I had the platinum challenge and have hit the requirements but the status still shows as expiring in September. When does the status for 2020 go into effect?

Thanks very much for the very clear reply!

If I buy a flexible first-class ticket from AA.com. What are the fees associated with canceling the ticket or is it fully refundable?

This will vary based on the route and fare, no one here can tell you exactly, you need to look at the specific fare rules. If you click through like you're going to buy the ticket, on the very last page before you hit purchase there will be a small link at the bottom called "Detailed Fare Rules," any fees will be listed in the Penalties section.

Refunds Reissues VOLUNTARY CHANGES - ENTER RD*31 OR RD'LINE NUM'*31 FOR VOLUNTARY CHGS.

What does that mean?

Thanks

No idea, that is travel agent and Sabre code, what does it say under the Penalties section?

Looks totally refundable with no fees right?

Thanks

Penalties PENALTIES - CHANGES/CANCELLATIONS CHANGES/CANCELLATIONS PERMITTED. NOTE - TEXT BELOW NOT VALIDATED FOR AUTOPRICING. -TICKETS MUST BE REISSUED FOR ALL VOLUNTARY CHANGES. -CHANGES RESULTING IN A HIGHER FARE MUST BE ADD COLLECTED. -IF THE CHANGE RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE THE DIFFERENCE MAY BE REFUNDED TO THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT WITHOUT PENALTY. -CERTAIN DOMESTIC REISSUE PROVISIONS MAY BE OVERRIDDEN BY THOSE OF AA INTERNATIONAL FARES. -FULL REFUND WILL BE MADE OF WHOLLY UNUSED REFUNDABLE FARE TICKETS. -FOR PARTIALLY USED TICKETS/ THE REFUND WILL BE THE AMOUNT PAID MINUS THE NORMAL ONE-WAY FARE APPLICABLE TO THE TRANSPORTATION USED. --- I. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OF THE JOURNEY - CHANGES TO THE ORIGINATING FLIGHT ON THE TICKET - CANCEL AND START OVER. 1.THE ENTIRE TICKET MUST BE REPRICED WITH FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF NEW TICKET ISSUANCE. 2.USE ANY FARE ALLOWED BY COMBINATION AND REISSUE RULES WHICH DOES NOT USE FARE TYPE EOU/ERU. 3.ALL PROVISIONS OF THE NEW FARE I.E. ADV RSVN/ MIN/MAX STAY/INVENTORY ETC MUST BE MET. 4.ADVANCE RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS ARE MEASURED FROM THE REISSUE DATE TO THE DEPARTURE OF THE PRICING UNIT. 5.ANY DIFFERENCE IN FARES MUST BE COLLECTED. IF THE REPRICE RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE/THE DIFFERENCE IN FARES WILL BE RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT. --- II. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OF THE JOURNEY - CHANGES TO CONTINUING/RETURN FLIGHTS WHEN THERE IS NO CHANGE TO ORIGIN/DESTINATION OR STOPOVERS. THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE AND THE LOWEST SOLUTION WILL APPLY. --- A. ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE SAME FARES AS TICKETED. REPRICE THE ITINERARY USING THE SAME FARE BASIS CODE/SAME FARE LEVEL/ SAME RULES AS TICKETED/ THAT IS/ THOSE IN EFFECT AT THE TIME THE ORIGINAL TICKET WAS SOLD. 1.NO CHANGE IS PERMITTED TO STOPOVER/ THE FIRST FARE COMPONENT OR FARE BREAKS. 2.THE TICKETED FARE BASIS CODE/ SAME RULE MUST BE USED AS THE REPLACEMENT FARE FOR THE REVISED FARE COMPONENT ON THE NEW TICKET. 3.NEW FARE MUST BE EQUAL TO THE PREVIOUS FARE. COMPARE BASE FARE VALUES FOR THE REVISED FARE COMPONENT TO THAT OF THE TICKETED FARE COMPONENT. 4.ALL RULE/BOOKING CODE PROVISIONS MUST BE MET. 5.FLIGHT SPECIFIC FARES MUST REMAIN WITHIN THE TIMES SPECIFIED FOR THAT FARE. 6.ADVANCE RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS ARE MEASURED FROM THE REISSUE DATE TO DEPARTURE OF PRICING UNIT. --- B. CANCEL AND START OVER. REPRICE THE ENTIRE ITINERARY USING FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF NEW TICKET ISSUANCE. 1.USE ANY FARE ALLOWED BY COMBINATION AND REISSUE RULES WHICH DOES NOT USE FARE TYPE EOU/ERU. 2.ADVANCE RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS ARE MEASURED FROM REISSUE DATE TO DEPARTURE OF THE PRICING UNIT. 3.ANY DIFFERENCE IN FARES MUST BE COLLECTED. IF THE REPRICE RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE/ THE DIFFERENCE IN FARES WILL BE RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT. --- C. REPRICE THE ITINERARY USING THE SAME FARE BASIS CODES AND RULES AS THOSE IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF ORIGINAL TICKET ISSUANCE FOR UNCHANGED FARE COMPONENTS AND USING FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF NEW TICKET ISSUANCE FOR ALL CHANGED FARE COMPONENTS. 1. NO CHANGE TO 1ST FARE COMPONENT/FARE BREAKS UP TO THE FIRST CHANGED FARE COMPONENT. 2. THE TICKETED SAME FARE MUST BE USED ON THE FIRST FARE COMPONENT. 3. USE ANY FARE ALLOWED BY COMBINATION AND REISSUE RULES WHICH DOES NOT USE FARE TYPE EUO/ERU. 4. ALL RULE AND BOOKING CODE PROVISIONS MUST BE MET. 5. ADVANCE RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS ARE MEASURED FROM REISSUE DATE TO DEPARTURE OF PRICING UNIT. 6. ANY DIFFERENCE IN FARES MUST BE COLLECTED. IF THE REPRICE RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE/THE DIFFERENCE IN FARES WILL BE RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT. --- III. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OF THE JOURNEY- CHANGES TO THE CONTINUING/RETURN FLIGHTS WHEN THERE IS A CHANGE TO ORIGIN/DESTINATION OR STOPOVERS. ' --- A. CANCEL AND START OVER. REPRICE THE ENTIRE ITINERARY USING FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF NEW TICKET ISSUANCE. 1. USE ANY FARE ALLOWED BY COMBINATION AND REISSUE RULES WHICH DOES NOT USE FARE TYPE EOU/ERU. 2. ADVANCE RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS ARE MEASURED FROM REISSUE DATE TO DEPARTURE OF THE PRICING UNIT. 3. ANY DIFFERENCE IN FARES MUST BE COLLECTED. IF THE REPRICE RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE/ THE DIFFERENCE IN FARES WILL BE RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT. --- IV. AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE JOURNEY - WHEN THERE IS NO CHANGE TO ORIGIN/DESTINATION OR STOPOVERS. THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE AND THE LOWEST SOLUTION WILL APPLY. --- A. ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE SAME FARES AS TICKETED. REPRICE THE ITINERARY USING THE SAME FARE BASIS CODE/SAME FARE LEVEL/SAME RULES AS TICKETED/THAT IS/THOSE IN EFFECT AT THE TIME THE ORIGINAL TICKET WAS SOLD. 1. NO CHANGE IS PERMITTED TO STOPOVER/THE FIRST FARE COMPONENT OR FARE BREAKS. 2. THE TICKETED ONE WAY FARE BASIS CODE/SAME RULE MUST BE USED AS THE REPLACEMENT FARE FOR THE REVISED FARE COMPONENT ON THE NEW TICKET. 3. NEW FARE MUST BE EQUAL TO THE PREVIOUS FARE. COMPARE BASE FARE VALUES FOR THE REVISED FARE COMPONENT TO THAT OF THE TICKETED FARE COMPONENT. 4. ALL RULE/BOOKING CODE PROVISIONS MUST BE MET 5. FLIGHT SPECIFIC FARES MUST REMAIN WITHIN THE TIMES SPECIFIED FOR THAT FARE. 6. ADVANCE RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS ARE MEASURED FROM THE REISSUE DATE TO DEPARTURE OF PRICING UNIT. --- B. REPRICE THE ITINERARY USING THE SAME FARE BASIS CODES AND RULES AS THOSE IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF ORIGINAL TICKET ISSUANCE FOR UNCHANGED FARE COMPONENTS AND USING FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF NEW TICKET ISSUANCE FOR ALL CHANGED FARE COMPONENTS. 1. NO CHANGE TO 1ST FARE COMPONENT/FARE BREAKS UP TO THE FIRST CHANGED FARE COMPONENT. 2. THE TICKETED SAME FARE MUST BE USED ON THE FIRST FARE COMPONENT. 3. FULLY FLOWN ONE-WAY FARE MUST NOT BE PRICED AS A HALF ROUNDTRIP. 4. USE ANY ONE-WAY FARE ALLOWED BY COMBINATION AND REISSUE RULES WHICH DOES NOT USE FARE TYPE EOU/ERU. 5. ALL RULE AND BOOKING CODE PROVISIONS MUST BE MET. 6. ADVANCE RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS ARE MEASURED FROM REISSUE DATE TO DEPARTURE OF THE PRICING UNIT. 7. ANY DIFFERENCE IN FARES MUST BE COLLECTED. IF THE REPRICE RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE/THE DIFFERENCE IN FARES WILL BE RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT. --- C. REPRICE THE ITINERARY USING HISTORICAL ONE WAY FARES FROM THE PREVIOUS TICKET ISSUE DATE FOR FLOWN FARE COMPONENTS IN AN EQUAL OR HIGHER BOOKING CLASS. USE FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF NEW TICKET ISSUANCE FOR ALL UNFLOWN COMPONENTS 1. FARE BREAKS FOR THE FLOWN FARE COMPONENTS MAY NOT BE CHANGED. 2. USE BOOKING CLASS HIERARCHY WHEN REPLACING FARES FOR THE FLOWN FARE COMPONENTS. THE HIERARCHY IS ECONOMY CLASS - Y H K M L V G S N Q O BUSINESS CLASS - J D I C FIRST CLASS - F A P 3. USE ANY ONE-WAY FARE ALLOWED BY COMBINATION AND REISSUE RULES WHICH DOES NOT USE FARE TYPE EOU/ERU. 4. ALL RULE AND BOOKING CODE PROVISIONS OF THE NEW FARES MUST BE MET. 5. ADVANCE RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS ARE MEASURED FROM THE REISSUE DATE TO DEPARTURE OF THE PRICING UNIT. 6. COMPARE THE TOTAL FROM THE ORIGINAL TICKET TO THE NEW TOTAL OF THE FLOWN AND UNFLOWN FARE COMPONENTS. 7. ANY DIFFERENCE IN FARES MUST BE COLLECTED. IF THE REPRICE RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE/ THE DIFFERENCE IN FARES WILL BE RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT. --- V. AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE JOURNEY - CHANGES TO CONTINUING/RETURN FLIGHTS WHEN THERE IS A CHANGE TO ORIGIN/DESTINATION OR STOPOVERS. --- A. REPRICE THE ITINERARY USING HISTORICAL ONE WAY FARES FROM THE PREVIOUS TICKET ISSUE DATE FOR FLOWN FARE COMPONENTS IN AN EQUAL OR HIGHER BOOKING CLASS. USE FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF NEW TICKET ISSUANCE FOR ALL UNFLOWN COMPONENTS. 1. FARE BREAKS FOR THE FLOWN FARE COMPONENTS MAY NOT BE CHANGED. 2. USE BOOKING CLASS HIERARCHY WHEN REPLACING FARES FOR FLOWN FARE COMPONENTS. THE HIERARCHY IS ECONOMY CLASS - Y H K M L V G S N Q O BUSINESS CLASS - J D I C FIRST CLASS - F A P 3. USE ANY ONE-WAY FARE ALLOWED BY COMBINATION AND REISSUE RULES WHICH DOES NOT USE FARE TYPE EOU/ERU. 4. ALL RULE AND BOOKING CODE PROVISIONS OF THE NEW FARES MUST BE MET. 5. ADVANCE RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS ARE MEASURED FROM THE REISSUE DATE TO DEPARTURE OF THE PRICING UNIT. 6. COMPARE THE TOTAL FROM THE ORIGINAL TICKET TO THE NEW TOTAL OF THE FLOWN AND UNFLOWN FARE COMPONENTS. 7. ANY DIFFERENCE IN FARES MUST BE COLLECTED. IF THE REPRICE RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE/ THE DIFFERENCE IN FARES WILL BE RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT.

Yes, the bolded part above is generally what counts, if there were any fees they would be listed shortly after.

Thanks, a hurricane coming, gotta jump ship.

Booking F on JAL w/AA miles?
 

I'd like to try F on Japan Airlines NRT-JFK, on Oct 18 (19/20 also work).
How do I know (a) if there's any availability, since JAL site is impossibly confusing and (b) if I could book this w/AA miles?
Thanks a lot...

You can now search for JL award flights on aa.com. If there is availability, it will show up as a MileSAAver award.

Thanks - does it mean that if it does not show up there, it is not available, or it may be available but someone needs to use one of these award-searching tools..?

If aa.com is functioning properly, it means that there is no availability with AA miles. But there might be times when aa.com is not functioning properly, so you can always call AA to double check.
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I would like to book a one-way in business, using AA miles, from EWR to somewhere in Europe (preferably Frankfurt, Minsk, Warsaw, Belgrade, or Tirana, but pretty much anywhere might work). Preferably in March.

When I checked the AAdvantage site, all the award flights from EWR go first to LHR (on BA), then onward.
I want to avoid BA due to the high surcharges.

Any advice on how to get an award flight from EWR to Europe using AA miles, but not on BA?

Not a newbie question
 

First thing is to look where AA flys to in Eu from NYC.
EWR is not in the list of airports AA fly from to Eu. Look at JFK & PHL
BA flys from EWR, so AAdvantage selects that first. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark...tional_Airport
Also be aware of AA award married segments. Several threads on that topic

AA to Europe---> Where exactly does AA fly to Europe? Which routes have good business seats? Open the wiki and look at the table image

BA IB----> Help avoid YQ Surcharge: AA award on BA / British (& Iberia) (master thread)