Jan 31, 2016, 10:58 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
FAQ: Award changes after 21 March 2016 - which incur redeposit, which not
Award prices in miles are changing effective 22 Mar 2016. Many members have been asking which changes can be made on pre-existing awards on or after 22 Mar 2016 without requiring miles redeposit and issuance of new awards at the new prices - and we finally have some answers as given by the AA spokesperson through a timely article by Gary Leff and a char set c/o Smiley90 from here
Mile changes in absolute numbers (k)
Mile changes in percentage
Mile changes in percentage
First award change chart as of 22 Mar c/o Gary Leff
NOTE: 22 March 2026, several agents are saying what Gary Leff's quoted Ms. Nedbal stated, or parts of it, are not being honored.
According to Gary Leff (View from the Wing, Boarding Area, 31 Jan 2016), Laura Nedbal, spokesperson for AA, said:
Gary: "I sought further clarification and learned:
- You can change date and time without repricing the award, while keeping airlines and routing constant.
- You can change routing without repricing the award, while keeping the airlines constant, with a few caveats. Basically you cannot break the fare. You cannot add a stopover. Youre going to have to stick with a legal routing for the primary carrier on the itinerary.
- You can not change Origin or Destination, even within the same region, without causing reissue at the current award rates.
- You cannot change award types, which means you cant go from American only to flying partners. You cant go from extra mileage award to saver award without a redeposit of miles and re-issue."
This will require re-issue at the new rates.
Q. What if I change routing, but use the same origin, destination and airlines?
No problem, even changing connection cities and number of segments. Laura Nedbal: "Origin/dest stays same and since all carriers are oneworld there would be no charge to change carriers. Provided again, the same inventory/award as ticketed is available for change."
Q. What if I want to change from a oneworld airline such as QR to a non-oneworld partner such as EY, but keep the same origin and destination?
You will be required to redeposit the miles and secure new awards at the new rates if after 22 March.
Q. What if I want to change the award type (AAnytime to MileSAAver, MileSAAver to reduced miles, etc.), but keep the same origin and destination?
You will be required to redeposit the miles and secure new awards at the new rates if after 22 March.
Q. What if I want to change class of service and keep everything else the same?
You will be required to redeposit the miles and secure new awards at the new rates if after 22 March.
Q. Is there a limit to the number of times I can change my pre-22 Mar award booking?
Many/most flyers have reported no issues with multiple changes for pre-22 Mar award bookings. Some AA EP agents and at least one supervisor have stated the rule is only ONE VOLUNTARY CHANGE will be allowed to keep the award at the pre-22 March level. A second or subsequent voluntary change will require conversion to the new chart and "paying" more miles.
Q. What would it cost me to redeposit an award? Two or more awards?
Redepositing an award costs $150 (plus $25 for each other award secured with miles from the same account). These redeposit fees are waived if the account is that of an Executive Platinum AAdvantage member. Link to FT thread: AA award reinstatement / miles redeposit fees, issues, questions (consolidated)
If they are separate awards on different PNRs they may require $150 each.
Q. If I purchase an award by 22 March, how far out can I change the award (within the parameters given)?
An award must be used within one year of issue.
NOTE: Region changes
- Bolivia and Manaus, Brasil: changing from South America 2 to South America 1
- Venezuela: changing from South America 1 to South America 2
- Guam: changing from Asia 2 to South Pacific
- Sri Lanka: changing from Asia 2 to Indian Subcontinent/Middle East
- Kiribati, Palau, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu: added to South Pacific region
FAQ: Award changes 22 Mar 2016 - incl. which incur new mile amt, redeposit, which not
Mar 21, 2016, 1:12 am
#331
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 498
I can't imagine anyone made such an assertion, but if they did, no, date change never causes reprice. (obviously within the allowable range of dates, and, assuming availability, etc.)
Depends.
You can drop a segment at the beginning (as long as no change in Country) or at the end (as long as no change in zone.)
You can change connection airports as long as governing carrier doesn't change.
You can change from nonstop itin to connecting (and vice versa)
You can change between the Oneworld carriers on the ticket as long as O and D remain the same and only OneWorld segments are the ones being changed-- this rule has some room in it and some have had contradictory (more limiting) experiences/answers.
AND, important to note, that the language on AA.com allows much less.
Depends.
You can drop a segment at the beginning (as long as no change in Country) or at the end (as long as no change in zone.)
You can change connection airports as long as governing carrier doesn't change.
You can change from nonstop itin to connecting (and vice versa)
You can change between the Oneworld carriers on the ticket as long as O and D remain the same and only OneWorld segments are the ones being changed-- this rule has some room in it and some have had contradictory (more limiting) experiences/answers.
AND, important to note, that the language on AA.com allows much less.
Also is there a maximum number of segments allowed for reward ticket?
Can I change from YVR-HKG-BKK to YVR-NRT-HKG-BKK or even YVR-NRT-ICN-HKG-BKK?
Mar 21, 2016, 1:15 am
#332
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 498
Just informed by the Australian Call Centre in Fiji that they CANNOT make any new award bookings or change existing bookings until the new award chart comes into effect on 22 March. Apparently reservations made can be ticketed before 22 March, but new bookings or amendments cannot be made as of today, 21 March 2016
But from Asia time zone there is still >24 hours before the changes come into effect...
Mar 21, 2016, 1:41 am
#333
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
I just called from Australia to the Dallas EXP line and made a change to a JAL booking by adding a segment. The very helpful CS mentioned that because of the change in system, they were having to manually input everything, or at least search for each carrier's availability individually. I'm not sure if that's a new change, or a change in the system that happened awhile ago. If it's new, perhaps that didn't get kicked over to the Aussie call center?
I do know that she had to search for the domestic JAL flight a different way, and then tack it back onto my int'l AA flight and switch it to a partner award because of the JAL flight. It certainly didn't sound straightforward.
It was a happy ending though, she finally found me a flight after her third way of searching. And that JAL domestic flight didn't show up on BA.com, for what it's worth... It did show up on JAL's international award reservation search though.
I do know that she had to search for the domestic JAL flight a different way, and then tack it back onto my int'l AA flight and switch it to a partner award because of the JAL flight. It certainly didn't sound straightforward.
It was a happy ending though, she finally found me a flight after her third way of searching. And that JAL domestic flight didn't show up on BA.com, for what it's worth... It did show up on JAL's international award reservation search though.
Mar 21, 2016, 1:46 am
#334
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: Mileage Plus, AAdvantage, Executive Club
Posts: 198
I just called from Australia to the Dallas EXP line and made a change to a JAL booking by adding a segment. The very helpful CS mentioned that because of the change in system, they were having to manually input everything, or at least search for each carrier's availability individually. I'm not sure if that's a new change, or a change in the system that happened awhile ago. If it's new, perhaps that didn't get kicked over to the Aussie call center?
I do know that she had to search for the domestic JAL flight a different way, and then tack it back onto my int'l AA flight and switch it to a partner award because of the JAL flight. It certainly didn't sound straightforward.
It was a happy ending though, she finally found me a flight after her third way of searching. And that JAL domestic flight didn't show up on BA.com, for what it's worth... It did show up on JAL's international award reservation search though.
I do know that she had to search for the domestic JAL flight a different way, and then tack it back onto my int'l AA flight and switch it to a partner award because of the JAL flight. It certainly didn't sound straightforward.
It was a happy ending though, she finally found me a flight after her third way of searching. And that JAL domestic flight didn't show up on BA.com, for what it's worth... It did show up on JAL's international award reservation search though.
Mar 21, 2016, 1:56 am
#335
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,708
Today is the 21st March . In Australia it is coming up on 19:00 and in Singapore 16:600. There is only 8 hours remaining in Easten Asia before start of 22nd
Mar 21, 2016, 2:09 am
#336
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 498
Just call AA and they said my credit card decline, no idea why but have to give them the credit card details again. Was told to call back in a few hours.
I did call my credit card and they saw no decline/request from AA on any transactions...
Mar 21, 2016, 2:25 am
#337
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ, UA, Delta, BMI(RIP), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond (Thanks Amex) Hyatt Discov
Posts: 1,943
I was told the changes take effect at midnight 21 March Dallas time, i.e. Asia will have some more time going into our 22 March.
Mar 21, 2016, 8:41 am
#338
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: RDU
Programs: AAdvantage, National Executive
Posts: 99
Mar 21, 2016, 1:38 pm
#339
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,658
With the looming deadline, I called in last night and booked an award under the old miles. I gave the CSR my credit card to cover it. The PNR shows up under my trips but it is shown as "on request" with this message:
Please call to book your trip
Contact Reservations , or call your travel agent to ticket and pay for your trip.
Do I need to call them back again or does "on request" mean it is being ticketed? I know the phones are overwhelmed today and I don't want to call unless I have to.
Please call to book your trip
Contact Reservations , or call your travel agent to ticket and pay for your trip.
Do I need to call them back again or does "on request" mean it is being ticketed? I know the phones are overwhelmed today and I don't want to call unless I have to.
Mar 21, 2016, 1:43 pm
#340
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Jetblue Mosaic, Alaska MVP Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 78
With the looming deadline, I called in last night and booked an award under the old miles. I gave the CSR my credit card to cover it. The PNR shows up under my trips but it is shown as "on request" with this message:
Please call to book your trip
Contact Reservations , or call your travel agent to ticket and pay for your trip.
Do I need to call them back again or does "on request" mean it is being ticketed? I know the phones are overwhelmed today and I don't want to call unless I have to.
Please call to book your trip
Contact Reservations , or call your travel agent to ticket and pay for your trip.
Do I need to call them back again or does "on request" mean it is being ticketed? I know the phones are overwhelmed today and I don't want to call unless I have to.
Mar 21, 2016, 2:14 pm
#341
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,440
Mar 21, 2016, 2:31 pm
#342
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,039
Deleted - issue was resolved.
Last edited by kthpence; Mar 21, 2016 at 3:47 pm
Mar 21, 2016, 2:58 pm
#343
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: IAH
Posts: 98
Q. What if I change routing, but use the same origin, destination and airlines?
No problem, even changing connection cities and number of segments. Laura Nedbal: "Origin/dest stays same and since all carriers are oneworld there would be no charge to change carriers. Provided again, the same inventory/award as ticketed is available for change."
No problem, even changing connection cities and number of segments. Laura Nedbal: "Origin/dest stays same and since all carriers are oneworld there would be no charge to change carriers. Provided again, the same inventory/award as ticketed is available for change."
Mar 21, 2016, 3:24 pm
#345
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,798
With the looming deadline, I called in last night and booked an award under the old miles. I gave the CSR my credit card to cover it. The PNR shows up under my trips but it is shown as "on request" with this message:
Please call to book your trip
Contact Reservations , or call your travel agent to ticket and pay for your trip.
Do I need to call them back again or does "on request" mean it is being ticketed? I know the phones are overwhelmed today and I don't want to call unless I have to.
Please call to book your trip
Contact Reservations , or call your travel agent to ticket and pay for your trip.
Do I need to call them back again or does "on request" mean it is being ticketed? I know the phones are overwhelmed today and I don't want to call unless I have to.
Give it 24 hours. If everything is fine, chance is the ticket would be issued within that time frame, often earlier than that.
See below for possibilities that may require call back.
If one does not see the e-Ticket coming, first is to check whether it is actually ticketed by way of the showing of "Print Itinerary and Receipt" button - if it is there, then what is missing is just the e-Ticket email which AA has had some issues in sending them out since past week. 2 out of 4 reservations we have, requiring AAgents to manually request e-tickets being sent, despite the itineraries are indeed ticketed with the "Print Itinerary and Receipt" page showing e-ticket numbers.
If the reservation still is not ticketed, you should call back to find out if there is anything that could cause that.
Most common is the Credit Card for whatever reason, does not go thru. Usually AA system would put a $1 test on the card when the agent took the CC info but apparently sometimes it does not go thru this process at all. Happened to one of our reservations. No $1 test ever shows up yet the tickets were issued in the middle of the night, partner award required phone booking no less.
If your itinerary has involved voluntary downgrade, i.e. ticketed in F but one segment is in J, the agent needs to document that customer accepts the voluntary downgrade. If the agent fails to do so (forget to do it), then the ticketing would get hung up as the system would return the request being incomplete. Happened to my HKG-LAX-MIA when LAX-MIA is booked in J of the 3-class AA 909 flight. First call back the agent did not see any hiccup just claimed it would take time. Second call back the more competent agent immediately saw the downgrade was not documented. She fixed it and resubmitted the request. E-ticket came within 2 hours.