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. You’re 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 can’t go from American only to flying partners. You can’t 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
Apr 19, 2016, 12:47 pm
#781
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 2,080
Actually, if the connection at JFK is a legal connection for a domestic award ticket, and you tell them that you're willing to accept a voluntary downgrade on the RDU-JFK segment, I believe they could book this for you as a single one-way business MilesAAver (with a segment in coach) at 25k. (And even if you book separate tickets, no, you wouldn't have to check in at JFK. You and your bags could be checked through.)
Apr 19, 2016, 12:57 pm
#782
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: Delta, AA-Gold, Hilton-Gold
Posts: 93
Actually, if the connection at JFK is a legal connection for a domestic award ticket, and you tell them that you're willing to accept a voluntary downgrade on the RDU-JFK segment, I believe they could book this for you as a single one-way business MilesAAver (with a segment in coach) at 25k. (And even if you book separate tickets, no, you wouldn't have to check in at JFK. You and your bags could be checked through.)
Apr 19, 2016, 2:16 pm
#783
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,586
I would not be expecting it to be 25k , but to be 25k + 7.5k since AA's valid routings for RDU-SFO do not allow routing via New York
If you wish to travel this route, as long as there is award availability, an agent should be able to book the 2 awards within a single reservation
AA lists a minimum timewhich is permitted for connecting between flights. AA will only allow this to be booked as a single reservation if the length of time in NYC between the 2 flights is at least this duration
As long as there is at least 35 minutes between the arrival time from RDU and departure time to SFO, you are ok
If you wish to travel this route, as long as there is award availability, an agent should be able to book the 2 awards within a single reservation
AA lists a minimum timewhich is permitted for connecting between flights. AA will only allow this to be booked as a single reservation if the length of time in NYC between the 2 flights is at least this duration
As long as there is at least 35 minutes between the arrival time from RDU and departure time to SFO, you are ok
Last edited by Dave Noble; Apr 19, 2016 at 2:21 pm
Apr 19, 2016, 3:23 pm
#784
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 2,080
I would not be expecting it to be 25k , but to be 25k + 7.5k since AA's valid routings for RDU-SFO do not allow routing via New York
If you wish to travel this route, as long as there is award availability, an agent should be able to book the 2 awards within a single reservation.
If you wish to travel this route, as long as there is award availability, an agent should be able to book the 2 awards within a single reservation.
So it can be one award (I can see dates on which it can be booked as such), but you are right and I was wrong about the price. 32.5k.
Apr 19, 2016, 3:28 pm
#785
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,586
I see you are correct that this will price at 32.5k. But not because it's an invalid routing or that it has to be two awards; rather that there's now a premium for J awards on 3-cabin planes. The award chart annotates the 25k for domestic MilesAAver with "If the award includes 3-cabin aircraft in the U.S. and Canada, the MileSAAver and AAnytime Levels will be 7,500 miles higher than what is shown in the chart above."
So it can be one award (I can see dates on which it can be booked as such), but you are right and I was wrong about the price. 32.5k.
So it can be one award (I can see dates on which it can be booked as such), but you are right and I was wrong about the price. 32.5k.
RDU-JFK-SFO is not valid for a through paid ticket. If it is quoting 32.5k for that routing, then it seems to be against the airline's own redemption rules
Apr 19, 2016, 3:46 pm
#786
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
It is still an invalid routing. AA award rules require that the routing be valid for a paid fare. If it is 32.5k for 1st class JFK-SFO, then would expect the cost to be 32.5k+7.5k
RDU-JFK-SFO is not valid for a through paid ticket. If it is quoting 32.5k for that routing, then it seems to be against the airline's own redemption rules
RDU-JFK-SFO is not valid for a through paid ticket. If it is quoting 32.5k for that routing, then it seems to be against the airline's own redemption rules
Apr 19, 2016, 3:50 pm
#787
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 2,080
RDU-JFK-SFO is definitely bookable as one award @32.5k.
Apr 19, 2016, 3:55 pm
#788
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Apr 20, 2016, 6:13 am
#789
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: Delta, AA-Gold, Hilton-Gold
Posts: 93
Thanks guys. Have no idea why it wouldn't show up for me but I may take this route if we decide on SFO. Would love to fly business or F on one of the new Transcon routes.
Apr 20, 2016, 9:28 am
#790
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,172
I had a JFK-LHR saver award at 20k + LHR-AUH at 30k on one ticket for total of 50k. Now, I had to change the date, but the JFK-LHR fell out of the saver window, so they have to re-instate ($150) and er-issue the whole thing at new award level which is 30k + 42.5k even though LHR-AUH was just date change.
Sounds about right, but I wonder if anyone had a similar issue and able to keep the non-US-LON flight at old award levels?
Sounds about right, but I wonder if anyone had a similar issue and able to keep the non-US-LON flight at old award levels?
Apr 20, 2016, 9:40 am
#791
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
I had a JFK-LHR saver award at 20k + LHR-AUH at 30k on one ticket for total of 50k. Now, I had to change the date, but the JFK-LHR fell out of the saver window, so they have to re-instate ($150) and er-issue the whole thing at new award level which is 30k + 42.5k even though LHR-AUH was just date change.
Apr 20, 2016, 10:22 am
#792
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: California
Programs: American, SWA, United, IHG,Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,843
I had a JFK-LHR saver award at 20k + LHR-AUH at 30k on one ticket for total of 50k. Now, I had to change the date, but the JFK-LHR fell out of the saver window, so they have to re-instate ($150) and er-issue the whole thing at new award level which is 30k + 42.5k even though LHR-AUH was just date change.
Sounds about right, but I wonder if anyone had a similar issue and able to keep the non-US-LON flight at old award levels?
Sounds about right, but I wonder if anyone had a similar issue and able to keep the non-US-LON flight at old award levels?
Is the LHR to AUH on another date? Basically stop over in London?
If so in these situations I wonder if booking them on separate record locators would have been better.
Apr 20, 2016, 1:01 pm
#794
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,456
I had a JFK-LHR saver award at 20k + LHR-AUH at 30k on one ticket for total of 50k. Now, I had to change the date, but the JFK-LHR fell out of the saver window, so they have to re-instate ($150) and er-issue the whole thing at new award level which is 30k + 42.5k even though LHR-AUH was just date change. Sounds about right, but I wonder if anyone had a similar issue and able to keep the non-US-LON flight at old award levels?
The $150 fee: I take it the miles were not from your account?
Apr 20, 2016, 1:11 pm
#795
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,172
Earlier in the month I had the same thing ORD-CDG. I also took it as appropriate. I did get around to emailing AA yesterday to politely inquire if there was any consideration to be given under the circumstances. i'll post if I get a positive response but am certainly not expecting anything.
The $150 fee: I take it the miles were not from your account?
The $150 fee: I take it the miles were not from your account?