Last edit by: Prospero
Involuntary (Carrier Imposed) Award Changes Questions
Please feel free to add to or correct the information herein.
NOTE: For voluntary award changes (changes you wish the airline will make), see All Voluntary Award Change: date, time, routing, co-terminal, cost, cancel, etc..
Occasionally, AA or a partner carrier may make a schedule change or flight cancellation that negatively affects an award. These changes can include significant flight reschedules (or cancellations) that affect minimum connection times, change departure times, eliminate the class of service you secured originally, etc.
AA's legal obligation ends at redepositing all the AAdvantage miles used and refunding all taxes and carrier imposed charges. But in actuality, AA will generally try to help in these cases. AA can:
1)!Move you and your companions to other flights operated by American Airlines, regardless of whether there is award availability or not, or whether it's the same routing or not. Usually an agent will do this by calling Revenue Management to request revenue seat release to award seats.
2) Have the AA Liaison contact the originally scheduled airline to request they release revenue seat(s) to awards on suitable flights. This generally requires 72 hours (three working days), excluding holidays, weekends, etc.
3) Redeposit your miles free of charge and refund fees and taxes you were charged.
Some agents are more knowledgeable and/or willing to assist you. In cases where they aren't, you can request speaking to a Supervisor, or hang up and call again so you can speak to another agent.
Below are the usual rules for voluntary award changes; though they generally apply, some rules may be waived in cases where you have had your award altered involuntarily.
Award changes, ordinary
NOTE: More extensive listing of terms and conditions are listed in oneworld and other airline Awards Rules, Information 2015 on
Also see: AA oneworld and Other Airline ("Partner") Award information, rules (2015 on) (link).
As long as origin and destination (but read on for exceptions such as first / last segment) remain the same, change / award redeposit fees are usually waived for awards under certain circumstances when date, connection, routing or carrier changes are made - as long as you do not try to change between all AA oneworld awards and non-oneworld partner airlines.
E.g. an all AA award such as SEA-HNL-SYD using AS can not be changed to use JL without requiring award redeposit.
Awards must be used within one year of booking; for travel beyond that, the award miles will have to be redeposited and new awards secured.
Award miles reinstatement: Redeposit fees are waived for Executive Platinum members. See here for more information on award miles reinstatement.
"Upgrading" class of service by using miles requires redepositing the Old award and issuing a new one for the higher class if service. AA will waive the deposit fee on the redeposited award, and will not charge for this. (However, taxes may differ, such as going from the discounted U.K. Air Passenger Duty to the full APD if upgrading from Y / PE to J; if there are higher taxes abd fees imposed by the new fare, the passenger is charged for those.)
Co-terminals: For award purposes, there are no co-terminals; changing co-terminal airports (MIA and FLL, PBI; JFK, LGA, EWR etc.) will incur a $150 change fee. See this thread for detail on award miles redeposit.
An award using AS, FJ, HA or TN to South Pacific can not be changed to AA or QF without requiring award redeposit (or vice versa).
Dropping segments: Awards made on AA or / and "All Partner" carriers will allow changes mentioned above without requiring redeposit fees. Instances of dropping an origin segment can be allowed, or a final segment - as long as doing so does not change the destination zone (or sub-zone, in the case of intra-North America awards); changing the mileage (miles required) of the award claimed or the number of awards claimed.
Segments can be dropped as long as doing so does not change the destination zone (or sub-zone, in the case of intra-North America awards). If you are refused, refer agents to the in-house memo/advisory dated 02/03/11 entitled "Dropping OWFA segments." (guv1976)
As JonNYC posted:
This document was current as of December 2014:
For permitted changes and fees, see this post in the airline partner award thread.
If the award is AA and oneworld, changes may be made as long as the main / governing /Most Significant carrier makes an unconstructed fare on the award routing and the governing fare's carrier is not changed to one not offering such a fare.
Close-in booking fee: Changes made to bring travel to under 21 days from award issue will incur close-in booking fees of $75.
Schedule changes: On international awards, schedule changes of two hours or longer, or those breaking connections by bringing them below MCT / minimum connection times, flight cancellations, generally may be cancelled and redeposited without fees, or engender greater flexibility in changes. With AA awards, it is possible award seating may be opened when there is none; with partners, AA can appeal to the Liaison to the partner to open seating in these cases (the partner airline may or may not grant the exception requested). Equipment change constitutes a schedule change and you will be able to get the fee waived pre this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Partner changes: If the award includes non-oneworld partners such as AS, EY, FJ or TN, or a oneworld carrier award is changed to include a non-oneworld carrier, significant fees will be incurred ($150).
If Maximum Permitted Miles (usually 125% of the most direct available routing) for an award are exceeded, two awards may be charged
or
MSC fare requirements: The most significant or prevailing carrier, usually the one with the transoceanic sector, must offer an unconstructed fare between desired origin and destination; if a fare would require "married segments", two awards may be required.
Changes that require different award type -
Changes to the itinerary which involve different AAdvantage award(s) than originally ticketed require a reinstatement of the original award ticket, payment of the applicable award reinstatement charge (see below), and a new award ticket issued (waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members using miles from their account).
Changes to your outbound travel date, resulting in a departure within 21 days -
Close-in booking fee: A $75 USD award processing charge will apply for a confirmed change to the date on an AAdvantage MileSAAver and AAnytime award ticket if the change results in a new outbound travel date that is within 21 days of the original booking date (waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum and Gold members using miles from their account).
Contact AAdvantage Reservations to change your itinerary, pay the applicable charge and have your ticket reissued prior to travel.
Canceling Awards / Reinstating Award Tickets
(Waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members using miles from their account)
Award class changes: MileSAAver to AAnytime changes generally incur no fees; conversely, AAnytime to MileSAAver awards generally will.
Award cabin class "upgrades" (e.g. Y to J): If the change made is an increase of miles to another cabin class, fees are not normally charged (but some government required fees such as UK Air Passenger Duty, airport passenger facility fees, etc. may change).
Redepositing awards incurs a fee of $150 other than for Executive Platinum members redepositing to their accounts. If two or more awards are being redeposited to the same account at the same time, the fees are $150 for the first award, $25 for every award thereafter. Note the awards do not have to share the same PNR, though some less knowledgeable agents will insist so.
Please see: State of the award reinstatement fee (Nov 2015 - clarifying)
FAQ: Cancel award ticket / cancellation (time frame, taxes, etc.) (merged threads)
Link to archive of older posts on this topic
Please feel free to add to or correct the information herein.
NOTE: For voluntary award changes (changes you wish the airline will make), see All Voluntary Award Change: date, time, routing, co-terminal, cost, cancel, etc..
Occasionally, AA or a partner carrier may make a schedule change or flight cancellation that negatively affects an award. These changes can include significant flight reschedules (or cancellations) that affect minimum connection times, change departure times, eliminate the class of service you secured originally, etc.
AA's legal obligation ends at redepositing all the AAdvantage miles used and refunding all taxes and carrier imposed charges. But in actuality, AA will generally try to help in these cases. AA can:
1)!Move you and your companions to other flights operated by American Airlines, regardless of whether there is award availability or not, or whether it's the same routing or not. Usually an agent will do this by calling Revenue Management to request revenue seat release to award seats.
2) Have the AA Liaison contact the originally scheduled airline to request they release revenue seat(s) to awards on suitable flights. This generally requires 72 hours (three working days), excluding holidays, weekends, etc.
3) Redeposit your miles free of charge and refund fees and taxes you were charged.
Some agents are more knowledgeable and/or willing to assist you. In cases where they aren't, you can request speaking to a Supervisor, or hang up and call again so you can speak to another agent.
Below are the usual rules for voluntary award changes; though they generally apply, some rules may be waived in cases where you have had your award altered involuntarily.
Award changes, ordinary
NOTE: More extensive listing of terms and conditions are listed in oneworld and other airline Awards Rules, Information 2015 on
Also see: AA oneworld and Other Airline ("Partner") Award information, rules (2015 on) (link).
As long as origin and destination (but read on for exceptions such as first / last segment) remain the same, change / award redeposit fees are usually waived for awards under certain circumstances when date, connection, routing or carrier changes are made - as long as you do not try to change between all AA oneworld awards and non-oneworld partner airlines.
E.g. an all AA award such as SEA-HNL-SYD using AS can not be changed to use JL without requiring award redeposit.
Awards must be used within one year of booking; for travel beyond that, the award miles will have to be redeposited and new awards secured.
Award miles reinstatement: Redeposit fees are waived for Executive Platinum members. See here for more information on award miles reinstatement.
"Upgrading" class of service by using miles requires redepositing the Old award and issuing a new one for the higher class if service. AA will waive the deposit fee on the redeposited award, and will not charge for this. (However, taxes may differ, such as going from the discounted U.K. Air Passenger Duty to the full APD if upgrading from Y / PE to J; if there are higher taxes abd fees imposed by the new fare, the passenger is charged for those.)
Co-terminals: For award purposes, there are no co-terminals; changing co-terminal airports (MIA and FLL, PBI; JFK, LGA, EWR etc.) will incur a $150 change fee. See this thread for detail on award miles redeposit.
An award using AS, FJ, HA or TN to South Pacific can not be changed to AA or QF without requiring award redeposit (or vice versa).
Dropping segments: Awards made on AA or / and "All Partner" carriers will allow changes mentioned above without requiring redeposit fees. Instances of dropping an origin segment can be allowed, or a final segment - as long as doing so does not change the destination zone (or sub-zone, in the case of intra-North America awards); changing the mileage (miles required) of the award claimed or the number of awards claimed.
Segments can be dropped as long as doing so does not change the destination zone (or sub-zone, in the case of intra-North America awards). If you are refused, refer agents to the in-house memo/advisory dated 02/03/11 entitled "Dropping OWFA segments." (guv1976)
As JonNYC posted:
This document was current as of December 2014:
For permitted changes and fees, see this post in the airline partner award thread.
If the award is AA and oneworld, changes may be made as long as the main / governing /Most Significant carrier makes an unconstructed fare on the award routing and the governing fare's carrier is not changed to one not offering such a fare.
Close-in booking fee: Changes made to bring travel to under 21 days from award issue will incur close-in booking fees of $75.
Schedule changes: On international awards, schedule changes of two hours or longer, or those breaking connections by bringing them below MCT / minimum connection times, flight cancellations, generally may be cancelled and redeposited without fees, or engender greater flexibility in changes. With AA awards, it is possible award seating may be opened when there is none; with partners, AA can appeal to the Liaison to the partner to open seating in these cases (the partner airline may or may not grant the exception requested). Equipment change constitutes a schedule change and you will be able to get the fee waived pre this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Partner changes: If the award includes non-oneworld partners such as AS, EY, FJ or TN, or a oneworld carrier award is changed to include a non-oneworld carrier, significant fees will be incurred ($150).
If Maximum Permitted Miles (usually 125% of the most direct available routing) for an award are exceeded, two awards may be charged
or
MSC fare requirements: The most significant or prevailing carrier, usually the one with the transoceanic sector, must offer an unconstructed fare between desired origin and destination; if a fare would require "married segments", two awards may be required.
Changes that require different award type -
Changes to the itinerary which involve different AAdvantage award(s) than originally ticketed require a reinstatement of the original award ticket, payment of the applicable award reinstatement charge (see below), and a new award ticket issued (waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members using miles from their account).
Changes to your outbound travel date, resulting in a departure within 21 days -
Close-in booking fee: A $75 USD award processing charge will apply for a confirmed change to the date on an AAdvantage MileSAAver and AAnytime award ticket if the change results in a new outbound travel date that is within 21 days of the original booking date (waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum and Gold members using miles from their account).
Contact AAdvantage Reservations to change your itinerary, pay the applicable charge and have your ticket reissued prior to travel.
Canceling Awards / Reinstating Award Tickets
(Waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members using miles from their account)
Award class changes: MileSAAver to AAnytime changes generally incur no fees; conversely, AAnytime to MileSAAver awards generally will.
Award cabin class "upgrades" (e.g. Y to J): If the change made is an increase of miles to another cabin class, fees are not normally charged (but some government required fees such as UK Air Passenger Duty, airport passenger facility fees, etc. may change).
Redepositing awards incurs a fee of $150 other than for Executive Platinum members redepositing to their accounts. If two or more awards are being redeposited to the same account at the same time, the fees are $150 for the first award, $25 for every award thereafter. Note the awards do not have to share the same PNR, though some less knowledgeable agents will insist so.
Please see: State of the award reinstatement fee (Nov 2015 - clarifying)
FAQ: Cancel award ticket / cancellation (time frame, taxes, etc.) (merged threads)
Link to archive of older posts on this topic
Involuntary Award Changes / What To Do (merged threads)
#106
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I have booked the following Award via AA for late December (2 people).
SEA-JFK (735am-403pm)
JFK-AUH in EY first (departs at 10pm)
Today I noticed my SEA-JFK segment got changed to
SEA (950pm, prior day) - JFK 619am
which leaves me a much longer layover at JFK.
The 950pm flight is the only SEA-JFK direct flight they have on schedule now.
I am wondering would I be able to call and ask them to reroute me to SEA-SFO-JFK?
There is currently no saver availability for J and F for SFO-JFK. But would it be reasonable to at least ask them to open up SFO-JFK in J?
And is asking for F pushing too much?
Or do you guys suggest any routing that might be better (routing through LAX seem to be similar but I havent check in detail)
Thank you.
SEA-JFK (735am-403pm)
JFK-AUH in EY first (departs at 10pm)
Today I noticed my SEA-JFK segment got changed to
SEA (950pm, prior day) - JFK 619am
which leaves me a much longer layover at JFK.
The 950pm flight is the only SEA-JFK direct flight they have on schedule now.
I am wondering would I be able to call and ask them to reroute me to SEA-SFO-JFK?
There is currently no saver availability for J and F for SFO-JFK. But would it be reasonable to at least ask them to open up SFO-JFK in J?
And is asking for F pushing too much?
Or do you guys suggest any routing that might be better (routing through LAX seem to be similar but I havent check in detail)
Thank you.
But ask, see what they’ll do.
#107
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,661
It's an F award, which allows flagship transcon F. I would absolutely ask them to open up F space via either SFO or LAX... seems like a fair trade for giving up the nonstop
#108
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 68
What class of service were you booked on originally? That will likely determine what class of service they’ll offer. Given the change is drastic, award availability is of no consequence, as long as it’s AA flights they can open seats for you. That being said if SEA - JFK is on a standard domestic F seat they’re unlikely to route you via SFO or LAX to an A321T.
But ask, see what they’ll do.
But ask, see what they’ll do.
Thank you, will give them a call tomorrow.
#110
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Not wanting to Hijack this thread but not also not wanting to start a new one on a very similar topic, I have just had a BOS-JFK-LHR, changed to BOS-LGA--JFK-LHR.
I suspect this is due to MAX cancellations, as there is currently only one BOS-JFK scheduled that day which is at 7AM, do people think more are likely to be re-instated in the next few months (flight isn't till August), or should I make alternative arrangements?
I suspect this is due to MAX cancellations, as there is currently only one BOS-JFK scheduled that day which is at 7AM, do people think more are likely to be re-instated in the next few months (flight isn't till August), or should I make alternative arrangements?
#111
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS, BWI, DCA, IAD
Programs: American, Delta, JetBlue, United
Posts: 2,046
Not wanting to Hijack this thread but not also not wanting to start a new one on a very similar topic, I have just had a BOS-JFK-LHR, changed to BOS-LGA--JFK-LHR.
I suspect this is due to MAX cancellations, as there is currently only one BOS-JFK scheduled that day which is at 7AM, do people think more are likely to be re-instated in the next few months (flight isn't till August), or should I make alternative arrangements?
I suspect this is due to MAX cancellations, as there is currently only one BOS-JFK scheduled that day which is at 7AM, do people think more are likely to be re-instated in the next few months (flight isn't till August), or should I make alternative arrangements?
#112
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,637
I also had a change on an award thru NYC. Originally, EZE-JFK-DCA. Now it is EZE-JFK, LGA-DCA. Don't want that. Will try and ask for EZE-MIA-DCA, but that flight is 4-5 July and business class. I don't see how the JFK-DCA flight was affected since that was a regional jet. Is this change of tranfer airport a big enough change for AA to open award space?
#113
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,221
One runway at JFK is closed for construction so the airlines are trimming capacity there; that's much more likely the reason for the JFK-BOS/DCA cancellations than anything to do with the MAX. Not that it really matters.
But requiring an airport transfer should certainly be enough for AA to be willing to re-route you, regardless of available award inventory. I assume you could do either EZE-MIA-DCA or EZE-DFW-DCA, but MIA is probably faster.
But requiring an airport transfer should certainly be enough for AA to be willing to re-route you, regardless of available award inventory. I assume you could do either EZE-MIA-DCA or EZE-DFW-DCA, but MIA is probably faster.
#114
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
My other alternative is to just book an $80 DL/B6 single to JFK, I assume AA would be happy to change the flight to a simple JFK-LHR...
#115
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 68
I will definitely ask, thanks for he suggestion
#116
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 68
One follow up question.
If they do let me book SEA-SFO-JFK-AUH and the SEA-SFO flight is on AS while SFO-JFK is on AA.
Would they be able through check my luggage all the way to AUH at SEA? Or do I have to pick up my luggage at either SFO or JFK?
Thanks
If they do let me book SEA-SFO-JFK-AUH and the SEA-SFO flight is on AS while SFO-JFK is on AA.
Would they be able through check my luggage all the way to AUH at SEA? Or do I have to pick up my luggage at either SFO or JFK?
Thanks
#117
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,221
My other alternative is to just book an $80 DL/B6 single to JFK, I assume AA would be happy to change the flight to a simple JFK-LHR...
#118
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,661
It would go all the way through because it would be on one ticket.
#119
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Yes, they would make you pay the surcharges for a "voluntary"/advance switch to a BA flight.
Frankly, I don't think a LGA-JFK transfer is the end of the world (as opposed to, say a JFK-EWR transfer...). It shouldn't be more than a 20-40 minute taxi ride depending on time-of-day and traffic. You will have to collect any checked bags at LGA, but if you flew B6 into JFK you'd have to do the same anyway and then transfer terminals, which is actually a decent amount of walking. Door-to-door service in a car is probably easier!
Frankly, I don't think a LGA-JFK transfer is the end of the world (as opposed to, say a JFK-EWR transfer...). It shouldn't be more than a 20-40 minute taxi ride depending on time-of-day and traffic. You will have to collect any checked bags at LGA, but if you flew B6 into JFK you'd have to do the same anyway and then transfer terminals, which is actually a decent amount of walking. Door-to-door service in a car is probably easier!
Is there a coach shuttle service or is an Uber/ Cab a better bet. I wont be in any huge rush
#120
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,221
Not sure about a shuttle, but if so, it probably runs hourly at best. Maybe check out the official airport websites, or search the New York City forum.
At that time, traffic is approaching horrific, but would still probably only take ~30-35 minutes.
The cheapest reasonable option would be to take the Q70 express bus to Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave, (which, after AA's Terminal B, stops at D then C, then nonstop), and then the E subway train to Jamaica, and then the AirTrain to JFK. Cost would be $2.75 for the bus & subway plus $5 for the AirTrain, on a Metrocard. Should be fully elevator-accessible if you have a bag. But with 2 transfers, I'd probably just do a taxi or Uber. Not sure the latest on the taxi stand at Terminal B, but probably discussion in the NYC forum.
At that time, traffic is approaching horrific, but would still probably only take ~30-35 minutes.
The cheapest reasonable option would be to take the Q70 express bus to Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave, (which, after AA's Terminal B, stops at D then C, then nonstop), and then the E subway train to Jamaica, and then the AirTrain to JFK. Cost would be $2.75 for the bus & subway plus $5 for the AirTrain, on a Metrocard. Should be fully elevator-accessible if you have a bag. But with 2 transfers, I'd probably just do a taxi or Uber. Not sure the latest on the taxi stand at Terminal B, but probably discussion in the NYC forum.