Ok, so basically I just have to get lucky for that first class offer.
I did get an offer to upgrade the itinerary via the app at 2 weeks out for the full price of a paid ticket which I passed on.

Hi!

Firstly, happy holidays to everyone!

I was looking to book a flight in 2020 for a couple from BUF to LHR/LGW using AA miles, but due to a limited amount of miles (c. 70k), it's returning lots with 2 stops when I'm only really looking to stop once. Is there a better search tool than the AA function as this has fairly limited functionality?

Thanks!

I'm another one of the (probably hated) Hyatt Globalists who was gifted EXP status + 4 SWUs for 2020.

I don't even know where to start looking to find the best uses for the status. I've never set foot on AA, but now that I can more easily travel to PHL, I had already thought about using it instead of EWR.

I do plan on a trip to Hawaii in the late spring/early summer and will need to break the trip into 2 parts with an overnight in either LAX or SFO. We need to arrive in HNL before 3pm and from the east coast, it's pretty much impossible.

Which threads might I read through to get me going with this? I've been a UA flier for so long I don't have a clue about other programs.

FWIW - I have about 70k miles in my account - all gleaned from shopping when AA had one of the best portals around. I figured I would collect and eventually they would come in handy.

Thank you.

Welcome to the AA forum Mary!

Here are a few threads in the forum on Hawaii:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...solidated.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...seats-etc.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...ce-hawaii.html

You may want to check out this thread on EXP status (JDiver always does a great summary in the Wikipost at the top):
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...aster-thd.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...ag-2019-a.html

You can check out ExpertFlyer, it is a great tool that can check for availability. They have a free trial, I believe it is 3 or 5 days, but the annual fee is well worth it, to me at least.

If you have specific dates in mind I can take a look for you.

AA.com will display all award options regardless of how many miles you have in your account. That is not the issue.

The problem is that award space can be tight to very tight depending on what class and when you're looking, especially for 2 people. So sAAver awards might have 2 stops, but any good routings with 1 stop will be AAnytime.

When are your travel dates, and economy or business class? Take a look at the below thread for more nuances of securing AA awards...

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...ssistance.html

Take a look here, particularly the Wikipost: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...aster-thd.html

EXP Snacks and Alcoholic beverage in Main Cabin
 

One of the perks advertised for EXPs is they are entitled to a free snack and alcoholic beverage even when traveling Main Cabin.

i am a first time EXP and was traveling BE but was not offered.

Is it something I have to ask for or are they supposed to offer?

IME the FAs often offer, but there is no harm in ordering what you want regardless. If they ask for payment, present your EXP card. ;) Seriously, I've just asked "EXP get a comp drink and snack, correct?" (I'll have to accept a lot of downward changes as in a little over a month I'll only be (LT) plat - but generally buying J, D, I if I travel.)

See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...solidated.html

Lost luggage - reimbursement.
 

Getting to know the fabolous AA customer service lately. They managed to lose one of our bags between JFK - MIA yesterday.
Filed a report att AA arrivals in MIA and they said last scan was at JFK. It hasn’t left the airport but will probably come on a later flight. He also said I can call a number to speak someone directly about reasonable emergency expenses.
That number is automated obviously :(

Now, all Mrs Petrus summer clothes, training stuff and the daughters clothes are in the bag along with some of my stuff.
It’s christmas day and Anna’s first birthday and they have nothing to wear.

everything is closed today due to christmas.
The tracking website still says bag cannot be located. Grrr. How incompetent are they?

I cannot stress enough how annoying this is. I read an article in huffpost that legally Airlines in the US are liable for up to 3700USD to cover expenses, assuming one follows the correct procedure.

Our estimate is that shoes alone in the bag are 2K plus the rest and we are above 3K.
What is the correct procedure to claim money from AA?

- file report
- buy replacement clothes/Shoes/Make up
- send in the claim with receipts, tickets etc?

thanks and merry xmas

I’m sorry about the baggage issue. These can occur more easily during the highest demand days, I think, and you’ve been caught up in that. AA will pay for some expenses, but $2k of shoes not so much. There are procedures and policies, and a lot of discussion, here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html

Is anybody else seeing anything weird going on with the aa.com site today? I logged in to explore some fares for a potential trip and noticed that for a booked intl flight I somehow got booted from PE back to the 2nd to last row in coach.

edit: Nothing like aa customer service. Called them, they claimed there was a change and no PE seats are available on any flights that day. The reservations site seems to show an entirely different story.

Can anybody suggest a good customer service # other than the 800-433-7300 number on their web site. I booked aa specifically for their PE product for the long haul flights. Now looking to cancel and rebook on Alitalia, Delta, or (ugh) United.

To get exec plat I need 310 more EQMs (I hit the $15k spend already).

What's my play here? I guess I'm going to call them and see if I can pay a nominal amount to buy up the remaining miles. Anyone else have success with this?

Thanks!

If you go online you will probably find an offer to buy up but the sum will not be nominal. There is an FT thread about it: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...us-2020-a.html

That's the only reservations number in the US. Just try calling back today, if you called on Xmas day then your'e going to get the lowest seniority / least trained phone agents possible.

What are your flights and dates?

You know, I didn't even think about that angle of what agents would be available on Christmas. I was just a bit perturbed after seeing that I had lost our seats and then been stuck in the rear without any communication from AA. At least some notice that, "hey you may want to change flights or something because you've lost all the extra legroom and slightly-better food you paid for, and now we've assigned you to a seat where you'll smell the lavatories and will be served whatever is leftover from the previous 240-odd people stuck in cattle class."

Per the first agent, the change was made several days earlier, but I never received an email, or even a notification via the AA app. I spoke with two different agents yesterday and got a decent resolution.

Don't take it personally, AA is generally awful about sending out notifications for schedule changes like this. Glad you got it sorted though.

Domestic Main Cabin fare class with International Premium Economy
 

I would like to buy HKG -LAX - JFK flights in Premium Economy.
HKG - LAX is in fare class P

If all fare classes are readily available, what is the fare class of the domestic segment （LAX JFK）？
Thank you very much
（PS , I would like to credit the miles to BA）

Hello...refugee from United here. I am going to be taking several long-haul trips to Asia this year.

What is the status of status matching? Would love to go from 1K on United to something on AA while I build my status.

You can check exact flight booking code on aa app when clicking on details for each flight

thank you for your reply.

however, I did not book this flight yet
I am not a regular AA traveler so I do not have AA app
I have the BA app
i have attempted to look at the fare basis of this AA itinerary in aa.com, but it is not easy to comprehend

the main purpose is to know how many Tier Points （BAEC）if I book this

for BA, a long haul fare class T （WT+） will map to a fare class K （WT）for short haul flight
for CX, a long haul fare class E（PEY）will map to a fare class H /K for short haul flight
how about AA, a long haul fare class P will map to what fare class for short haul flight

Questions about BA tier points are best asked in the BA forum
With Oneworld ff earnings are based on the marketing carrier (flight number) and fare booking class that you buy. That's all. Look at the BA web site for partners.
You are over thinking this by a lot looking at mapping to other fare classes on the operating airline. Irrelevant for OW

Or is the question what is fare class for a USA domestic segment when in a ticket with a long haul premium economy flight?

AA will generally not status match. They will offer a challenge for a $ fee.
Corporate deal/offers can be different/targeted

• https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...challenge.html
  
• https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html

AA will be used to UA refugee's. But don't expect anything special . You are one of thousands. And others going the opposite way

You are correct, this is what I am asking for.
if I know the fare class, I can map to BAEC

To me map is the wrong word. That word usually means the fare booking in a codeshare. For example with Star Allaince the marketed fare booking class on a codeshare does not always map to the same fare booking class of the operating airline

I am a United refugee too, they offered me exec plat with no fee for a 3 month challenge.

When you are looking at flight options at aa.com, just click the "Details" link next to each option, it will show you the booking codes for all segments.

Does someone know how to get a tax refund for Aadvantage Miles purchase for non-US award redemption?
Couple years back there was a post from Gary Leff: https://viewfromthewing.com/when-you...-tax-refunded/ but I'm not sure whether someone has actually tried that?

I'm thinking to purchase AA miles for CDG-AUH with EY First.

Hi all. Does DFW-MEX or MEX-CLT in business qualify for admirals club access? https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...hip-lounge.jsp says flights between US and Mexico City in biz or first qualify for flagship (DFW), and same for https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...lub-access.jsp for admirals (CLT). But I've been burned once flying between the US and the Caribbeans so don't trust my reading comprehension anymore...

MEX is the exception to the rule so you should be OK.

Sweet thanks!

If you read to the end of the article, it lists all the IRS tax forms you have to fill out to itemize this deduction. BUT, even then, he states that he's only assuming that it is how it works, as he never got confirmation from either the IRS or a tax attorney that this is a proper deduction. A tax attorney commented on the article saying that although this is presumably correct, the IRS will most likely reject this sort of claim and you'd have to sue them to get it.

And if you're not someone who files or has to file US federal taxes, you're SOL.

Is it a big paperwork filling that IRS forms? If yes, then I'll just leave it. The couple months time spent is not that worthy for a refund of 200 USD.

Personally, I don’t think it’s worth the money, particularly if you otherwise would not have to file a tax return. Without a social security number, you would first have to apply for an ITIN through the IRS. And itemizing deductions is a pain in my opinion. All for the possibility of a refund, since it’s not clear (at least to me) that the refund would be approved by the IRS.

So my flight times changed and I'm looking at Boston to Phoenix leaving at 6am and arriving at 1030 with my connection at 11:14. I had planned a full hour to get from point A to point B (carry-on only) but am now worried. Any idea what my odds are of making the dang connection?

AA earnings on EY flights
 

Hi, folks. About to take my first AA flight in many years PHL-MAN-AUH-CMB-AUH-CDG-PHl, purchased from AA by my travel agency.

I have a mix of flights: I class on AA, W class on EY. Only the TLANT legs are on AA metal/flight number, the EY legs have EY flight numbers/metal. If I'm reading the AA page correctly I'm going to get 0 EQM and 100% miles flown for those EY legs, is that correct?

If necessary to get credit for the EY legs, does anyone know if AA will reticket me onto AA flight numbers w/o a change in fare?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

ZBigFam,

when did you get your challenge, and what did they require of you to complete it? I'm waiting for my 2021 status to show on my digital card to put in for one.

And do you, or anyone else, know if they'll allow credit for a flight flown prior to submitting for the challenge? I have an upcoming flight mid-Jan, I'm hearing that UA often doesn't update the dig card till late Jan or Feb.

Thanks.

For a ticket issued by a TA, only the TA can change it. AA will not touch it
No-one on FT knows if that will be a fare change. Depends on the ticket t&c's
Great Circle Mapper

Hi there, I got my challenge activated on 12/20, I had requested it a week or so before. They only asked for my 2018 status and flight history. Hope that helps.

Hi all, newbie so please be patient with me. Am on a challenge as per the above. Couple of questions:

1. Any other help out there or tips on how to complete this as economically as possible? Best I can figure is flights in premium economy on BA out of ORD into JNB or DXB.
2. Second question, let's say I qualify for exec plat in 2020 by flying Cathay which isn't a named partner on my challenge. That means I miss my challenge but I qualify for exec plat in 2021, but what does that mean for 2020? Will I still get exec plat in 2020? Hope that makes sense.