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 22, 2016, 4:21 pm
#406
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 3
So I tried
So, I tried the Australia call centre as Matthew suggested, and I must say that is a good tip!
The agent said exactly what is in the wiki post, which re-price will not be triggered if the O/D remain the same. Of course she asked for the PNR to know for sure, but in general she said it will retain the same amount of miles required.
Although I am still a bit worried about how it will be when I actually go ahead and make the change, but I am leaning towards what JT Genter said in this post: the points guy - What You Need to Know About the Upcoming American Devaluation.
JT mentioned the training for this situation is not yet universal and that's what I suspected, unfortunately, it still isn't.
Anyway, good luck guys!
The agent said exactly what is in the wiki post, which re-price will not be triggered if the O/D remain the same. Of course she asked for the PNR to know for sure, but in general she said it will retain the same amount of miles required.
Although I am still a bit worried about how it will be when I actually go ahead and make the change, but I am leaning towards what JT Genter said in this post: the points guy - What You Need to Know About the Upcoming American Devaluation.
JT mentioned the training for this situation is not yet universal and that's what I suspected, unfortunately, it still isn't.
Anyway, good luck guys!
Mar 22, 2016, 7:05 pm
#407
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,384
F saver award. Original routing: DFW-LGA (AA F); JFK-HKG (CX-F). I want to change to DFW-EWR (AA F); JFK-HKG (CX-F). The JFK-HKG segment remains as is in F. I am not flying EWR-HKG. And I know CX doesn't offer EWR-HKG in F.
Mar 22, 2016, 7:31 pm
#409
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Mar 22, 2016, 10:59 pm
#410
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SFO/OAK ex DCA ex ALB
Posts: 625
Hopefully this gets ironed out favorably -- this is making me a bit more concerned about my goal of changing an upcoming HKG-NRT-xxx to HKG-HND/NRT-xxx.
Mar 23, 2016, 1:49 am
#411
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 132
You're right - I'm the source of confusion. It was clear in my mind, I just didn't type what I was thinking. My apologies for that. There is an airport change.
F saver award. Original routing: DFW-LGA (AA F); JFK-HKG (CX-F). I want to change to DFW-EWR (AA F); JFK-HKG (CX-F). The JFK-HKG segment remains as is in F. I am not flying EWR-HKG. And I know CX doesn't offer EWR-HKG in F.
F saver award. Original routing: DFW-LGA (AA F); JFK-HKG (CX-F). I want to change to DFW-EWR (AA F); JFK-HKG (CX-F). The JFK-HKG segment remains as is in F. I am not flying EWR-HKG. And I know CX doesn't offer EWR-HKG in F.
Mar 23, 2016, 5:26 am
#412
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,384
DFW-EWR / JFK-HKG is valid. <24 hour between flights.
I have 3 other awards booked already without issue. The agent was happy to make the change, just at the new rates.
I have 3 other awards booked already without issue. The agent was happy to make the change, just at the new rates.
Mar 23, 2016, 5:36 am
#413
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: YYC, SFO, OAK
Programs: AS MVP 75K, AA Platinum, IHG Platinum, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 734
Anyways, maybe the fact that the computer sees changing the co-terminal as equivalent to a change in your O/D, they're pushing back and want to do a re-price.
Mar 23, 2016, 6:33 am
#414
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,384
I don't think that's the case.
Because he said, let me go and check something regarding the new rules. So that makes me think that he went to ask someone else or consult a document - not that the computer was presenting something else. Took him about 2-3 min.
Because he said, let me go and check something regarding the new rules. So that makes me think that he went to ask someone else or consult a document - not that the computer was presenting something else. Took him about 2-3 min.
Mar 23, 2016, 6:51 am
#415
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 6,041
You already have an LGA to JFK connection and want to change it to EWR to JFK. In theory, I see where you are going... O-D stay the same, routing changes. In theory, routing changes are okay. BUT, in this case, your routing change includes changing co-terminals. Again, in theory, should be okay. BUT, you are calling in and saying, I want to change DFW-LGA to DFW-EWR, and I am thinking that is causing the 'oh wait, can't do that' push back.
I wonder what would happen if you were to want to change the entire ticket... xx day to yy day, DFW-LGA-JFK-HKG to DFW-EWR-JFK-HKG... I would think this would be allowed. Perhaps you could ask that question to the agent... if I switched days, would this new routing be allowed? It might get them thinking about it in the way you want.
Mar 23, 2016, 7:18 am
#416
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Some of this stuff is just hysterical.
Mar 23, 2016, 7:24 am
#418
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,384
I'm sure it's funny from AA's point of view. I'm more interested in seeing if the wiki is accurate and hope it helps others who really want to make changes.
For those who booked holding awards, I think they may actually be miffed that they can't make changes in some ways they thought they could, which would limit their flexibility.
I have an F SAAVer award with a 1 hour CX-F flight segment, in the hope that F opens up TPAC (currently in J). I'd be quite upset if AA didn't allow that change.
For those who booked holding awards, I think they may actually be miffed that they can't make changes in some ways they thought they could, which would limit their flexibility.
I have an F SAAVer award with a 1 hour CX-F flight segment, in the hope that F opens up TPAC (currently in J). I'd be quite upset if AA didn't allow that change.
Mar 23, 2016, 7:32 am
#419
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
I'm sure it's funny from AA's point of view. I'm more interested in seeing if the wiki is accurate and hope it helps others who really want to make changes.
For those who booked holding awards, I think they may actually be miffed that they can't make changes in some ways they thought they could, which would limit their flexibility.
I have an F SAAVer award with a 1 hour CX-F flight segment, in the hope that F opens up TPAC (currently in J). I'd be quite upset if AA didn't allow that change.
For those who booked holding awards, I think they may actually be miffed that they can't make changes in some ways they thought they could, which would limit their flexibility.
I have an F SAAVer award with a 1 hour CX-F flight segment, in the hope that F opens up TPAC (currently in J). I'd be quite upset if AA didn't allow that change.
