Jan 1, 2019, 2:12 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Welcome to the 2019 "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: 2019 NEWBIE LOUNGE older posts are here.
The 2018 AA NEWBIE LOUNGE post thread is here
The 2017 AA NEWBIE LOUNGE post thread is here
The 2016 AA NEWBIE LOUNGE post thread is here
Thanks for reading!
ARCHIVE: NEWBIE LOUNGE 2019: Ask "Newbie" AA Questions Here (flame free)
Apr 10, 2019, 8:47 am
#556
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: AA, Marriott
Posts: 1
AA Exec Platinum - Flying on AA Metal under BA Code Share
Hi all! Relatively new EP on AA based on mostly domestic flights. I am looking at international trip for fall - both flights are on AA metal but BA ticket via the code share on the same flight is almost 500 less (2500 vs 3000). Will I be able to use miles/cash to request an upgrade on the international leg and get my complimentary upgrade on the domestic if I book through BA? I am not worried about lounge access as I will get that either way, wondering if I can get the paid upgrade to business from PE. Any insight would be great!
Apr 10, 2019, 10:19 am
#557
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Hi all! Relatively new EP on AA based on mostly domestic flights. I am looking at international trip for fall - both flights are on AA metal but BA ticket via the code share on the same flight is almost 500 less (2500 vs 3000). Will I be able to use miles/cash to request an upgrade on the international leg and get my complimentary upgrade on the domestic if I book through BA? I am not worried about lounge access as I will get that either way, wondering if I can get the paid upgrade to business from PE. Any insight would be great!
Apr 10, 2019, 12:40 pm
#558
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 53
If I bought a PE ticket from AA I have an AA flight number but my flight is on BA metal. If I decide to buy an upgrade at the airport at check in (if it is available) will I credit toward my EQD? How would that work because I purchased my ticket through AA but if I pay $800 for an upgrade I want credit for it on my account. Thanks in advance.
Apr 10, 2019, 12:43 pm
#559
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
If I bought a PE ticket from AA I have an AA flight number but my flight is on BA metal. If I decide to buy an upgrade at the airport at check in (if it is available) will I credit toward my EQD? How would that work because I purchased my ticket through AA but if I pay $800 for an upgrade I want credit for it on my account. Thanks in advance.
Apr 10, 2019, 12:49 pm
#560
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,470
If I bought a PE ticket from AA I have an AA flight number but my flight is on BA metal. If I decide to buy an upgrade at the airport at check in (if it is available) will I credit toward my EQD? How would that work because I purchased my ticket through AA but if I pay $800 for an upgrade I want credit for it on my account. Thanks in advance.
The only way to get the EQD is to do an upfare before the flight, whereby which you pay the fare difference between PE and business. In doing this your ticket would be fully reissued in business class, you would earn full EQD for the extra spend, and whatever extra EQM/RDM come with the fare increase and business booking code. Of course the downside is that an upfare is typically way more expensive than any day of departure upgrades offered, but you never know.
Apr 10, 2019, 6:31 pm
#561
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: MCO-TPA
Programs: AA EXP, UA, B6, DL, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, Hilton, National
Posts: 197
How Best to Use Miles/Points
First of all, apologies for lurking and enjoying for several years and not contributing. Inexcusable. I earn EXP by segments and have a lot of stories to tell. I will do better. Looking towards retirement in 1 to 1 1/2 years. This is my 4th year as EXP, and will qualify again in 2019. Mrs and I are thinking about how best to use 1 mil AAdvantage miles plus about 300K each Delta and United and 1.5 mil Bonvoy points. I have been doing some dummy bookings and it seems like the most saver availability opens within 2 weeks to a month. Seems tougher the farther out you look. We would be looking for business/first. My thought is just heading out on an adventure wherever saver awards are available until we run out of points. When retired we will have 100% flexibility. Have the normal bucket list; Bora Bora and Maldives, Al Maha, etc. Would appreciate any advice as how best to maximize these resources.
Apr 10, 2019, 7:41 pm
#562
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,018
TBRIC Welcome to FT (& upcoming retirement)
Those can be tough award destinations in first/business class. Will take some research & perseverance.
Freq flyer awards start be become available 330/353 days out (depending in ffp) to much closer to departure. Flexibility is your friend when it comes to awards.
For awards search for threads on those destinations.
Working backwards from the destination airport can give a feel of possible airlines/routes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velana...tional_Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faa%27...tional_Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai_...tional_Airport
For AA
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
AA oneworld & Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (master thd)
UA & DL subforums may have similar master threads (but better organised on AA forum)
Good luck ^
First of all, apologies for lurking and enjoying for several years and not contributing. Inexcusable. I earn EXP by segments and have a lot of stories to tell. I will do better. Looking towards retirement in 1 to 1 1/2 years. This is my 4th year as EXP, and will qualify again in 2019.
Mrs and I are thinking about how best to use 1 mil AAdvantage miles plus about 300K each Delta and United and 1.5 mil Bonvoy points.
I have been doing some dummy bookings and it seems like the most saver availability opens within 2 weeks to a month. Seems tougher the farther out you look. We would be looking for business/first. My thought is just heading out on an adventure wherever saver awards are available until we run out of points. When retired we will have 100% flexibility.
Have the normal bucket list; Bora Bora and Maldives, Al Maha, etc. Would appreciate any advice as how best to maximize these resources.
Mrs and I are thinking about how best to use 1 mil AAdvantage miles plus about 300K each Delta and United and 1.5 mil Bonvoy points.
I have been doing some dummy bookings and it seems like the most saver availability opens within 2 weeks to a month. Seems tougher the farther out you look. We would be looking for business/first. My thought is just heading out on an adventure wherever saver awards are available until we run out of points. When retired we will have 100% flexibility.
Have the normal bucket list; Bora Bora and Maldives, Al Maha, etc. Would appreciate any advice as how best to maximize these resources.
Freq flyer awards start be become available 330/353 days out (depending in ffp) to much closer to departure. Flexibility is your friend when it comes to awards.
For awards search for threads on those destinations.
Working backwards from the destination airport can give a feel of possible airlines/routes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velana...tional_Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faa%27...tional_Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai_...tional_Airport
For AA
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
AA oneworld & Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (master thd)
UA & DL subforums may have similar master threads (but better organised on AA forum)
Good luck ^
Apr 11, 2019, 4:03 am
#563
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: MCO-TPA
Programs: AA EXP, UA, B6, DL, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, Hilton, National
Posts: 197
Great advice, especially about working backward from destination. Thanks for the reply.
Apr 11, 2019, 4:16 am
#564
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,018
Awardhacker can give a guide-->https://www.awardhacker.com/#f=LAX&t...=0&c=j&s=1&p=0
Apr 12, 2019, 7:30 am
#565
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
Flying to LAX on monday morning.
My fiancee decided she wanted to come with this trip but paid first is full-fare and very expensive, So she had to buy main cabin tickets. I'm already in paid F.
Separate PNR's. I've called AA to link them but they won't as its not the same class of travel. Is there anyway to get her on the upgrade list before or at airport ? I planned on sponsoring her with 500 mileage stickers.
My fiancee decided she wanted to come with this trip but paid first is full-fare and very expensive, So she had to buy main cabin tickets. I'm already in paid F.
Separate PNR's. I've called AA to link them but they won't as its not the same class of travel. Is there anyway to get her on the upgrade list before or at airport ? I planned on sponsoring her with 500 mileage stickers.
Apr 12, 2019, 7:41 am
#566
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,733
Flying to LAX on monday morning.
My fiancee decided she wanted to come with this trip but paid first is full-fare and very expensive, So she had to buy main cabin tickets. I'm already in paid F.
Separate PNR's. I've called AA to link them but they won't as its not the same class of travel. Is there anyway to get her on the upgrade list before or at airport ? I planned on sponsoring her with 500 mileage stickers.
My fiancee decided she wanted to come with this trip but paid first is full-fare and very expensive, So she had to buy main cabin tickets. I'm already in paid F.
Separate PNR's. I've called AA to link them but they won't as its not the same class of travel. Is there anyway to get her on the upgrade list before or at airport ? I planned on sponsoring her with 500 mileage stickers.
Apr 12, 2019, 12:47 pm
#567
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
If I do Same Day Stand by to cut 2 hours off my flight. Will I still be in first (paid) class or is it any available seat ?
Theres a couple different options. Confirmed $0 with flight times that don't work for me
or there's this Stand-By $0
Theres a couple different options. Confirmed $0 with flight times that don't work for me
or there's this Stand-By $0
Apr 12, 2019, 1:04 pm
#568
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 551
Standby is any available seat, and a 95% percent guarantee that the new seat won't be in first. Usually the upgrade list is processed before the standby list.
Apr 12, 2019, 1:07 pm
#569
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
Will they give me a choice before placing me in economy on the earlier flight ?
i’d rather fly first then save 40 minutes
i’d rather fly first then save 40 minutes
Apr 12, 2019, 1:14 pm
#570
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 551
You would have to double check with the Gate agent, if the time you would save is 40 minutes, its not worth the risk to me. There is a good chance that the last available seat could be last row middle seat, etc. If you see a confirmed change to first become available though keep an eye for that.