Mileage Upgrade refund if I cancel flight?
Mar 21, 2020, 4:25 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: DTW
Programs: AMEX PLAT, DL PLAT, RITZ CARLTON PLAT, HILTON GOLD
Posts: 49
Mileage Upgrade refund if I cancel flight?
I used AA miles to upgrade to first class from JFK-ANU for flight 4/23 and anticipate having to cancel the flight due to Covid 19. How do I get my miles refunded from a mileage upgrade?
Last edited by edfisher; Mar 21, 2020 at 4:26 pm Reason: missing words
Mar 21, 2020, 10:45 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Mar 24, 2020, 6:51 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
Virus pandemic or not, it's always been possible to re-deposit the miles from an upgrade award, anyone that's not EXP just has to pay the $150 re-deposit fee.
Under normal circumstances the $$ co-pay is non-refundable, however the trick now is just finding a sympathetic agent who will cancel and refund everything for no fee. This board is now littered with the same questions over and over about if/how/when/why to get refunds and redeposits for cancelled tickets, lots of examples of some folks calling one agent who says they must pay redeposit fee, calling the next agent who cancels and refunds everything with no fee.
For a flight that's not for over a month your best bet is to just wait and see if AA cancels the flight or changes the schedules. If/when this happens you can for sure call and cancel everything for a full refund, for no fee. My flights for early and mid April are still showing operating as usual, of course we all know in all likelihood that will change.
Mar 25, 2020, 7:37 am
#6
Join Date: May 2013
Location: LAS
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 4
Hi I paid $350, plus 25K in miles for an upgrade to Vienna. I had to cancel my flight due to my meeting being canceled. AA gave me a full refund and returned my miles. BUT i suggest you stay on them. When I called the first time they agreed to refund both. Nothing happened for 2 weeks. I called a second time and the person refiled my request and a week later my money was refunded. I called yesterday and they finally returned my miles. Just a heads up I don't believe that they were not going to follow through I just believe that things have been hectic and a refund request for an upgrade wasn't high on priorities. So start calling!
Mar 25, 2020, 11:07 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 70
Sigh...you always have to call AA reservations to get miles from an award ticket re-deposited. Sending an email to AA customer relations is NOT the way to go. A mileage upgrade is considered an award ticket no different than any other award ticket.
Virus pandemic or not, it's always been possible to re-deposit the miles from an upgrade award, anyone that's not EXP just has to pay the $150 re-deposit fee.
Under normal circumstances the $$ co-pay is non-refundable, however the trick now is just finding a sympathetic agent who will cancel and refund everything for no fee. This board is now littered with the same questions over and over about if/how/when/why to get refunds and redeposits for cancelled tickets, lots of examples of some folks calling one agent who says they must pay redeposit fee, calling the next agent who cancels and refunds everything with no fee.
For a flight that's not for over a month your best bet is to just wait and see if AA cancels the flight or changes the schedules. If/when this happens you can for sure call and cancel everything for a full refund, for no fee. My flights for early and mid April are still showing operating as usual, of course we all know in all likelihood that will change.
Virus pandemic or not, it's always been possible to re-deposit the miles from an upgrade award, anyone that's not EXP just has to pay the $150 re-deposit fee.
Under normal circumstances the $$ co-pay is non-refundable, however the trick now is just finding a sympathetic agent who will cancel and refund everything for no fee. This board is now littered with the same questions over and over about if/how/when/why to get refunds and redeposits for cancelled tickets, lots of examples of some folks calling one agent who says they must pay redeposit fee, calling the next agent who cancels and refunds everything with no fee.
For a flight that's not for over a month your best bet is to just wait and see if AA cancels the flight or changes the schedules. If/when this happens you can for sure call and cancel everything for a full refund, for no fee. My flights for early and mid April are still showing operating as usual, of course we all know in all likelihood that will change.