seychellesbound

The AA phone agents are pricing below as two awards. I was hoping below should be a valid one way routing (BNE-KIX) in Business Class from South Pacific to Asia 1 via Asia 2 (allowed third transit region) for 40,000 per person.

BNE-NAN-HKG on FJ

HKG-TPE on CX

TPE-KIX on JL

All layovers are <24 hours.

Despite exceeding 25% of MPM, the agent stated the routing is valid and same also prices as a cash ticket from origin to destination. Per agent (Australia call center), the ultimate reason for the award splitting was the fact that there are two calendar days between the start and end of my itinerary. Has anyone else seen this restriction?

Thanks in advance for any help.

electriclarry

Is there a BA/Iberia type fees when booking JAL awards with aa miles? Seat guru shows the JAL 777300V2 business cabins with 7 abreast seating, is this correct? You Tube recent shows four abreast seating onJA J?
if you had your choice of non stop sfo hnd on jal or one stop connection via LAX on aa which would you use?

Thanks

Rava

I have a booking on hold for JAL F NRT-ORDx2 for 330 days out. I need to add a ORD-DCA segment but there are currently only aanytime flights available for times after my arrival time. Looking at other dates for this flight, it looks like saaver availability will open up in a few months on most of the routes, but I need to book the international leg soon before the hold expires.

Would it be better to book both flights at the same time, which would require me to pay an additional 40k miles for the aanytime award, but I might be able to get them on the same PNR? If I do this would it be possible to change the ORD-DCA leg to saaver after it becomes available (and reincorporate in the original award to get all of the 40k back)? I know this would require a $150 + $25 fee, but would this change be possible with only this fee, or would the booking count as two awards and require two change fees? I'm also concerned about baggage. If I end up with multiple tickets will my free baggage allotment carry over from the Japan-US leg, or will I have to pay to recheck my bags in ORD?

Alternatively, I could just book the international leg and wait to add the segment when the saaver award drops, but this could be a little risky since saaver availability is not guaranteed to come out.

JJeffrey

I'd say it's highly unlikely there's a published fare that allows that routing between BNE-KIX, which is why it's pricing as 2 awards.

Two calendar days between start and end of the trip is a hilariously bad bogus made up reason by the agent that has nothing to do with anything.

JJeffrey

There are no fuel surcharges on JL awards. Seven abreast is correct but it's a staggered config with lots of space and privacy. By all means take the JL SFO-HND nonstop vs. connecting in LAX for AA.

JJeffrey

If you book the AAnytime award now it will definitely be possible to change to the sAAver award later and get your 40k refunded.

But, if you're ok paying the $150 fee, then it's silly to book an AAnytime now at 330 days out. The AAnytime award will be available as long as there's at least one seat for sale, so unless the flight is filling up or at capacity then it will always be available. I would just book the ORD-NRT now, and when DCA-ORD sAAver opens up call in and pay the $150 fee to add that to your existing award.

And for baggage, as long as both your flights are on the same PNR then AA will check your bags through. It doesn't matter if one is AAnytime and the other sAAver as long as they're on the same PNR (they should be).

stephem

iadisgreat

I've never seen the fare rules control, only the routing rules. The fact that it was ticketed makes me believe that AA seems to think the same. YMMV.

Rava

Thanks for the info! If I wait to book ORD-DCA and saaver availability never becomes available, will I be able to add it to my existing PNR or can I only do that when I book?

electriclarry

Thanks for the info.

larry

JJeffrey

You can add the AAnytime segment later after you book, although that is a horrible use of miles to spend 40k for AAnytime F on DCA-ORD.

mathwizard314

I've read through the rules about the overwater carrier, but I am still a little bit confused. Thanks so much for any help in advance!

My partner and I are planning to fly LGA to ORD on American and then ORD to Doha on Qatar and then Doha to Amman on Royal Jordanian. I know Qatar (the overwater carrier) flies JFK to Doha but obviously not LGA to Doha. Is our LGA to ORD segment allowed on the award ticket, maybe since JFK and LGA are the same market? I tried to look at Qatar's published fares but only saw JFK?

Thanks so much again for your help!

Dave Noble

There is no such thing as an "overwater" carrier , there is however the airline whose fare is based on ( the governing carrier )

Looking at QR's routing rules for New York to Amman, going via Chicago is not listed as a permitted routing - the ony listed published routing is NYC-DOH-RJ/QR-AMM

I would expect that this will price as 2 awards , but you will only know by phoning and trying to book it

JJeffrey

If you've found award space on all of the segments then just call AA and see what the award prices out as.

Looking at the QR fares for NYC-AMM, it looks like some are restricted to connecting in PHL or BOS, so it's possible a connection in ORD might cause it to be separate awards. However AA's computers always have the final say, and there have been TONS of instances where AA prices out a single award just fine in spite of an itinerary that might not look valid on the surface.

Dave Noble

Only the NYC-DOH-AMM route is a published route ; the others are constructed routings, so again ones that may fall foul of the rules.

As mentioned, in end , rather than posting here, the best starting point is to ask AA and see whether it permits it ; if it is rejected , then see if there is a good reason for it