ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2015)
Jan 4, 2015, 2:30 pm
#76
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
I wonder if one could get around the JFK/EWR issue if say, they just add a domestic segment to the beginning/end at the initial booking and then drop it after the change? Because there's no fee for dropping segments and as long as the originating country doesn't change, that should be okay?
For instance, I didn't have a problem with moving YYZ-LGA/EWR-HKG to YYZ-JFK-HKG (though of course, I needed to originate in YYZ, but I could see if someone added say, ORD-JFK at the beginning and just dropped it prior to travel there aren't fees)
For instance, I didn't have a problem with moving YYZ-LGA/EWR-HKG to YYZ-JFK-HKG (though of course, I needed to originate in YYZ, but I could see if someone added say, ORD-JFK at the beginning and just dropped it prior to travel there aren't fees)
Jan 4, 2015, 2:37 pm
#77
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,347
I think he meant that if you know you might want to switch between EWR and JFK to add a segment prior to that when you make your initial booking and that way you shouldn't have to pay any change fee for shifting between EWR and JFK. Then you don't have to fly the initial domestic segment at all.
Jan 4, 2015, 2:43 pm
#78
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
I think he meant that if you know you might want to switch between EWR and JFK to add a segment prior to that when you make your initial booking and that way you shouldn't have to pay any change fee for shifting between EWR and JFK. Then you don't have to fly the initial domestic segment at all.
The rules for dropping segments, etc., are all from internal sources, 90%+ via me.
Too much of this garbage goes on/gets suggested... less info will be allowed through. We're lucky they put up with as much as they do in this area.
The info is meant to -help- AAdv members use their miles-- not help them cheat the system.
SO, do as one sees fit, but, please let's keep these little rule-abusing schemes off here, please. Lest we find ourselves with changed rules and/or no access to them.
Last edited by JonNYC; Jan 4, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Jan 4, 2015, 4:10 pm
#79
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,347
This wouldn't apply to me anyway because I'm ticketed already so adding a segment will definitely incur the change fee as you already mentioned.
If I do end swapping EWR to JFK flight I will be certain to report back here if there was a change fee or not.
If I do end swapping EWR to JFK flight I will be certain to report back here if there was a change fee or not.
Jan 4, 2015, 5:39 pm
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,760
So I were you, I would be prepared to pay the fee, but considered self lucky if agent does not charge it.
Now if you are upgrading from J to F, then the fee would not be charged - this is one of the few good features AA program has. Upfare does not incur fee as you would pay more miles to upfare (unlike other programs that you still need to pay the change fee.)
Jan 4, 2015, 5:52 pm
#81
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1,666
So far, on 2 out of 2 voluntary cancellations I haven't been charged the change fee even without status. I was told about the fee on the call, but they never showed up on my credit card. I consider myself lucky.
Jan 4, 2015, 7:20 pm
#82
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,760
My bad on that one. Just a side thought from my experience being able to change my connections between LGA, JFK, EWR coming from YYZ.
So far, on 2 out of 2 voluntary cancellations I haven't been charged the change fee even without status. I was told about the fee on the call, but they never showed up on my credit card. I consider myself lucky.
So far, on 2 out of 2 voluntary cancellations I haven't been charged the change fee even without status. I was told about the fee on the call, but they never showed up on my credit card. I consider myself lucky.
Jan 4, 2015, 8:05 pm
#83
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 224
Has anyone had much luck seeing last minute availability ex-SFO since they reduced the number of F seats? The past couple of years I've gotten last minute - 12-days and a surprising 21-days before the flights - seats. I'm going again this February (not around chinese new year) and am wondering if I'll get lucky. I've only been testing the last few weeks, but not rigorously since the holidays aren't the norm and most F seats were taken. Looks like my best test will be in a couple weeks, as there aren't any F-4 flights until 1/23.
The days I'm looking at are F-2 (long shot) and two that are F-4 (with two seats taken on seat maps). I'm okay with confirming a few days ahead, but wonder if that's even going to happen. Looking for one seat.
The days I'm looking at are F-2 (long shot) and two that are F-4 (with two seats taken on seat maps). I'm okay with confirming a few days ahead, but wonder if that's even going to happen. Looking for one seat.
Jan 4, 2015, 8:44 pm
#84
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,636
I wonder if one could get around the JFK/EWR issue if say, they just add a domestic segment to the beginning/end at the initial booking and then drop it after the change? Because there's no fee for dropping segments and as long as the originating country doesn't change, that should be okay?
Jan 4, 2015, 9:02 pm
#85
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,723
O/D JFK-HKG availability in F is very limited. It's often better to a point beyond, like KUL or PEK, if you can possibly add another city to your trip. If you can find a o/w to HKG in F, and a return in Y, you may want to book it, because there's a good chance an F or J seat will open up close in. AA allows you to upgrade a booking with the same O and D if space opens up without a fee, so its a chance you may want to take.
Jan 4, 2015, 9:35 pm
#86
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
And, of course, the risk of any policy being reevaluated when a pattern of abuse manifests itself.
Too much of this garbage goes on/gets suggested... less info will be allowed through. We're lucky they put up with as much as they do in this area.
... please let's keep these little rule-abusing schemes off here, please. Lest we find ourselves with changed rules and/or no access to them.
Too much of this garbage goes on/gets suggested... less info will be allowed through. We're lucky they put up with as much as they do in this area.
... please let's keep these little rule-abusing schemes off here, please. Lest we find ourselves with changed rules and/or no access to them.
Jan 4, 2015, 9:41 pm
#87
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,347
.
Jan 4, 2015, 9:46 pm
#88
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Such as the elimination of the "free stopover at int'l gateway on int'l awards" rule? Rather than use it to provide a bona fide stopover, many people in these parts promoted its use to get a free additional one-way domestic ticket for a separate trip. Now it's gone, and those of us that found it useful to use as intended - for a stopover along the way on an int'l trip - can no longer do so.
Jan 5, 2015, 12:06 am
#89
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,636
Reduced in what sense? I don't think capacity hasn't been reduced. More like more people chasing after the same seats.