Jan 1, 2018, 1:26 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
The 2019 Newbie Lounge thread can be found here.
Q. How can I find information more easily than reading through all the threads? Now that I'm here, what do I do next?
Check out the following resources:
Searching can be key to finding important information and answers without waiting for someone to drop by and answer, and it helps prevent that information fragmentation. FlyerTalk Advanced Search can seem quirky to the infrequent user, but it's fairly powerful if one knows how to use it. There are several ways to search:
Forum basics: Now that the new AA has become by some measures "the world's largest airline", this new, combined has become a "mega-forum", very large, very active - and theoretically very difficult to find information and easy to lose one's place. Having to search for and sort through dozens - or more - of threads on baggage, airports, minimum connect times or the like could soon become unproductive and discouraging.
To prevent this from occurring, please note we try to:
Keep a few "sticky" threads: such as GUIDE posts, OSO / IROPS, etc. for urgent and quick reference, such as basic "where do I find" reasons
Keep threads to specific topics: Prevent information fragmentation and loss by consolidating questions, answers and discussion of one topic contained in one thread. (This also honors those members who have already shared valuable information and experiences.)
"Popular" threads are likely to have a Wikipost at the head that will summarize important information and have resource links. These are "community property", and as any wiki are established, maintained and updated by the members (with 90 days of tenure and 90 posts on FlyerTalk).
You may find your question or post merged into one of those threads. Be sure that we will leave a link behind from your original thread, and to look up to see if there's a wiki with information. We apologize for any possible inconvenience or difference between this forum and others, but we think you'll like some of the resources and tools here to enable more convenient, comfortable travel on AA and greater knowledge sharing.
Keep it welcoming: We're proud the members of both FFPs have kept the brickbats to a minimum; we want this forum to be welcoming, civil and information rich, so name calling (including calling a member one disagrees with "AApologist") and snark are not tolerated. Posts with such are likely to be summarily deleted in their entirety; repeated such behavior may result in suspension of one's membership privileges or being banned from this forum. Let's keep it friendly and in accordance with the FT Rules.
FlyerTalk Rules (We all agree to abide by these, and are held accountable.) NOTE: The 2016 AA NEWBIE LOUNGE post thread is here
NOTE: The 2017 AA NEWBIE LOUNGE post thread is here
Thanks for reading!
Welcome to the 2018 "NEWBIE LOUNGE"
Ask Your Consolidated / Combined AA Questions Here (flame free)
MODERATOR GUIDEPOST:
MODERATOR GUIDEPOST:
(This post can only be edited by moderators.)
Welcome to the Newbie Lounge!
Welcome to the Newbie Lounge!
Welcome to Flyertalk!
The Newbie Lounge is a place for newer and less experienced members to ask their questions about American Airlines and the AAdvantage program and have answered by our more experienced and knowledgeable members. Feel free to ask any question related to American Airlines and AAdvantage here.
NOTE: This is a "flame free" thread; flaming, personal criticism for "failing to search" etc. is not allowed (if posted, the post will be summarily deleted, the poster subject to sanctions).
Advanced questions posed by veteran FT users may be moved and / or merged into existing master or GUIDE threads, most of which have Wikiposts at the top of the page that contain summaries of important information.
We volunteer Moderators monitor this "lounge" thread to assist you as well. When browsing the fora, look at the page tops of the various forums. There will be a menu, and often "sticky" threads, and threads with header "wiki posts" (created and maintained by the FlyerTalk community) with important information relating to that forum / topic.
Don't hesitate to contact a moderator or another member if you have any additional questions. You can PM the Moderators by clicking on
, which pops up a message box; the message goes to all this forum's Moderators. Note that unlike some sites with paid staff moderators, FlyerTalk Moderators are volunteers, and most work, travel, go on holiday, etc. You can Private Message us using the PM system (My Flyertalk) and our handles.
We're glad you've chosen to join the Flyertalk frequent flyer community!
Your American Airlines | AAdvantage Forum Moderation Team,
AZ Travels the World, aztimm, dstan, JDiver, JY1024, Microwave
(Our thanks to thread founder / "plank owner" HNL.)
The Newbie Lounge is a place for newer and less experienced members to ask their questions about American Airlines and the AAdvantage program and have answered by our more experienced and knowledgeable members. Feel free to ask any question related to American Airlines and AAdvantage here.
NOTE: This is a "flame free" thread; flaming, personal criticism for "failing to search" etc. is not allowed (if posted, the post will be summarily deleted, the poster subject to sanctions).
Advanced questions posed by veteran FT users may be moved and / or merged into existing master or GUIDE threads, most of which have Wikiposts at the top of the page that contain summaries of important information.
We volunteer Moderators monitor this "lounge" thread to assist you as well. When browsing the fora, look at the page tops of the various forums. There will be a menu, and often "sticky" threads, and threads with header "wiki posts" (created and maintained by the FlyerTalk community) with important information relating to that forum / topic.
Don't hesitate to contact a moderator or another member if you have any additional questions. You can PM the Moderators by clicking on
, which pops up a message box; the message goes to all this forum's Moderators. Note that unlike some sites with paid staff moderators, FlyerTalk Moderators are volunteers, and most work, travel, go on holiday, etc. You can Private Message us using the PM system (My Flyertalk) and our handles.We're glad you've chosen to join the Flyertalk frequent flyer community!
Your American Airlines | AAdvantage Forum Moderation Team,
AZ Travels the World, aztimm, dstan, JDiver, JY1024, Microwave
(Our thanks to thread founder / "plank owner" HNL.)
Check out the following resources:
- GUIDE: FT - AA Forum, LOUNGE DASHBOARD and OSO / IRROPS (Links to most important threads, "Help Desk" assistance threads, the thread with resources for off-schedule operations / irregular operations (including links to AA weather policy and tools), hub airport threads, AA lounge Dashboard for all lounges and lounge related issues.)
- FAQ: American Airlines and AAdvantage - Please check here first! (Our FAQ were originally written for the pre-merger AA forum, but there's still a lot of useful information there.)
- New and uncertain where to start here, and it's about American Airlines? Start in our "NEWBIE LOUNGE" thread, here: link.
- Do you have questions about other travel related issues that do not pertain to AA and are unsure where to start? Visit our Information Desk Forum here: U]link. [/U]
- Especially useful to new members: FAQs (How to post like a pro and more)
- The NEW FlyerTalk: Helpful Hints, Tips and Suggestions to Enhance Your Experience (Information Desk Forum)
- FlyerTalk Glossary (What is all this jargon?)
- Airport Code Guide (How do I decode an airport code / find one for a city?)
Searching can be key to finding important information and answers without waiting for someone to drop by and answer, and it helps prevent that information fragmentation. FlyerTalk Advanced Search can seem quirky to the infrequent user, but it's fairly powerful if one knows how to use it. There are several ways to search:
- Canarsie's Using the Search Feature on FlyerTalk: The Definitive Thread has relocated to the Information Desk Forum; it can be found there.
- One can search FlyerTalk with Google with this web form.
- Or, if you are used to Google search, use Google Advanced Search and insert www.flyertalk.com in the "site or domain" box.
Forum basics: Now that the new AA has become by some measures "the world's largest airline", this new, combined has become a "mega-forum", very large, very active - and theoretically very difficult to find information and easy to lose one's place. Having to search for and sort through dozens - or more - of threads on baggage, airports, minimum connect times or the like could soon become unproductive and discouraging.
To prevent this from occurring, please note we try to:
Keep a few "sticky" threads: such as GUIDE posts, OSO / IROPS, etc. for urgent and quick reference, such as basic "where do I find" reasons
Keep threads to specific topics: Prevent information fragmentation and loss by consolidating questions, answers and discussion of one topic contained in one thread. (This also honors those members who have already shared valuable information and experiences.)
"Popular" threads are likely to have a Wikipost at the head that will summarize important information and have resource links. These are "community property", and as any wiki are established, maintained and updated by the members (with 90 days of tenure and 90 posts on FlyerTalk).
You may find your question or post merged into one of those threads. Be sure that we will leave a link behind from your original thread, and to look up to see if there's a wiki with information. We apologize for any possible inconvenience or difference between this forum and others, but we think you'll like some of the resources and tools here to enable more convenient, comfortable travel on AA and greater knowledge sharing.
Keep it welcoming: We're proud the members of both FFPs have kept the brickbats to a minimum; we want this forum to be welcoming, civil and information rich, so name calling (including calling a member one disagrees with "AApologist") and snark are not tolerated. Posts with such are likely to be summarily deleted in their entirety; repeated such behavior may result in suspension of one's membership privileges or being banned from this forum. Let's keep it friendly and in accordance with the FT Rules.
FlyerTalk Rules (We all agree to abide by these, and are held accountable.)
NOTE: The 2017 AA NEWBIE LOUNGE post thread is here
Thanks for reading!
ARCHIVE: 2018 NEWBIE LOUNGE Ask Your "Newbie" AA Questions Here (flame free)
Sep 25, 2018, 11:14 pm
#1591
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
My family of four is seeking to return from Paris in Dec. I have 3 segments on hold w 3 Different Record Locator Numbers
1. CDG to LHR
2. LHR to PHL
3. PHL to DFW
When I call AA (Platinum Pro Desk) to book, they say I have to use 90K miles rather than 30K. What have I done wrong or what do I need to do? The class of service is the same and there is less than 24 hours layover in LHR and PHL. I'm booking for four passengers and we have enough 120,000. Im not sure whether there is a problem or whether I need to keep calling until I get someone who can help me. Thanks
1. CDG to LHR
2. LHR to PHL
3. PHL to DFW
When I call AA (Platinum Pro Desk) to book, they say I have to use 90K miles rather than 30K. What have I done wrong or what do I need to do? The class of service is the same and there is less than 24 hours layover in LHR and PHL. I'm booking for four passengers and we have enough 120,000. Im not sure whether there is a problem or whether I need to keep calling until I get someone who can help me. Thanks
Sep 25, 2018, 11:18 pm
#1592
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,701
It appears that u booked each segment in. A different record so each segment is pricing by itself. You need to get aa to combine the booking into 1 PNR to get the lowest # of miles users. Now whether they will do it or if availability and/or married segment rules start to come into play IDK.
My family of four is seeking to return from Paris in Dec. I have 3 segments on hold w 3 Different Record Locator Numbers
1. CDG to LHR
2. LHR to PHL
3. PHL to DFW
When I call AA (Platinum Pro Desk) to book, they say I have to use 90K miles rather than 30K. What have I done wrong or what do I need to do? The class of service is the same and there is less than 24 hours layover in LHR and PHL. I'm booking for four passengers and we have enough 120,000. Im not sure whether there is a problem or whether I need to keep calling until I get someone who can help me. Thanks
1. CDG to LHR
2. LHR to PHL
3. PHL to DFW
When I call AA (Platinum Pro Desk) to book, they say I have to use 90K miles rather than 30K. What have I done wrong or what do I need to do? The class of service is the same and there is less than 24 hours layover in LHR and PHL. I'm booking for four passengers and we have enough 120,000. Im not sure whether there is a problem or whether I need to keep calling until I get someone who can help me. Thanks
Sep 26, 2018, 1:51 am
#1593
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 789
I booked BA flights with AA number on booking in First and Business. Had to pay seat fee on website then call BA to get ut refunded.
Sep 26, 2018, 5:50 am
#1594
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 125
Very noobie question indeed. I'm a member of AA program (Citi and BarclaycardUS program). I've currently accumulated 170k miles. Since AA doesn't operate here, what's the best way of using them? Qatar's pretty popular in Nepal.
Sep 26, 2018, 7:47 am
#1595
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 3
Hello guys,
I'm a newbie here. I have $650 AA gift cards and in January 2019 I will have another $900 of them. Question, how do I spend them? I tried to book through AA using gift cards but failed because my base airport is LHR now and they do not allow using AA gift cards on British Airways operations coming from oversea location. I have to book my ticket using UR points instead. Please help figure out way to spend these gift cards. Thank you.
I'm a newbie here. I have $650 AA gift cards and in January 2019 I will have another $900 of them. Question, how do I spend them? I tried to book through AA using gift cards but failed because my base airport is LHR now and they do not allow using AA gift cards on British Airways operations coming from oversea location. I have to book my ticket using UR points instead. Please help figure out way to spend these gift cards. Thank you.
Sep 26, 2018, 7:57 am
#1596
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,466
You can use your AA miles to book award tickets on any of the oneworld carriers and many other partner carriers. Qatar, Etihad, Cathay Pacific & Cathay Dragon, etc. are all possibilities and many more. For most of these you need to call AA to check availability and book award tickets, they will not show up online at aa.com.
Sep 26, 2018, 8:21 am
#1597
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 125
You can use your AA miles to book award tickets on any of the oneworld carriers and many other partner carriers. Qatar, Etihad, Cathay Pacific & Cathay Dragon, etc. are all possibilities and many more. For most of these you need to call AA to check availability and book award tickets, they will not show up online at aa.com.
Sep 26, 2018, 8:49 am
#1598
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
You might be interested in the following threads:
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance,
the more rules detailed AA oneworld & Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (master thd)
and of course https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...aster-thd.html.
Sep 26, 2018, 10:08 am
#1599
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
It would be more expensive if flying on BA, since you mention London, as their fees are at the upper end of the spectrum. Flying on AA, on the other hand would cost less in fees. It would be more helpful if you provided actual examples of routes you might fly. Your best bet is to call AA award reservations and find out what your options are.
Sep 26, 2018, 10:39 am
#1600
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Chicago
Programs: AAdvantage EXP | United Silver | HH Diamond | Bonvoy Platinum | Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 718
Sep 27, 2018, 2:19 pm
#1601
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: WAS
Programs: Virtuoso TA, UA 1MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 445
I changed my award ticket (traveling spring 2019) but still haven’t gotten a confirmation from aa after five days. I do see the available award seats go down by one on my route. AA says all changes need to be manually reviewed. Is this the case? Last time I changed a ticket (traveling spring 2019, same airlines, routing) it took one day for the new ticket to confirm. What are your experiences changing award tickets?
Sep 27, 2018, 7:22 pm
#1602
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,466
I changed my award ticket (traveling spring 2019) but still haven’t gotten a confirmation from aa after five days. I do see the available award seats go down by one on my route. AA says all changes need to be manually reviewed. Is this the case? Last time I changed a ticket (traveling spring 2019, same airlines, routing) it took one day for the new ticket to confirm. What are your experiences changing award tickets?
Sep 28, 2018, 5:23 am
#1603
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: WAS
Programs: Virtuoso TA, UA 1MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 445
Sep 28, 2018, 5:26 am
#1604
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,466
Sep 28, 2018, 1:32 pm
#1605
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: WAS
Programs: Virtuoso TA, UA 1MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 445