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)
Apr 20, 2018, 8:11 pm
#631
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA/NYC/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 1,922
I have an AA-plated/AS-operated flight coming up and I'm trying to associate the flight with my Advantage account. When I login to my AAdvantage account and lookup the flight via record locator I get an error where the system is unable to locate flight details (Travel Information -> My Trips -> ...). When I put the (AA) record locator into aa.com via continue as a guest it shows up correctly.
Called in and the phone agent was similarly as confused as I am -- tried switching FF# from MileagePlan to AAdvantage and back, and it didn't seem to work for me while logged in.
Hypothetically speaking: to which IT deity should I sacrifice a goat in order to get the flight to show in the AAdvantage system?
Called in and the phone agent was similarly as confused as I am -- tried switching FF# from MileagePlan to AAdvantage and back, and it didn't seem to work for me while logged in.
Hypothetically speaking: to which IT deity should I sacrifice a goat in order to get the flight to show in the AAdvantage system?
Apr 21, 2018, 8:30 am
#632
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 746
Just want to be sure I can't do this--I have AUS-PRG coming up same PNR/reservation number. I've got it coming back in J and I am in Y on the direct PHL-PRG flight which gets in the morning. In the absence of that becoming available there is J on United miles outbound with a morning arrival.
It isn't possible to cancel just the outbound leg on an AA award booked as one ticket, right?
It isn't possible to cancel just the outbound leg on an AA award booked as one ticket, right?
Apr 21, 2018, 8:37 am
#633
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
Just want to be sure I can't do this--I have AUS-PRG coming up same PNR/reservation number. I've got it coming back in J and I am in Y on the direct PHL-PRG flight which gets in the morning. In the absence of that becoming available there is J on United miles outbound with a morning arrival.
It isn't possible to cancel just the outbound leg on an AA award booked as one ticket, right?
It isn't possible to cancel just the outbound leg on an AA award booked as one ticket, right?
Apr 21, 2018, 10:11 am
#635
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kirkland, WA
Programs: AS 75K,UA Gold 1.6MM, Hilton Dia, Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Glb, Natl Exec, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,657
Did you pay for interim status? Have you managed to convince someone at AA CS to give you Gold status for crossing that threshold? (It’s not Community n to have it granted, particularly now that interim status has been monetized.)
If you paid for the Platinum Challenge alone, you don’t have any status until after you cross your EQD and EQM thresholds, so until then EQM earned don’t count toward 500mile upgrades.
If you paid for the Platinum Challenge alone, you don’t have any status until after you cross your EQD and EQM thresholds, so until then EQM earned don’t count toward 500mile upgrades.
Here is my dashboard today... seems the 500 milers just posted fine from clearing the 25k EQM mark. (I had 0 EQM before the challenge)
EQMs: 27348
- EQMs needed to earn 500-mile upgrades 11,326
- 500-mile upgrade balance 4
Apr 21, 2018, 1:14 pm
#636
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 didn't pay for status up front, just the challenge.
Here is my dashboard today... seems the 500 milers just posted fine from clearing the 25k EQM mark. (I had 0 EQM before the challenge)
EQMs: 27348
Here is my dashboard today... seems the 500 milers just posted fine from clearing the 25k EQM mark. (I had 0 EQM before the challenge)
EQMs: 27348
- EQMs needed to earn 500-mile upgrades 11,326
- 500-mile upgrade balance 4
Dos your account show you as Gold as well?
Apr 23, 2018, 6:22 am
#637
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Cologne
Programs: FB Plat, IHG RA Spire, TK Elite+, HH Diamond, LH SEN, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 972
Considering signing up to AA
Hey guys,
Just putting some feelers out here...
I typically travel long-haul on cheap J class tickets for work.
I have platinum status with AFKL
Senator with LH
Elite Plus with TK (This I will not continue and will let it disappear probably).
I can typically find most the flights I want using *A and ST airlines. However, sometimes OW are just cheaper and more convenient. More importantly, Etihad can sometimes do some good deals too! Being a typical FT nerd I cannot stand the thought of "losing miles" but not crediting it to a scheme I use.
So here I am thinking of signing up to AA, I have both a UK and German address if that helps. I have thought about BA but the fact that you can't credit Etihad flights to them does put a bit of a downer on them. Additionally...this will be my 3rd (or even 4th!) scheme i'll collect in and I want it to really be as much as catch all as possible but with still simple earn / burn rates.
So...someone give me some assistance on this? any concerns I should be wary of?
Thanks!
Just putting some feelers out here...
I typically travel long-haul on cheap J class tickets for work.
I have platinum status with AFKL
Senator with LH
Elite Plus with TK (This I will not continue and will let it disappear probably).
I can typically find most the flights I want using *A and ST airlines. However, sometimes OW are just cheaper and more convenient. More importantly, Etihad can sometimes do some good deals too! Being a typical FT nerd I cannot stand the thought of "losing miles" but not crediting it to a scheme I use.
So here I am thinking of signing up to AA, I have both a UK and German address if that helps. I have thought about BA but the fact that you can't credit Etihad flights to them does put a bit of a downer on them. Additionally...this will be my 3rd (or even 4th!) scheme i'll collect in and I want it to really be as much as catch all as possible but with still simple earn / burn rates.
So...someone give me some assistance on this? any concerns I should be wary of?
Thanks!
Apr 23, 2018, 6:33 am
#638
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kirkland, WA
Programs: AS 75K,UA Gold 1.6MM, Hilton Dia, Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Glb, Natl Exec, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,657
Account shows as Platinum since I had completed the challenge.
My impression all along was that I would get full credit for EQMs/EQDs during the challenge as per whatever earned status I have at the time (Member, Gold...). Once I met the challenge, I would gain Platinum and all the benefits of that level as if I had earned it the hard way. So when crossing 25k EQM I would get the eUpgrades and that is how it has turned out it appears. The counters were confusing me because they appeared out of sync which indeed they can be at times.
My impression all along was that I would get full credit for EQMs/EQDs during the challenge as per whatever earned status I have at the time (Member, Gold...). Once I met the challenge, I would gain Platinum and all the benefits of that level as if I had earned it the hard way. So when crossing 25k EQM I would get the eUpgrades and that is how it has turned out it appears. The counters were confusing me because they appeared out of sync which indeed they can be at times.
Apr 23, 2018, 8:38 am
#639
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Iowa...Delta Charter Diamond, now Gold
Posts: 2,066
I don't fly American very often, but just used orphan miles to fly back from Paris.
I was admonished getting ready to land by flight attendent, "sir you have to turn off your ipad...didn't you hear the announcement"... (no I didn't)
So, my question is does American really not allow tablets to be used from boarding to deboarding? (like Delta does)
I was admonished getting ready to land by flight attendent, "sir you have to turn off your ipad...didn't you hear the announcement"... (no I didn't)
So, my question is does American really not allow tablets to be used from boarding to deboarding? (like Delta does)
Apr 23, 2018, 8:45 am
#640
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 don't fly American very often, but just used orphan miles to fly back from Paris.
I was admonished getting ready to land by flight attendent, "sir you have to turn off your ipad...didn't you hear the announcement"... (no I didn't)
So, my question is does American really not allow tablets to be used from boarding to deboarding? (like Delta does)
I was admonished getting ready to land by flight attendent, "sir you have to turn off your ipad...didn't you hear the announcement"... (no I didn't)
So, my question is does American really not allow tablets to be used from boarding to deboarding? (like Delta does)
Apr 23, 2018, 9:29 am
#641
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Iowa...Delta Charter Diamond, now Gold
Posts: 2,066
Apr 23, 2018, 10:49 am
#642
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 805
Is there anyway to figure out the AA seating system for the economy section?
I booked an econ flight a month out.
How is it that the App, the GA, and the actual seating map are all so different? Is this straight IT issues, seats not updating quickly enough or AA trying to game everyone into paying for MCE? Or a combination of both?
I booked an econ flight a month out.
- At booking there was 2 middle seats open at the back of the plane along with the preferred and MCE seats.
- At check in I was assigned a middle seat in the preferred section. The only other option on the app was a middle seat in the exit row, literally just one seat open.
- At the gate I asked for an aisle seat and the GA said there was one available in the back row since she had just assigned the other available ones.
- I boarded and no one was next to me, same with a few other rows.
How is it that the App, the GA, and the actual seating map are all so different? Is this straight IT issues, seats not updating quickly enough or AA trying to game everyone into paying for MCE? Or a combination of both?
Apr 23, 2018, 11:17 am
#643
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
Is there anyway to figure out the AA seating system for the economy section?
I booked an econ flight a month out.
How is it that the App, the GA, and the actual seating map are all so different? Is this straight IT issues, seats not updating quickly enough or AA trying to game everyone into paying for MCE? Or a combination of both?
I booked an econ flight a month out.
- At booking there was 2 middle seats open at the back of the plane along with the preferred and MCE seats.
- At check in I was assigned a middle seat in the preferred section. The only other option on the app was a middle seat in the exit row, literally just one seat open.
- At the gate I asked for an aisle seat and the GA said there was one available in the back row since she had just assigned the other available ones.
- I boarded and no one was next to me, same with a few other rows.
How is it that the App, the GA, and the actual seating map are all so different? Is this straight IT issues, seats not updating quickly enough or AA trying to game everyone into paying for MCE? Or a combination of both?
Apr 23, 2018, 12:09 pm
#645
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
Ah. AFAIK, AA has unfortunately monetized most seats with any desirability at all. But as I understand it, many seats will become available D-24,and others might become available as / if upgrades become available to those seeking to upgrade. (I’d book the best available to you now, unless you want to buy your way to improved seating, and look at seat availability at _D-24 or 23.)