket, with Qantas J AKL-SYD and Etihad F SYD-AUH-JFK.
This was a booking for March, so not quite 10 months out. Now watch Etihad swap those routes off of a 380.
This was a booking for March, so not quite 10 months out. Now watch Etihad swap those routes off of a 380.
May 24, 2018, 7:08 am
#431
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MIA
Posts: 498
Feeling ambitious, I called the US call center last night around 10PM. After a five-minute hold, I was connected to an agent. She had no trouble immediately seeing the Qantas J and Etihad F flights I wanted. For 215,000 AA miles and $50, I now have AKL-SYD-AUH-JFK on one ticket, with Qantas J AKL-SYD and Etihad F SYD-AUH-JFK.
This was a booking for March, so not quite 10 months out. Now watch Etihad go bankruptswap those routes off of a 380.
This was a booking for March, so not quite 10 months out. Now watch Etihad go bankrupt
May 25, 2018, 2:56 am
#434
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: London
Programs: United: 1K, BA: Silver, IHG: Plat, Hyatt: Plat, Marriott: Gold, SPG: Gold, Avis: Chairman
Posts: 178
Dillema time...! I have 2 reservations on hold with AA at the moment... both BNE to LHR on the date I want.
1st is Qantas (Coach) to SIN, the BA (Biz) to LHR. 85k miles + £150
2nd is EY Biz all the way via AUH. 122k miles + £62.
Do I roll the dice and take the lower miles route via SIN and hope biz seats open up on the BNE to SIN leg, or do I just take the miles hit and go EY biz all the way? EY biz product worth it over Qantas and BA? (I have 2 seats on each on hold, so the miles difference is doubled when I book for myself and wife!).
Cheers! Matt
1st is Qantas (Coach) to SIN, the BA (Biz) to LHR. 85k miles + £150
2nd is EY Biz all the way via AUH. 122k miles + £62.
Do I roll the dice and take the lower miles route via SIN and hope biz seats open up on the BNE to SIN leg, or do I just take the miles hit and go EY biz all the way? EY biz product worth it over Qantas and BA? (I have 2 seats on each on hold, so the miles difference is doubled when I book for myself and wife!).
Cheers! Matt