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, 8:45 pm
#361
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: UA Premier 1K: PlAAtinum; DL SM, MM; Marriott Gold; CO Plat Emeritus; NW Plat Emeritus
Posts: 4,776
Aaargh... does anyone know in what time zone the change takes effect? Two hour hold times.
Mar 21, 2016, 8:50 pm
#362
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Dallas, TX, USA
Programs: AA EXP, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist, IC Plat, SPG Gold
Posts: 961
I understand it will be in Central Time Zone.
Mar 21, 2016, 9:12 pm
#363
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP, lowly UA 1K; Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold; National EC, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,215
I am trying to change an award from A-B-C to A-B-D. There is space on the B-D flight currently but not on the A-B I have booked already. If I make the destination change (hopefully tonight) do they need the space on A-B available or will I be good?
Mar 21, 2016, 9:23 pm
#364
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IND/MEX
Programs: AA PPro BA Bronze SPG Gold HH GLD Hyatt Exp
Posts: 1,137
In a similar vein can I drop a segment at either the beginning or end of my trip as long as it remains in the same zone?
Last edited by saltytheseagull; Mar 21, 2016 at 9:27 pm Reason: DP
Mar 21, 2016, 9:26 pm
#365
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IND/MEX
Programs: AA PPro BA Bronze SPG Gold HH GLD Hyatt Exp
Posts: 1,137
Pls delete me.
Mar 21, 2016, 9:40 pm
#366
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26359248-post234.html
Mar 21, 2016, 9:54 pm
#367
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IND/MEX
Programs: AA PPro BA Bronze SPG Gold HH GLD Hyatt Exp
Posts: 1,137
Country of origin cannot change, but please read the beginning part of this post:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26359248-post234.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26359248-post234.html
Mar 21, 2016, 10:21 pm
#368
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: UA Premier 1K: PlAAtinum; DL SM, MM; Marriott Gold; CO Plat Emeritus; NW Plat Emeritus
Posts: 4,776
Well, I'm f____d. Found plemty of Guest Award avail on Etihad, AAgent said none was available for AA. Claimed to have checked through EOS. 
Mar 21, 2016, 10:22 pm
#369
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IND/MEX
Programs: AA PPro BA Bronze SPG Gold HH GLD Hyatt Exp
Posts: 1,137
So much for midnight central. I had two left that priced at 110k.
Mar 21, 2016, 10:25 pm
#370
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: U.S. (sometimes)
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Accor ?????
Posts: 1,398
I called at 8:20 PM MT my time. Almost 90 mins later, when I finally talk to an agent, she can't find any availability on Cathay even though Ba.com shows 4 flights available that day for awards. When she finally finds something, it's then 10:05 PM. But since she's on the east coast, the mileage rates went up for her.
Oh well, that was fun.
Oh well, that was fun.
Mar 21, 2016, 10:28 pm
#371
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 411
Is the time zone CT for new rules? I do not see it anywhere in the announcement page except for a few posters mentioning earlier in the thread.Been waiting since 2 hours to get one ticket done...if its CT, i think its no point waiting either.by the time agent picks the seats, takes card info, etc. it will be past the time i guess.
Mar 21, 2016, 10:38 pm
#372
formerly known as DeltaNYC
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: YYZ, mostly...
Programs: AC SE100K / FB Platinum / BA Bronze / Marriott Ambassador (LT Plat) / Hilton Diamond / IHG Plat
Posts: 1,706
This is bit of a cluster fun.
I was in the process of ticketing a held reservation online, and right at midnight EST the "pay for ticket" button disappeared. When I tried to book the the same flight from scratch it started to price at the new level.
So the deadline being CST is not true.
However, when I called the website help desk, they transferred me to a ticketing agent right away (no holds) and she was able to ticket at the old mileage level. Now it's showing as "on request" and the miles have not been deducted right away, which is SOP in my experience.
Fingers crossed.
You might want to give the web help desk a try if you can't get through to a regular agent due to hold times.
Good luck!
I was in the process of ticketing a held reservation online, and right at midnight EST the "pay for ticket" button disappeared. When I tried to book the the same flight from scratch it started to price at the new level.
So the deadline being CST is not true.
However, when I called the website help desk, they transferred me to a ticketing agent right away (no holds) and she was able to ticket at the old mileage level. Now it's showing as "on request" and the miles have not been deducted right away, which is SOP in my experience.
Fingers crossed.
You might want to give the web help desk a try if you can't get through to a regular agent due to hold times.
Good luck!
Mar 21, 2016, 10:41 pm
#373
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Mar 21, 2016, 10:42 pm
#374
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: RDU
Programs: AAdvantage, National Executive
Posts: 99
Prices still haven't changed for me on the east coast.
EDIT: Well the prices that went up have changed for me. The new 7,500 OW under 500 mile tier is still ringing up as 12,500. Also the Caribbean awards have not decreased in price either.
EDIT: Well the prices that went up have changed for me. The new 7,500 OW under 500 mile tier is still ringing up as 12,500. Also the Caribbean awards have not decreased in price either.
Last edited by chadmb2003; Mar 21, 2016 at 10:55 pm
Mar 21, 2016, 10:55 pm
#375
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 803
The first call was not good and I had to call a second time. However the price went up but agent quoted CMB-SFO as 70000 over pacific. Sounds like the region change has not kicked in?