AA/Iberia separate tickets and check through protection (to merge)
Nov 27, 2017, 1:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1
AA/Iberia separate tickets and check through protection (to merge)
I recently booked award travel with AA from Madrid back to the USA. I will be connecting/transferring from Seville on Iberia to make my international flight, with about 2.5 hours from arrival of the Iberia flight to the AA flight’s departure. The Iberia flight arrives at MAD Terminal 4 and the AA flight leaves from MAD terminal 4S.
I know the OneWorld through checked baggage policy with separate tickets changed in 2016, but because I’m just carrying on I’m not worried about that. What I want to avoid, however, is having to check in to the AA flight in MAD (hoping to do this online or at Iberia counter in SVQ, so I can just go straight to the AA gate in MAD). I would also like to know AA’s policy on transfers/connections ont separate tickets from OneWorld carriers to AA in case my Iberia flight is late. I read somewhere that AA will provide through checking protection if one ticket is an award flight and the other is paid, but I can’t find that info on AA’s site.
Thanks in advance for for your help. First time posting here, so please let me know if I should post those elsewhere. Cheers.
I know the OneWorld through checked baggage policy with separate tickets changed in 2016, but because I’m just carrying on I’m not worried about that. What I want to avoid, however, is having to check in to the AA flight in MAD (hoping to do this online or at Iberia counter in SVQ, so I can just go straight to the AA gate in MAD). I would also like to know AA’s policy on transfers/connections ont separate tickets from OneWorld carriers to AA in case my Iberia flight is late. I read somewhere that AA will provide through checking protection if one ticket is an award flight and the other is paid, but I can’t find that info on AA’s site.
Thanks in advance for for your help. First time posting here, so please let me know if I should post those elsewhere. Cheers.
Nov 28, 2017, 1:35 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: IL
Programs: UA-SIL MR-TIT HYT-GBL IHG-PLT HH-DIA WYN-PLT AMEX-PLT
Posts: 150
If you have an itinerary I would suspect you can get through the T4-T4S security and into the lounge, where the Iberia folks should be able to call down to the AA gate and get your pass waiting for you at the gate.
i did the revese last week — AA to ORD then IB to MAD and onward. AA would *not* through check and gave me some hooey about liability and tracking.
But the AAngels at the Admirals Club and the FL said that terminal transfers were permitted without a boarding pass at ORD—just an itinerary (printed) was required since they couldn’t access IB systems.
i couldn’t check in for my IB flight and I just went down there at boarding and they checked me in and got me a boarding pass.
i suspect your only problem will be clearing security and exit Schengen immigration — and I would suspect that a same-day-itinerary will suffice.
A wild card would be if at your point of IB departure there are SABRE ground agents working some other AA flight that might be able to get your AA pass (I’m thinking something like if you are at CDG and could get to the Admirals Club and have them print your pass and do the security grilling).
i did the revese last week — AA to ORD then IB to MAD and onward. AA would *not* through check and gave me some hooey about liability and tracking.
But the AAngels at the Admirals Club and the FL said that terminal transfers were permitted without a boarding pass at ORD—just an itinerary (printed) was required since they couldn’t access IB systems.
i couldn’t check in for my IB flight and I just went down there at boarding and they checked me in and got me a boarding pass.
i suspect your only problem will be clearing security and exit Schengen immigration — and I would suspect that a same-day-itinerary will suffice.
A wild card would be if at your point of IB departure there are SABRE ground agents working some other AA flight that might be able to get your AA pass (I’m thinking something like if you are at CDG and could get to the Admirals Club and have them print your pass and do the security grilling).
Jul 2, 2019, 1:58 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: LHR
Programs: Ex-NWA Plat
Posts: 1,480
I have an AA award from Dallas to Madrid (operating carrier is AA) and then a BA award from Madrid to Athens (operating carrier is IB).
The reason we have two tickets is because AA cannot see the Madrid Athens availability on their site.
Will I be able to check bags through at Dallas?
(90 minutes between the two sets of flights in Madrid - not enough time to receive bags, recheck them for the onward connection.)
Advice is most appreciated.
The reason we have two tickets is because AA cannot see the Madrid Athens availability on their site.
Will I be able to check bags through at Dallas?
(90 minutes between the two sets of flights in Madrid - not enough time to receive bags, recheck them for the onward connection.)
Advice is most appreciated.
Jul 2, 2019, 2:15 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,024
I have an AA award from Dallas to Madrid (operating carrier is AA) and then a BA award from Madrid to Athens (operating carrier is IB).
The reason we have two tickets is because AA cannot see the Madrid Athens availability on their site.
Will I be able to check bags through at Dallas?
(90 minutes between the two sets of flights in Madrid - not enough time to receive bags, recheck them for the onward connection.)
Advice is most appreciated.
The reason we have two tickets is because AA cannot see the Madrid Athens availability on their site.
Will I be able to check bags through at Dallas?
(90 minutes between the two sets of flights in Madrid - not enough time to receive bags, recheck them for the onward connection.)
Advice is most appreciated.
AA thread---> https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...es-2016-a.html
You will have to do immigration, pick up bags and check-in for the next flight
Be careful---> Denied Boarding - Did not have exact card used for taxes
Jul 2, 2019, 9:24 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
I have an AA award from Dallas to Madrid (operating carrier is AA) and then a BA award from Madrid to Athens (operating carrier is IB).
The reason we have two tickets is because AA cannot see the Madrid Athens availability on their site.
Will I be able to check bags through at Dallas?
(90 minutes between the two sets of flights in Madrid - not enough time to receive bags, recheck them for the onward connection.)
Advice is most appreciated.
The reason we have two tickets is because AA cannot see the Madrid Athens availability on their site.
Will I be able to check bags through at Dallas?
(90 minutes between the two sets of flights in Madrid - not enough time to receive bags, recheck them for the onward connection.)
Advice is most appreciated.
If it is still available, I would strongly advise that you pay $150 to change your award ticket to a through ticket. Assuming you're checking bags, you have zero chance of making this connection (which isn't really a connection since you're on separate tickets).
Jul 2, 2019, 10:39 am
#6
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 an AA award from Dallas to Madrid (operating carrier is AA) and then a BA award from Madrid to Athens (operating carrier is IB).
The reason we have two tickets is because AA cannot see the Madrid Athens availability on their site.
Will I be able to check bags through at Dallas?
(90 minutes between the two sets of flights in Madrid - not enough time to receive bags, recheck them for the onward connection.)
Advice is most appreciated.
The reason we have two tickets is because AA cannot see the Madrid Athens availability on their site.
Will I be able to check bags through at Dallas?
(90 minutes between the two sets of flights in Madrid - not enough time to receive bags, recheck them for the onward connection.)
Advice is most appreciated.
There’s no way AA will through-check your baggage on separate ticketing like that. You will have to complete Schengen arrival immigration in T-4S, retrieve your baggage, walk through customs, check your baggage in and process security to enter T-4 to depart. This is not a likely successful scenario at all; I’d give myself no less than three hours, and probably more given the current terrible AA operational reliability.
Jul 2, 2019, 7:04 pm
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
This thread will be merged into the existing thread linked to above. Moderator
There’s no way AA will through-check your baggage on separate ticketing like that. You will have to complete Schengen arrival immigration in T-4S, retrieve your baggage, walk through customs, check your baggage in and process security to enter T-4 to depart. This is not a likely successful scenario at all; I’d give myself no less than three hours, and probably more given the current terrible AA operational reliability.
There’s no way AA will through-check your baggage on separate ticketing like that. You will have to complete Schengen arrival immigration in T-4S, retrieve your baggage, walk through customs, check your baggage in and process security to enter T-4 to depart. This is not a likely successful scenario at all; I’d give myself no less than three hours, and probably more given the current terrible AA operational reliability.
May 22, 2022, 10:24 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2
How did it go? Did you make it?
I recently booked award travel with AA from Madrid back to the USA. I will be connecting/transferring from Seville on Iberia to make my international flight, with about 2.5 hours from arrival of the Iberia flight to the AA flight’s departure. The Iberia flight arrives at MAD Terminal 4 and the AA flight leaves from MAD terminal 4S.
I know the OneWorld through checked baggage policy with separate tickets changed in 2016, but because I’m just carrying on I’m not worried about that. What I want to avoid, however, is having to check in to the AA flight in MAD (hoping to do this online or at Iberia counter in SVQ, so I can just go straight to the AA gate in MAD). I would also like to know AA’s policy on transfers/connections ont separate tickets from OneWorld carriers to AA in case my Iberia flight is late. I read somewhere that AA will provide through checking protection if one ticket is an award flight and the other is paid, but I can’t find that info on AA’s site.
Thanks in advance for for your help. First time posting here, so please let me know if I should post those elsewhere. Cheers.
I know the OneWorld through checked baggage policy with separate tickets changed in 2016, but because I’m just carrying on I’m not worried about that. What I want to avoid, however, is having to check in to the AA flight in MAD (hoping to do this online or at Iberia counter in SVQ, so I can just go straight to the AA gate in MAD). I would also like to know AA’s policy on transfers/connections ont separate tickets from OneWorld carriers to AA in case my Iberia flight is late. I read somewhere that AA will provide through checking protection if one ticket is an award flight and the other is paid, but I can’t find that info on AA’s site.
Thanks in advance for for your help. First time posting here, so please let me know if I should post those elsewhere. Cheers.
May 22, 2022, 10:25 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2
How did it go? Did you make it?
I recently booked award travel with AA from Madrid back to the USA. I will be connecting/transferring from Seville on Iberia to make my international flight, with about 2.5 hours from arrival of the Iberia flight to the AA flight’s departure. The Iberia flight arrives at MAD Terminal 4 and the AA flight leaves from MAD terminal 4S.
I know the OneWorld through checked baggage policy with separate tickets changed in 2016, but because I’m just carrying on I’m not worried about that. What I want to avoid, however, is having to check in to the AA flight in MAD (hoping to do this online or at Iberia counter in SVQ, so I can just go straight to the AA gate in MAD). I would also like to know AA’s policy on transfers/connections ont separate tickets from OneWorld carriers to AA in case my Iberia flight is late. I read somewhere that AA will provide through checking protection if one ticket is an award flight and the other is paid, but I can’t find that info on AA’s site.
Thanks in advance for for your help. First time posting here, so please let me know if I should post those elsewhere. Cheers.
I know the OneWorld through checked baggage policy with separate tickets changed in 2016, but because I’m just carrying on I’m not worried about that. What I want to avoid, however, is having to check in to the AA flight in MAD (hoping to do this online or at Iberia counter in SVQ, so I can just go straight to the AA gate in MAD). I would also like to know AA’s policy on transfers/connections ont separate tickets from OneWorld carriers to AA in case my Iberia flight is late. I read somewhere that AA will provide through checking protection if one ticket is an award flight and the other is paid, but I can’t find that info on AA’s site.
Thanks in advance for for your help. First time posting here, so please let me know if I should post those elsewhere. Cheers.