Aug 25, 2017, 10:38 pm
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)
Apr 17, 2019, 10:38 am
#121
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
Yup, I thinking this may actually be my best bet, the actual timing of the flight is more convenient and I assume if I arrive into LGA circa 3:30 traffic over to JFK wont be horrific.
Is there a coach shuttle service or is an Uber/ Cab a better bet. I wont be in any huge rush
Is there a coach shuttle service or is an Uber/ Cab a better bet. I wont be in any huge rush
Apr 18, 2019, 8:27 am
#122
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS, BWI, DCA, IAD
Programs: American, Delta, JetBlue, United
Posts: 2,049
That would be ideal, however as its a miles booking would they make me stump up for BA's TFCs as they're the reason I was going throguh JFK in the first place!
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...
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...
But there are also other options. You could fly BOS-PHL-LHR on AA or fly AA from BOS to a European city and then take BA to London. Even if BA imposes a surcharge, the amount is not very high on a flight from Ireland or the Continent to England.
Apr 18, 2019, 8:54 am
#123
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,233
Apr 18, 2019, 11:59 am
#124
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Silver, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 4,091
Looking for some insight from some experienced AA members:
Almost a year ago, we were able to score F award flight from AUH-JFK; and domestic F JFK-BOS-LAX the next AM (under 24 hrs). Ideally, we would have liked to have AA's JFK-LAX in F, but realistically wasn't expecting that to happen.
We just discovered (AA didn't even notify us) that our JFK-BOS-LAX flight that got us in around 3PM has now been changed to JFK-CLT-LAX (still in domestic F) arriving after 6PM.
This presents a major problem for us as we need to be at our destination before 6PM. There are a handful of flights that will get us back before 3PM, but it would require substantial changes to our plan/schedule departing JFK.
Ideally, we would like to take the nonstop JFK-LAX flight instead but obviously they never seem to release those award seats.
Will the agent be able to have them open up business class seats on JFK-LAX (I don't dare dream of them opening up F) for us to be put on a flight that will fit our original arrival time?
TIA.
Almost a year ago, we were able to score F award flight from AUH-JFK; and domestic F JFK-BOS-LAX the next AM (under 24 hrs). Ideally, we would have liked to have AA's JFK-LAX in F, but realistically wasn't expecting that to happen.
We just discovered (AA didn't even notify us) that our JFK-BOS-LAX flight that got us in around 3PM has now been changed to JFK-CLT-LAX (still in domestic F) arriving after 6PM.
This presents a major problem for us as we need to be at our destination before 6PM. There are a handful of flights that will get us back before 3PM, but it would require substantial changes to our plan/schedule departing JFK.
Ideally, we would like to take the nonstop JFK-LAX flight instead but obviously they never seem to release those award seats.
Will the agent be able to have them open up business class seats on JFK-LAX (I don't dare dream of them opening up F) for us to be put on a flight that will fit our original arrival time?
TIA.
Apr 18, 2019, 12:26 pm
#125
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
Looking for some insight from some experienced AA members:
Almost a year ago, we were able to score F award flight from AUH-JFK; and domestic F JFK-BOS-LAX the next AM (under 24 hrs). Ideally, we would have liked to have AA's JFK-LAX in F, but realistically wasn't expecting that to happen.
We just discovered (AA didn't even notify us) that our JFK-BOS-LAX flight that got us in around 3PM has now been changed to JFK-CLT-LAX (still in domestic F) arriving after 6PM.
This presents a major problem for us as we need to be at our destination before 6PM. There are a handful of flights that will get us back before 3PM, but it would require substantial changes to our plan/schedule departing JFK.
Ideally, we would like to take the nonstop JFK-LAX flight instead but obviously they never seem to release those award seats.
Will the agent be able to have them open up business class seats on JFK-LAX (I don't dare dream of them opening up F) for us to be put on a flight that will fit our original arrival time?
TIA.
Almost a year ago, we were able to score F award flight from AUH-JFK; and domestic F JFK-BOS-LAX the next AM (under 24 hrs). Ideally, we would have liked to have AA's JFK-LAX in F, but realistically wasn't expecting that to happen.
We just discovered (AA didn't even notify us) that our JFK-BOS-LAX flight that got us in around 3PM has now been changed to JFK-CLT-LAX (still in domestic F) arriving after 6PM.
This presents a major problem for us as we need to be at our destination before 6PM. There are a handful of flights that will get us back before 3PM, but it would require substantial changes to our plan/schedule departing JFK.
Ideally, we would like to take the nonstop JFK-LAX flight instead but obviously they never seem to release those award seats.
Will the agent be able to have them open up business class seats on JFK-LAX (I don't dare dream of them opening up F) for us to be put on a flight that will fit our original arrival time?
TIA.
Apr 19, 2019, 6:07 pm
#126
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 68
Wanted to give a quick update
TLDR They put me on SEA-LAX-JFK all on F
Very thrilled to be able to try out Flagship dining and A321T.
The first call I asked for SEA-SFO-JFK but the agent told me
since SEA-SFO is on AS they cant do it (She said this will count as voluntary change
which results in a fee)
After coming up with the routes I wanted (an overnight at lax) I called again and feed her the flights.
When the agent put me on hold I was connected to the survey line and the phone disconnected afterwards.
The third call right from the beginning the agent told me this wont work. After politely asking her
to call her help desk, she came back with a no since there is no award availability. I then asked what
can she do. She then offer a route (via PHX) that shows no saver availability on aa.com . (I did point
out the conflict about no saver availability which she answers her job is to put us on most direct routing) Then after
a bit of back and forth and offering to reduce the layover at LAX to be less than 12hrs. She put me on hold
even without asking the flight # and came back with a Yes (on the flights I originally wanted).
And she confirmed it's first class on the transcon route.
Thanks for everyone's help. Super glad my domestic first turns into transcon first!
TLDR They put me on SEA-LAX-JFK all on F
Very thrilled to be able to try out Flagship dining and A321T.
The first call I asked for SEA-SFO-JFK but the agent told me
since SEA-SFO is on AS they cant do it (She said this will count as voluntary change
which results in a fee)
After coming up with the routes I wanted (an overnight at lax) I called again and feed her the flights.
When the agent put me on hold I was connected to the survey line and the phone disconnected afterwards.
The third call right from the beginning the agent told me this wont work. After politely asking her
to call her help desk, she came back with a no since there is no award availability. I then asked what
can she do. She then offer a route (via PHX) that shows no saver availability on aa.com . (I did point
out the conflict about no saver availability which she answers her job is to put us on most direct routing) Then after
a bit of back and forth and offering to reduce the layover at LAX to be less than 12hrs. She put me on hold
even without asking the flight # and came back with a Yes (on the flights I originally wanted).
And she confirmed it's first class on the transcon route.
Thanks for everyone's help. Super glad my domestic first turns into transcon first!
Apr 19, 2019, 6:19 pm
#127
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
Wanted to give a quick update
TLDR They put me on SEA-LAX-JFK all on F
Very thrilled to be able to try out Flagship dining and A321T.
The first call I asked for SEA-SFO-JFK but the agent told me
since SEA-SFO is on AS they cant do it (She said this will count as voluntary change
which results in a fee)
After coming up with the routes I wanted (an overnight at lax) I called again and feed her the flights.
When the agent put me on hold I was connected to the survey line and the phone disconnected afterwards.
The third call right from the beginning the agent told me this wont work. After politely asking her
to call her help desk, she came back with a no since there is no award availability. I then asked what
can she do. She then offer a route (via PHX) that shows no saver availability on aa.com . (I did point
out the conflict about no saver availability which she answers her job is to put us on most direct routing) Then after
a bit of back and forth and offering to reduce the layover at LAX to be less than 12hrs. She put me on hold
even without asking the flight # and came back with a Yes (on the flights I originally wanted).
And she confirmed it's first class on the transcon route.
Thanks for everyone's help. Super glad my domestic first turns into transcon first!
TLDR They put me on SEA-LAX-JFK all on F
Very thrilled to be able to try out Flagship dining and A321T.
The first call I asked for SEA-SFO-JFK but the agent told me
since SEA-SFO is on AS they cant do it (She said this will count as voluntary change
which results in a fee)
After coming up with the routes I wanted (an overnight at lax) I called again and feed her the flights.
When the agent put me on hold I was connected to the survey line and the phone disconnected afterwards.
The third call right from the beginning the agent told me this wont work. After politely asking her
to call her help desk, she came back with a no since there is no award availability. I then asked what
can she do. She then offer a route (via PHX) that shows no saver availability on aa.com . (I did point
out the conflict about no saver availability which she answers her job is to put us on most direct routing) Then after
a bit of back and forth and offering to reduce the layover at LAX to be less than 12hrs. She put me on hold
even without asking the flight # and came back with a Yes (on the flights I originally wanted).
And she confirmed it's first class on the transcon route.
Thanks for everyone's help. Super glad my domestic first turns into transcon first!
Apr 19, 2019, 6:28 pm
#128
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
Interesting... I had my paid F on PHX-JFK with a similar schedule change, and I routed through LAX but ended up in business class which is what I would expect given the fare class being the same. It sounds like you got a very fortunate change! For what it’s worth, my justification to the agent was that if you’re going to force me from a daytime flight to a red eye, then I at least want a lie flat bed.
Dec 7, 2019, 11:58 am
#129
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Ashburn, VA (IAD/DCA/BWI)
Posts: 2,748
JL Schedule Change
I have award booking PUS-NRT-DFW-DCA but JL NRT-DFW flight will be changing to HND-DFW with less than 2 hours of connection time (NRT-HND). It would appreciate any info regarding what I can do without incurring the change fee. One of the alternate option is change to PUS-NRT-SFO-IAD involving AS flight (SFO-IAD). Does this option incur change fee?
Thx in advance.
Thx in advance.
Dec 7, 2019, 12:17 pm
#130
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
I have award booking PUS-NRT-DFW-DCA but JL NRT-DFW flight will be changing to HND-DFW with less than 2 hours of connection time (NRT-HND). It would appreciate any info regarding what I can do without incurring the change fee. One of the alternate option is change to PUS-NRT-SFO-IAD involving AS flight (SFO-IAD). Does this option incur change fee?
Thx in advance.
Thx in advance.
Call AA and ask them to put you on their NRT-DFW service (relatively easy request) or ask for them to ask JL to open up space on another flight from NRT (like NRT-ORD, much more difficult request).
And take a look at this thread...
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...t-options.html
Dec 7, 2019, 1:07 pm
#131
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Raleigh-Durham
Programs: HH Diamond; Marriott Gold; AA Platinum
Posts: 758
I have award booking PUS-NRT-DFW-DCA but JL NRT-DFW flight will be changing to HND-DFW with less than 2 hours of connection time (NRT-HND). It would appreciate any info regarding what I can do without incurring the change fee. One of the alternate option is change to PUS-NRT-SFO-IAD involving AS flight (SFO-IAD). Does this option incur change fee?
Thx in advance.
Thx in advance.
called Aa at least 6 times. No help. All J class award is booked. Contemplating canceling hanoi altogether. Will lose the tickets I got from Han to Ho Chi Minh... such a bummer
Jan 1, 2020, 12:52 pm
#132
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, HH DIA, Hertz PC, GE + Pre✓, Amazon Super Special Prime
Posts: 1,008
Happy New Year All!
Have a bit of an sticky wicket due to a schedule change on an All-AA metal J class award.
Original: MXP-JFK-LAX-FAT, transatlantic leg was departing at 9am Italy time, good connection time in JFK, 321T to LAX in J, home to FAT in the late evening.
Looks like the MXP-JFK leg was rescheduled to a bit over 2 hours later than originally, which makes the JFK-LAX-FAT legs into a 2 day affair and us getting home the following morning to FAT. Meh. Thus, AA auto rescheduled us to:
New Routing: MXP-MIA-LAX-FAT, almost identical departure time of 9am, now downgraded to Domestic F (and newly reduced catering levels) on a basic 321 for MIA-LAX, and home to FAT on the same evening flight.
So, to the question(s)...
As understand the involuntary change rules, since there was a class of service downgrade, I am entitled to a free change to another routing (within reason)?
Would AA allow the award to change to, say, MXP-LHR-LAX/DFW-FAT? Or does BA have to stay out of it since it was an AAnytime award originally?
If I am willing, they should allow a dropped segment of the LAX-FAT leg? We could make that work and still get home that evening.
End goal is to avoid flying transcon on a basic A321 and ideally get home in the evening instead of the next morning.
Appreciate any insight before I start the HUCA games.
Thanks!
Have a bit of an sticky wicket due to a schedule change on an All-AA metal J class award.
Original: MXP-JFK-LAX-FAT, transatlantic leg was departing at 9am Italy time, good connection time in JFK, 321T to LAX in J, home to FAT in the late evening.
Looks like the MXP-JFK leg was rescheduled to a bit over 2 hours later than originally, which makes the JFK-LAX-FAT legs into a 2 day affair and us getting home the following morning to FAT. Meh. Thus, AA auto rescheduled us to:
New Routing: MXP-MIA-LAX-FAT, almost identical departure time of 9am, now downgraded to Domestic F (and newly reduced catering levels) on a basic 321 for MIA-LAX, and home to FAT on the same evening flight.
So, to the question(s)...
As understand the involuntary change rules, since there was a class of service downgrade, I am entitled to a free change to another routing (within reason)?
Would AA allow the award to change to, say, MXP-LHR-LAX/DFW-FAT? Or does BA have to stay out of it since it was an AAnytime award originally?
If I am willing, they should allow a dropped segment of the LAX-FAT leg? We could make that work and still get home that evening.
End goal is to avoid flying transcon on a basic A321 and ideally get home in the evening instead of the next morning.
Appreciate any insight before I start the HUCA games.
Thanks!
Jan 1, 2020, 3:27 pm
#133
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
Happy New Year All!
Have a bit of an sticky wicket due to a schedule change on an All-AA metal J class award.
Original: MXP-JFK-LAX-FAT, transatlantic leg was departing at 9am Italy time, good connection time in JFK, 321T to LAX in J, home to FAT in the late evening.
Looks like the MXP-JFK leg was rescheduled to a bit over 2 hours later than originally, which makes the JFK-LAX-FAT legs into a 2 day affair and us getting home the following morning to FAT. Meh. Thus, AA auto rescheduled us to:
New Routing: MXP-MIA-LAX-FAT, almost identical departure time of 9am, now downgraded to Domestic F (and newly reduced catering levels) on a basic 321 for MIA-LAX, and home to FAT on the same evening flight.
So, to the question(s)...
As understand the involuntary change rules, since there was a class of service downgrade, I am entitled to a free change to another routing (within reason)?
Would AA allow the award to change to, say, MXP-LHR-LAX/DFW-FAT? Or does BA have to stay out of it since it was an AAnytime award originally?
If I am willing, they should allow a dropped segment of the LAX-FAT leg? We could make that work and still get home that evening.
End goal is to avoid flying transcon on a basic A321 and ideally get home in the evening instead of the next morning.
Appreciate any insight before I start the HUCA games.
Thanks!
Have a bit of an sticky wicket due to a schedule change on an All-AA metal J class award.
Original: MXP-JFK-LAX-FAT, transatlantic leg was departing at 9am Italy time, good connection time in JFK, 321T to LAX in J, home to FAT in the late evening.
Looks like the MXP-JFK leg was rescheduled to a bit over 2 hours later than originally, which makes the JFK-LAX-FAT legs into a 2 day affair and us getting home the following morning to FAT. Meh. Thus, AA auto rescheduled us to:
New Routing: MXP-MIA-LAX-FAT, almost identical departure time of 9am, now downgraded to Domestic F (and newly reduced catering levels) on a basic 321 for MIA-LAX, and home to FAT on the same evening flight.
So, to the question(s)...
As understand the involuntary change rules, since there was a class of service downgrade, I am entitled to a free change to another routing (within reason)?
Would AA allow the award to change to, say, MXP-LHR-LAX/DFW-FAT? Or does BA have to stay out of it since it was an AAnytime award originally?
If I am willing, they should allow a dropped segment of the LAX-FAT leg? We could make that work and still get home that evening.
End goal is to avoid flying transcon on a basic A321 and ideally get home in the evening instead of the next morning.
Appreciate any insight before I start the HUCA games.
Thanks!
Jan 19, 2020, 3:58 pm
#134
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 62
Hey all,
First time poster here, this thread seems to be somewhat inactive, so sorry if I am posting in an outdated thread. I had a couple questions that I thought would be searchable, but didn't see anything.
Looking to go from Detroit to South Africa, through Chicago, next January, beyond the 330 days in which I can book out my award flight.
Looks like there are two options that I like
DTW->ORD-> AUH -> JNB with Etihad (non oneworld member)
and
DTW->ORD-> DOH -> JNB with Qatar (oneworld member)
All of the flights I can find, have layovers in AUH, and DOH, of just several hours, not enough time to really leave the airport and enjoy the city. I was hoping for an overnight stopover more so, without having to book separate flights and twice the points. I will be booking close to the 330 days out, and will be hoping for a schedule change which I think is pretty common that far out.
I am hoping the change is greater than 90 minutes, because that seems to be the magic number to allow pretty flexible changes.
1) Am I wrong in thinking a >90 minute change will take place?
2) If I do get a >90 minute change will the agent have any reason to not give me, lets say a >24 hour stop over between landing in AUH/DOH and taking off?
3) I am under the impression no award seats will be available, and this really isn't the route the agent should go anyways, so if they have to ask the partner airline for them to release a revenue seat would they allow me to upgrade class as well? Book coach, wait for a change, and then upgrade to business, only reason for this is the flight there has shown no business class availability for the months I can search on AA, but the return flight shows biz availability
Thanks in advance!
First time poster here, this thread seems to be somewhat inactive, so sorry if I am posting in an outdated thread. I had a couple questions that I thought would be searchable, but didn't see anything.
Looking to go from Detroit to South Africa, through Chicago, next January, beyond the 330 days in which I can book out my award flight.
Looks like there are two options that I like
DTW->ORD-> AUH -> JNB with Etihad (non oneworld member)
and
DTW->ORD-> DOH -> JNB with Qatar (oneworld member)
All of the flights I can find, have layovers in AUH, and DOH, of just several hours, not enough time to really leave the airport and enjoy the city. I was hoping for an overnight stopover more so, without having to book separate flights and twice the points. I will be booking close to the 330 days out, and will be hoping for a schedule change which I think is pretty common that far out.
I am hoping the change is greater than 90 minutes, because that seems to be the magic number to allow pretty flexible changes.
1) Am I wrong in thinking a >90 minute change will take place?
2) If I do get a >90 minute change will the agent have any reason to not give me, lets say a >24 hour stop over between landing in AUH/DOH and taking off?
3) I am under the impression no award seats will be available, and this really isn't the route the agent should go anyways, so if they have to ask the partner airline for them to release a revenue seat would they allow me to upgrade class as well? Book coach, wait for a change, and then upgrade to business, only reason for this is the flight there has shown no business class availability for the months I can search on AA, but the return flight shows biz availability
Thanks in advance!
Jan 19, 2020, 4:53 pm
#135
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,233
Unless a connection is made illegal due to a schedule change I think you’re going to have a hard time getting AA to request a partner open additional award availability. Even with an illegal connection people have reported problems with rebooking. It’s sort of a fact of life with partner awards (and often cash tickets too).