craz

w/o looking at the 8 ball for an answer

Routing is JFK-PIT-PHL-XYZ (saver award) only thing offered out of JFK besides a 6:15am which I cant make. (Returning on DL to JFK) Miles were coming out of a familys members acct that now is < 10 and wont be used ever again

Times 3:35pm arrive Pit 5:23pm then 6:06pm to PHL. Inbounding on a ER4 so must gate check my carry-on and wait for it, no other bags and cant check it in due to items in it and dont trust AA on a 2 stopper to have it arrive at my final destination anyways.

Problem is the only way to get to my final destination that day from PIT is flying to PHL and connecting on my tkted flights

Am I toast?

JJeffrey

A 43 min connection at PIT is easily doable but obviously that doesn't leave much time to spare if you're late arriving.

If there's nothing else available, I'd just book it but continue to monitor availability. If a better routing opens up you can call AA and change for free.

Often1

Why not simply book the PHL-XYZ (what is "XYZ?"). Take a train from NYC to PHL.

Much less time, no worries, and you can calibrate your departure because there are at least 2 Amtrak departures/hour and more options such as NJ Transit in a pinch.

craz

Trust me I thought of that and looked into it, but 1 better, simply driving and flying out of PHL. Problem was the way back.

I cant spell everything out, but I've been trying to use up 12,5xx miles in a family members acct that wont be getting used any longer(unfortunately). Heck there were $130 1 way fares but for x months Ive always tried to see if a Saver was available when I was flying(elsewhere) and there never was or at least at times that I could have flown

If anything DL has non-stops for 10k but I want to use those AA before they expire

yrs ago I wouldnt have minded as the RDMs would be nice but nowadays I want the most direct flights.

Was toying with parking by JFK and Airtraining and busing or subway and busing it over to LGA (no Uber for me) but the amount of time I had to allow to make sure I made the flight didnt warrant it nor the $$ it would cost

I still check constantly if a JFK-CLT-XYZ opens at an a hour that works, fares are cheap but no Saver as of yet

Hoping for some bad weather with the RJs being delayed or CXed and that way hopefully AA will put me on a better set of flights and no they dont fly non-stop JFK-XYZ, which I couldnt believe

sombrachinesca

All AA flights at PIT are from the same concourse... maximum 10 minute walk from end-to-end. My only concern would be a late arrival from JFK.

Phoenixtinct

I think there's an easy fix to the mileage expiration problem. While I haven't done it on AA, I have a small amount of miles on UA and to extend the expiration date, I simply make an award booking and cancel within the 24 hours. When the miles are redeposited, it's considered activity and you have extra 18 months to use them. It should work the same way on AA. That way you're not forced to book something you don't want and have time to wait to book an itinerary that makes sense for you. Good Luck!

craz

Im worried about even if we land on time will I have enough time having to wait for my gate checked carry-on. Maybe I can use that in order to get placed onto a JFK-CLT-XYZ that leaves awhile after my PIT flight

I was originally playing with flying outof and into LGA where the plane would have been an EMB and my carry-on would fit in the bin. Didnt realize JFK-PIT was a ER4 till I printed out the Itin

craz

down side is the acct will still have the miles in it and when I go to use them as I tried several other times till now, no Saver available

I prefer to use them up and know its a done deal. Most times I fly on AA metal I use my BA pts since it costs alot less miles then AA wants. Thats besides the stash of my own AA miles. So my goal isnt so much as how can I get the exp date extended, but rather using them for a Saver Y tkt, when AA has cut back on Saver all over

craz

Just checked for todays flights and the JFK flight arrives into B31 and the PHL flight is leaving from B32

the bad news thus far the JFK flight looks like it will arrive 4 min early, but the sky doesnt look too good outside right now

So it will come down to if they can get my bag onto the ramp or wherever they bring them with enough time to get to the PHL flight, even if its the next gate over, maybe as its the last PHL of the day it will be held but I dont think there will be many if any others flying JFK-PIT-PHL

sombrachinesca

Pittsburgh is a relatively small and thinly used airport.
Maximum wait for a gate-check bag is 10 minutes... maximum walk is 10 minutes...
Again, my bigger concern would be an on-time departure from JFK.

If you are beyond the MCT, which you must be if they ticketed it, then I can't imagine an agent will let you change to a flight with no reward availability just because the connection makes you nervous.

craz

Yea those days when you could SBY for any flight as long as the O and D didnt change are long gone, all that mattered was that there was a seat available

I agree if it wasnt within the MCT AA couldnt offer it. The problem also is that there are only a couple of other set of flights after my JFK-PIT flight that can get me to my destination that same day, so if they sell out or get the rev passengers moved onto them it leaves me biting the dust

The connection doesnt make me nervous, its just its a 4 night trip with the 3 days in between packed to the gills and a 5 hr drive to my final destination. Sleeping 1/2 hr from my arrival airport since we get in late at night. Arriving the next day will mean having to KO some of the plans set up.

Im just hoping they open Saver via CLT with a 1 stopper

I still remember my DBV-FRA-LHR-JFK that was OU connecting to LH to VS, late getting out of DBV and had to run from 1 side of FRA to the other to get hiit with a delay so had to rinse and repeat in LHR and there it was a change of Terms to boot, if I wasnt flying Upper Class I never would have made that flight. Man was I soaked from running in both FRA and LHR, and slept the whole way to JFK

craz

Well this morn it was down to 1 2 stopper out of LGA and early morn to boot.

Since I constantly check just now I saw a JFK-PIT-DFW-XYZ with a 90 min layover @ PIT. was gonna grab it , till I saw a later departure via BWI, but at last that too was a ER4 to a MD80, no thanks x2. Then for some reason I clicked pg2 and bingo a JFK-DCA-DFW-XYZ all Mainline grabbed it and now its gone csr said there was only 1 seat on the 1st 2 flights. Leave 40 mins earlier but land 10 mins earlier as well

Not done as Im still hoping a JFK-DFW opens or something via CLT that gets me into XYZ earlier then Im getting in late at night

But at least I need not worry if I will miss the PIT-PHL flight any longer

nutwpinut

I had a 37 minute connection in Denver. I got out and walked to the other side to get on my next flight, 15 seconds walking. It was strange. I'm guessing AA has a small imprint at PIT similar to DEN.

We arrived 5 minutes late and by the time I got out it was another 5-10 minutes. I boarded at ~T-20 minutes and I was one of the last ones to get on. Arrived from PHX into DEN on to CLT.

sombrachinesca

It would probably be easier if you would identify the city you're trying to get to... someone here might have a suggestion you haven't thought of.

craz

I'll bite, whats the difference where my destination is? are there ways to get AA to open Saver (if a person isnt an EXP). I thought whatever you see being offered is all there is to be had

I saw a JFK-LAX , JFK-MIA at times but the times didnt work and dont want to travel out of my way if I can help it. Although the LAX flight for the ife would have been nice and both went via DFW.

And again AA doesnt fly non-stop JFK-XYZ so its a 1 or 2 stopper no matter what I do, except if I drive down to PHL to get a non-stop and thats not a happenin this time

I can live now with what I have, but it would be sweet if a 1 stopper opens, I was able to live with the JFK-PIT-PHL but preferred something mainline the whole way in case there will be Irrops, the ER4s are the 1st to be cut