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)
Dec 10, 2018, 1:22 pm
#1966
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: EWR
Posts: 80
Flying on an A333 PHL-CUN and searching for input on seat selection. Certain bloggers recommend not selecting a seat ahead of time on AA for a chance to get the preferred seats (the window + aisle pair) for free. Is there any truth to this, anecdotally? Flight seems pretty full - I have not checked Expert Flyer, but AA is marketing the flight as "only 3 economy seats left." But every free seat is grayed out and huge swaths of preferred seats are still up for sale. I'm traveling with a partner and we have 2 seats together in the center section right now. I'm fine keeping them in order to sit next to my partner.
Any success with reliably getting the preferred seats? I've also been checking all the time to see if something opens up, like if elite upgrades clear or something.
Any success with reliably getting the preferred seats? I've also been checking all the time to see if something opens up, like if elite upgrades clear or something.
Dec 11, 2018, 1:54 pm
#1967
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,443
Flying on an A333 PHL-CUN and searching for input on seat selection. Certain bloggers recommend not selecting a seat ahead of time on AA for a chance to get the preferred seats (the window + aisle pair) for free. Is there any truth to this, anecdotally? Flight seems pretty full - I have not checked Expert Flyer, but AA is marketing the flight as "only 3 economy seats left." But every free seat is grayed out and huge swaths of preferred seats are still up for sale. I'm traveling with a partner and we have 2 seats together in the center section right now. I'm fine keeping them in order to sit next to my partner.
Any success with reliably getting the preferred seats? I've also been checking all the time to see if something opens up, like if elite upgrades clear or something.
Any success with reliably getting the preferred seats? I've also been checking all the time to see if something opens up, like if elite upgrades clear or something.
As to the blogger advice about not selecting seats, there is certainly nothing reliable or predictable about it, there's a chance it could work and you could end up with a window/aisle pair at the airport, and there's an equally probable chance you could end up separated in middle seats in the back rows apart. It's a complete roll of the dice and every flight will be different depending on the route, loads, how full economy is, how many elites are on it and how many upgrades clear, etc. etc. etc.
If you want to sit together then I would for sure just keep the seats you have, start checking online about 24 hrs before to see if any window/aisle pairs open up, and definitely ask at the airport.
Dec 11, 2018, 5:02 pm
#1968
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 812
There is no way “to link PNRs”, and at ORD you’ll likely have to retrieve your checked baggage and check it in with QR due to separate ticketing. And QR is not under any obligation to reaccommodate you if you miss your flight (though AA will do so on your return if a delay affects your ORD-DSM flight).
See FAQ: TCP, "Linking" / link / merge itineraries / PNR (master thread)
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...es-2016-a.html
I e booked as you, overnighting at ORD. I’d at least recommend more time...
See FAQ: TCP, "Linking" / link / merge itineraries / PNR (master thread)
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...es-2016-a.html
I e booked as you, overnighting at ORD. I’d at least recommend more time...
Dec 11, 2018, 7:18 pm
#1969
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,443
Through checking bags is definitely not possible but 4.5 hrs should be plenty of time.
Dec 11, 2018, 7:34 pm
#1970
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: AAdvangage Plat Pro. Frontier Diamond Elite
Posts: 13
Hi all, I'm a current Plat but simply am going to fall short of plat this year since i will be unable to squeeze a MR in within the next month. I have been offered a fairly generous buy up to plat again for the next year which I plan on doing. I have a RT between PHL-LAX coming up before my status is set to expire. My question is, should I wait until after that flight to buy plt for next year because it will make the offer a lower price? Or will it not change
Dec 11, 2018, 8:00 pm
#1971
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,443
Hi all, I'm a current Plat but simply am going to fall short of plat this year since i will be unable to squeeze a MR in within the next month. I have been offered a fairly generous buy up to plat again for the next year which I plan on doing. I have a RT between PHL-LAX coming up before my status is set to expire. My question is, should I wait until after that flight to buy plt for next year because it will make the offer a lower price? Or will it not change
Dec 11, 2018, 8:44 pm
#1972
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: NYC
Posts: 73
Trying to book a J award from NYC to Malé (MLE). For the particular date I am looking at, there is J availability from Boston (on Qatar through DOH, and then on UL through Sri Lanka). However, there is no J availability from NYC.
There is also J Saver space available from LGA to BOS.
Under AA award rules would this need to be two awards (LGA-BOS 15k + BOS-MLE 70k) or is it possible to do this as one award (LGA-MLE 70k).
Thanks!
There is also J Saver space available from LGA to BOS.
Under AA award rules would this need to be two awards (LGA-BOS 15k + BOS-MLE 70k) or is it possible to do this as one award (LGA-MLE 70k).
Thanks!
Dec 11, 2018, 8:48 pm
#1973
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,443
Trying to book a J award from NYC to Malé (MLE). For the particular date I am looking at, there is J availability from Boston (on Qatar through DOH, and then on UL through Sri Lanka). However, there is no J availability from NYC.
There is also J Saver space available from LGA to BOS.
Under AA award rules would this need to be two awards (LGA-BOS 15k + BOS-MLE 70k) or is it possible to do this as one award (LGA-MLE 70k).
Thanks!
There is also J Saver space available from LGA to BOS.
Under AA award rules would this need to be two awards (LGA-BOS 15k + BOS-MLE 70k) or is it possible to do this as one award (LGA-MLE 70k).
Thanks!
*this assumes no married segment "issues" with the LGA-BOS availability
Dec 11, 2018, 11:41 pm
#1974
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
That said, in this circumstance it doesn’t hurt to wait and see if the offer changes, so I agree that waiting is the better choice.
Dec 12, 2018, 9:05 am
#1975
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 954
If I have an existing AAdvantage itinerary being JFK-GIG and GRU-JFK, can I add a flight to this between GIG and GRU (well, really, SDU and CGH, the cities' respective domestic airports)? Since I'm not getting any mileage refund, there shouldn't be a refund fee, right? I'm not sure if there would be a change fee since the original flights are not changing.
Dec 12, 2018, 9:11 am
#1976
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
If I have an existing AAdvantage itinerary being JFK-GIG and GRU-JFK, can I add a flight to this between GIG and GRU (well, really, SDU and CGH, the cities' respective domestic airports)? Since I'm not getting any mileage refund, there shouldn't be a refund fee, right? I'm not sure if there would be a change fee since the original flights are not changing.
Dec 12, 2018, 9:16 am
#1977
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 550
If I have an existing AAdvantage itinerary being JFK-GIG and GRU-JFK, can I add a flight to this between GIG and GRU (well, really, SDU and CGH, the cities' respective domestic airports)? Since I'm not getting any mileage refund, there shouldn't be a refund fee, right? I'm not sure if there would be a change fee since the original flights are not changing.
If you book far enough in advance you can get a cash flight on LATAM for as low as R$140, which is ~$40 USD. That seems the better option if you can get the date/times you need.
Dec 12, 2018, 9:22 am
#1978
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 954
Since you are changing the destination of one of the awards, expect to pay the $150 redeposit fee to reissue the award. You run the chance of losing the original award seat if there is no longer award seats on the flight you already have booked.
If you book far enough in advance you can get a cash flight on LATAM for as low as R$140, which is ~$40 USD. That seems the better option if you can get the date/times you need.
If you book far enough in advance you can get a cash flight on LATAM for as low as R$140, which is ~$40 USD. That seems the better option if you can get the date/times you need.
Dec 12, 2018, 9:27 am
#1979
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 550
In order to change the origin or destination, it would need to be cancelled and reissued. Your award is JFK-GIG, not JFK-GRU. Since all awards are one way only you technically would only be risking one of the two flights, but you can probably just find a cash flight for the same price as reissuing the award.
Dec 12, 2018, 9:36 am
#1980
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 954
In order to change the origin or destination, it would need to be cancelled and reissued. Your award is JFK-GIG, not JFK-GRU. Since all awards are one way only you technically would only be risking one of the two flights, but you can probably just find a cash flight for the same price as reissuing the award.