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)
Aug 8, 2018, 12:18 pm
#1216
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,601
This may be resolved before it's answered: purchased an award ticket and cancelled it within 24 hours of booking it. No status with AA.
Agent claiming we must pay 150 redeposit fee + $25 for second ticket and that miles must then be used within 1 year.
My understanding was that such fees were for redeposit on a post-24 hour cancellation and that no penalties would apply to my cancellation.
Advice/Links to T&C appreciated.
Agent claiming we must pay 150 redeposit fee + $25 for second ticket and that miles must then be used within 1 year.
My understanding was that such fees were for redeposit on a post-24 hour cancellation and that no penalties would apply to my cancellation.
Advice/Links to T&C appreciated.
Aug 8, 2018, 12:23 pm
#1217
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Sacramento
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Amtrak Select
Posts: 1,341
Aug 8, 2018, 12:25 pm
#1218
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Sacramento
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Amtrak Select
Posts: 1,341
A whole bunch of articles from June of 2017 - OMAAT, TPG, etc made it sound like a change in policy meant award tickets would be refundable without penalty if cancelled within 24 hours. Can't find definitive T&C.
Original source of data I believe was from JonNYC.. don't know where he got his info from, but seems like he's prominent on FT and pretty well versed and informed. Tweet of his below.
And from TPG: "DOT regulations require airlines to offer full refunds on tickets sold within 24 hours, with no cancellation fee, so long as the tickets were booked more than seven days before departure. Thankfully, these rules also apply to award tickets." - of course I don't know whether to take this to mean associated fees/surcharges on award flights are required to be refunded or the miles too. So very confused.
Original source of data I believe was from JonNYC.. don't know where he got his info from, but seems like he's prominent on FT and pretty well versed and informed. Tweet of his below.
And from TPG: "DOT regulations require airlines to offer full refunds on tickets sold within 24 hours, with no cancellation fee, so long as the tickets were booked more than seven days before departure. Thankfully, these rules also apply to award tickets." - of course I don't know whether to take this to mean associated fees/surcharges on award flights are required to be refunded or the miles too. So very confused.
Last edited by joecool1885; Aug 8, 2018 at 12:42 pm
Aug 8, 2018, 12:56 pm
#1219
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,601
https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-ser...rvice-faqs.jsp
(Scroll down to refunds.)
And next time, take advantage of the free, five-day hold on award reservations if you have any doubt about whether you will actually use the award.
Aug 8, 2018, 1:03 pm
#1220
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: TPA/SRQ
Programs: Hyatt Explorer, Marriott Titanium, AA Plat Pro, UA Silver, Avis Plus, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,692
Have a flight / status run on hold. I would be about $20 short of qualifying EQD.
Put it on hold to see if fares go up enough to get what I need instead of an extra short RT.
if it doesn’t and I call in to purchase hold. Is there a fee? And will it qual for EQD’s
Yes there are routes that cost more but this one has the lie flats. And yes I would rather do an extra RT than give up the lie flat on the long legs.
Put it on hold to see if fares go up enough to get what I need instead of an extra short RT.
if it doesn’t and I call in to purchase hold. Is there a fee? And will it qual for EQD’s
Yes there are routes that cost more but this one has the lie flats. And yes I would rather do an extra RT than give up the lie flat on the long legs.
Aug 8, 2018, 1:14 pm
#1221
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Sacramento
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Amtrak Select
Posts: 1,341
This indicates that the refund policy applies to all types of tickets:
https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-ser...rvice-faqs.jsp
(Scroll down to refunds.)
And next time, take advantage of the free, five-day hold on award reservations if you have any doubt about whether you will actually use the award.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-ser...rvice-faqs.jsp
(Scroll down to refunds.)
And next time, take advantage of the free, five-day hold on award reservations if you have any doubt about whether you will actually use the award.
Aug 8, 2018, 1:49 pm
#1222
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,933
Have a flight / status run on hold. I would be about $20 short of qualifying EQD.
Put it on hold to see if fares go up enough to get what I need instead of an extra short RT.
if it doesn’t and I call in to purchase hold. Is there a fee? And will it qual for EQD’s
Yes there are routes that cost more but this one has the lie flats. And yes I would rather do an extra RT than give up the lie flat on the long legs.
Put it on hold to see if fares go up enough to get what I need instead of an extra short RT.
if it doesn’t and I call in to purchase hold. Is there a fee? And will it qual for EQD’s
Yes there are routes that cost more but this one has the lie flats. And yes I would rather do an extra RT than give up the lie flat on the long legs.
Aug 8, 2018, 1:52 pm
#1223
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 551
Have a flight / status run on hold. I would be about $20 short of qualifying EQD.
Put it on hold to see if fares go up enough to get what I need instead of an extra short RT.
if it doesn’t and I call in to purchase hold. Is there a fee? And will it qual for EQD’s
Yes there are routes that cost more but this one has the lie flats. And yes I would rather do an extra RT than give up the lie flat on the long legs.
Put it on hold to see if fares go up enough to get what I need instead of an extra short RT.
if it doesn’t and I call in to purchase hold. Is there a fee? And will it qual for EQD’s
Yes there are routes that cost more but this one has the lie flats. And yes I would rather do an extra RT than give up the lie flat on the long legs.
Aug 8, 2018, 2:06 pm
#1224
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
Have a flight / status run on hold. I would be about $20 short of qualifying EQD.
Put it on hold to see if fares go up enough to get what I need instead of an extra short RT.
if it doesn’t and I call in to purchase hold. Is there a fee? And will it qual for EQD’s
Yes there are routes that cost more but this one has the lie flats. And yes I would rather do an extra RT than give up the lie flat on the long legs.
Put it on hold to see if fares go up enough to get what I need instead of an extra short RT.
if it doesn’t and I call in to purchase hold. Is there a fee? And will it qual for EQD’s
Yes there are routes that cost more but this one has the lie flats. And yes I would rather do an extra RT than give up the lie flat on the long legs.
Yea, the telephone fees don't count toward EQDs.
As mentioned above, give AA a call to see about moving to a higher fare code for one way or the other. Depending on your itinerary and the fares the next higher class could be as little as $20-40 or so above what you paid now which would put you over the EQD threshold. And way easier than taking another roundtrip somewhere just to get $20 in EQD.
Aug 8, 2018, 2:48 pm
#1225
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,933
As mentioned above, give AA a call to see about moving to a higher fare code for one way or the other. Depending on your itinerary and the fares the next higher class could be as little as $20-40 or so above what you paid now which would put you over the EQD threshold. And way easier than taking another roundtrip somewhere just to get $20 in EQD.
Aug 8, 2018, 3:00 pm
#1226
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Rochester, NY USA
Programs: Hilton - Diamond, IHG - Platinum
Posts: 1,424
Concerned about DFW minimum connection time
Schedule change on my return award flight, PDX - ROC resulted in AA moving me to different flights. The itinerary has us changing planes in DFW with a 1 hour connection time.
I understand that it should be fine, but if we do misconnect, what is AA's responsibility? Are they responsible for hotel and/or meals? To get us back in the same class (F) ?
I understand that it should be fine, but if we do misconnect, what is AA's responsibility? Are they responsible for hotel and/or meals? To get us back in the same class (F) ?
Aug 8, 2018, 3:24 pm
#1227
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,933
Schedule change on my return award flight, PDX - ROC resulted in AA moving me to different flights. The itinerary has us changing planes in DFW with a 1 hour connection time.
I understand that it should be fine, but if we do misconnect, what is AA's responsibility? Are they responsible for hotel and/or meals? To get us back in the same class (F) ?
I understand that it should be fine, but if we do misconnect, what is AA's responsibility? Are they responsible for hotel and/or meals? To get us back in the same class (F) ?
Aug 8, 2018, 8:25 pm
#1228
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: TPA/SRQ
Programs: Hyatt Explorer, Marriott Titanium, AA Plat Pro, UA Silver, Avis Plus, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,692
I was easily racked up a bunch of EQM’s but short on dollars. It’s definarely my own fault.They are I fares, I wanted the 777 for the long leg. Oh well live and learn and ask questions. I’ll call tomorrow. Maybe put in another work trip right after Labor Day. Thanks again !!
Aug 9, 2018, 12:38 pm
#1229
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 10
AA-Qatar Award Change
My current award is DEN-LAX-DOH-MCT.Am I allowed to re-route DEN-CLT-ORD-DOH-MCT or DEN-ORD-DOH-MCT so that I can fly Qsuites?
thanks.
Aug 9, 2018, 12:42 pm
#1230
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
Last edited by JDiver; Aug 9, 2018 at 1:07 pm