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FAQ: Award changes 22 Mar 2016 - incl. which incur new mile amt, redeposit, which not

Old Jan 31, 2016, 10:58 pm
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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


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."
Q. Can I change Origin or Destination within the same region, as permitted normally?

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
Print Wikipost

FAQ: Award changes 22 Mar 2016 - incl. which incur new mile amt, redeposit, which not

Old Jan 29, 2016, 10:06 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
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Originally Posted by DaveInLA
Here's a tangent question--

I booked an award for this upcoming March from BCN-LAX routing through LHR. I paid for the fees with my Citi Premier card to help meet spend requirement for 50K sign-up bonus. If I change my award flight now to another route (but still BCN-LAX on same date), will the fees get refunded and re-charged? Or will I just get refunded or get charged for the difference in fees? If it's a refund/re-charge, I could potentially lose my 50K Premier bonus.
When I booked J then switched to F, it was a redeposit and refund before charging again.
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Old Jan 29, 2016, 10:50 am
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by DaveInLA
Here's a tangent question--

I booked an award for this upcoming March from BCN-LAX routing through LHR. I paid for the fees with my Citi Premier card to help meet spend requirement for 50K sign-up bonus. If I change my award flight now to another route (but still BCN-LAX on same date), will the fees get refunded and re-charged? Or will I just get refunded or get charged for the difference in fees? If it's a refund/re-charge, I could potentially lose my 50K Premier bonus.
It varies. I have had them only add-collect the additional amount, but I have also had the whole refund/recharge steps. It seems to depend on how complex your change is. Simple changes are probably just an additional charge, but complex ones would require the whole refund/recharge.
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Old Jan 31, 2016, 10:56 pm
  #33  
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Arrow FAQ: Award changes 22 Mar 2016 - incl. which incur new mile amt, 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. Please see and expand the wikipost for more.

Last edited by Microwave; Feb 5, 2016 at 5:53 am
JDiver is offline  
Old Feb 1, 2016, 12:55 am
  #34  
 
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Let's say I book SIN-NRT-ORD in J with SIN-NRT on JL and NRT-ORD on AA. After 3/22, if I change NRT-ORD to JL, would that incur redeposit since I change the major airlines from AA to JL? Or is it because it is still a OW award ticket, it doesn't need to be redeposited?
Thanks
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 1:12 am
  #35  
 
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interesting... I have a F BOS-DFW-HKG award on hold. So it appears I should add a HKG-XXX segment on CX, that way if CX opens up F on BOS-HKG, I can switch to that without a redeposit, and I can drop the extra segment without a fee anyway.

edit: well I would be changing an AA/CX award to a CX only award, is that allowed? (guess same question as previous poster - no clear answer in wiki)

Last edited by AZbba; Feb 1, 2016 at 1:21 am
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 6:37 am
  #36  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: LAX
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Jal first class from LAX to NRT
CX First class from HND to HKG
CX Biz Class from HKG to CMB

I don't think I want to change it ( at least now) but if I do, will it be free if i do the following:

CX first class from LAX to HKG
CX biz class from HKG to CMB
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 8:53 am
  #37  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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am I understanding correctly?

So booking/ticketing on March 22, 2016 for a flight Feb. 15, 2017 (330 days out) can be changed to a flight March 22 2017 without any fees as long as everything stays the same except the dates? Is this the correct understanding?
susiesan is offline  
Old Feb 1, 2016, 10:36 am
  #38  
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Clarification would be appreciated

In the Wiki FAQ

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."

I could not find any similarly SPECIFIC wording in Gary's original blog. All he said is Carrier remains the same, with some caveat - the caveat has not been specified. We also have the sticky issue on the "governing carrier" may need to be the same. As we commonly understood so far, the "governing carrier" generally refers to the over the water, long haul carrier. Gary did mention about the fare rules issue so it sort of implying that the governing carrier must remain the same.

Could the Mod provide the "source" of this specific quote from Laura Nedbal, in light of many here who have booked JL for TPAC and hope to switch to CX when CX F opens up for free?

So far I cannot see anywhere in Gary's blog including his replies in the comment section, ever addresses this issue, i.e. changing the carrier on the TPAC portion would be repriced or not.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 10:37 am
  #39  
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Originally Posted by susiesan
So booking/ticketing on March 22, 2016 for a flight Feb. 15, 2017 (330 days out) can be changed to a flight March 22 2017 without any fees as long as everything stays the same except the dates? Is this the correct understanding?
Your whole itinerary (travel) must be completed within one year from the date of the original ticket issued. If it fits into the 365 days from the date of the original ticket, I would think it is a free change. I dont believe it could be free if only the first flight falls into the 365 days but subsequent flights fall outside 365 days.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:03 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by Happy
Your whole itinerary (travel) must be completed within one year from the date of the original ticket issued. If it fits into the 365 days from the date of the original ticket, I would think it is a free change. I dont believe it could be free if only the first flight falls into the 365 days but subsequent flights fall outside 365 days.
I would book my first flight around March 1 and my final flight March 17 which are my preferred travel dates in 2017. Then in April when those dates are available for award booking I will change the dates on the tickets. Even though I am calling to change the dates after March 22 there should not be a charge, right?
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:25 am
  #41  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Planning on ticketing the following AAdvantage Partner Award

PDX-LAX(AS)-AUH(EY)-BOM(EY) - ALL IN FIRST

BOM-AUH(EY)-JFK(EY)-LAX(AA in J)-PDX(AS)

All of the legs are available in F except for the JFK-LAX, if it does become available at a date past March 22nd, i shouldn't have any issues getting it changed correct? I will be using a MileSAAVer First Award.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:26 am
  #42  
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Originally Posted by susiesan
I would book my first flight around March 1 and my final flight March 17 which are my preferred travel dates in 2017. Then in April when those dates are available for award booking I will change the dates on the tickets. Even though I am calling to change the dates after March 22 there should not be a charge, right?
Based on current information, your assumption is correct there should not be any repricing. The date change is specifically spelled out as no fee no repricing (unlike the carrier changes which seem to be an extrapolated "interpretation" from Flyertalk, and not even specified by Gary's blog of the "official words" from AA.)
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 2:19 pm
  #43  
 
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My biggest question - can we change the overwater carrier? Like if we ticketed DFW-HKG on AA F, but later CX F opens last minute (of course thru a gateway other than DFW), and we can find connecting flights that keep the origin and destination the same, can we switch to CX?
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 2:40 pm
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by AwardBee
My biggest question - can we change the overwater carrier? Like if we ticketed DFW-HKG on AA F, but later CX F opens last minute (of course thru a gateway other than DFW), and we can find connecting flights that keep the origin and destination the same, can we switch to CX?
Yes, that's my question too. Mine would be about JL F to Vietnam via NRT. I can go MCI-DFW-NRT-Vietnam or MCI-ORD-NRT-Vietnam. The JL flight from DFW does not have first but the flight from ORD does. If all that's available initially is JL J from DFW and later on F from ORD opens, could I change from DFW to ORD flights keeping the same origin of MCI?
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 3:10 pm
  #45  
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Originally Posted by AwardBee
My biggest question - can we change the overwater carrier? Like if we ticketed DFW-HKG on AA F, but later CX F opens last minute (of course thru a gateway other than DFW), and we can find connecting flights that keep the origin and destination the same, can we switch to CX?
In that example, one is switching from an all-AA award to a partner award. Presently that's allowed with a waived fee but it does require a reinstate/claim, but because it's an entirely different award type, I'd say a more foggy outlook for sure.
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