Jan 18, 2021, 1:06 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Welcome to the archived 2021 "NEWBIE LOUNGE"Ask Your Consolidated / Combined AA Questions Here (flame free)
MODERATOR GUIDEPOST: (This post can only be edited by moderators.)
FOR THE 2022 THREAD, SEE HERE: link
Welcome to the Newbie Lounge!
Important links:
Link to American Airlines Conditions of Carriage
Link to AAdvantage Terms and Conditions
NOTE: See below for links to the archived older threads.
Q. How can I find information more easily than reading through all the threads? Now that I'm here, what do I do next?
Check out the following resources:
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:
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: 2020 NEWBIE LOUNGE posts are here.
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!
MODERATOR GUIDEPOST: (This post can only be edited by moderators.)
FOR THE 2022 THREAD, SEE HERE: link
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.)
Link to American Airlines Conditions of Carriage
Link to AAdvantage Terms and Conditions
NOTE: See below for links to the archived older threads.
Q. How can I find information more easily than reading through all the threads? Now that I'm here, what do I do next?
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.
- 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: 2020 NEWBIE LOUNGE posts are here.
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!
NEWBIE LOUNGE 2021: Ask AA newbie questions here - flame-free thread
Oct 23, 2021, 9:04 am
#931
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Unfortunately, AA is known for not through checking baggages on separate tickets including AA -> AA connections.
Oct 23, 2021, 7:50 pm
#932
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 1
Layover Panic! DCA and AA
Hello,
AA sold us a flight PWM-DCA-MCO with a 30 minute layover upon arrival at DCA. I have not set foot in this airport in almost a decade and have concerns about this short of a layover. The first leg is actually Republic Airways as AA. Please advise. I will have 2 children in tow (seasoned travelers and can hustle) and 3 carry-ons. We will be crossing our fingers the checked luggage makes it.
Thanks in Advance!
AA sold us a flight PWM-DCA-MCO with a 30 minute layover upon arrival at DCA. I have not set foot in this airport in almost a decade and have concerns about this short of a layover. The first leg is actually Republic Airways as AA. Please advise. I will have 2 children in tow (seasoned travelers and can hustle) and 3 carry-ons. We will be crossing our fingers the checked luggage makes it.
Thanks in Advance!
Oct 24, 2021, 10:16 am
#933
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,642
This has probably been answered many times somewhere, so apologies in advance. I am not a regular AA person, but have a few miles and want to book a trip for my son using my miles. During the booking process it indicates that the ticket cannot be cancelled but can be fully refunded. The blurb does not say there is a time restriction for cancelling and getting points back. This seems too good to be true. Is it? Or is there actually some required time before departure you must cancel?
Web Special rules and restrictions
This trip includes a Web Special award and cannot be changed once ticketed. You can cancel your trip and reinstate miles at no charge if your plans change.
Web Special rules and restrictions
This trip includes a Web Special award and cannot be changed once ticketed. You can cancel your trip and reinstate miles at no charge if your plans change.
Oct 24, 2021, 1:16 pm
#934
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
This has probably been answered many times somewhere, so apologies in advance. I am not a regular AA person, but have a few miles and want to book a trip for my son using my miles. During the booking process it indicates that the ticket cannot be cancelled but can be fully refunded. The blurb does not say there is a time restriction for cancelling and getting points back. This seems too good to be true. Is it? Or is there actually some required time before departure you must cancel?
Web Special rules and restrictions
This trip includes a Web Special award and cannot be changed once ticketed. You can cancel your trip and reinstate miles at no charge if your plans change.
Web Special rules and restrictions
This trip includes a Web Special award and cannot be changed once ticketed. You can cancel your trip and reinstate miles at no charge if your plans change.
In any event, for any award ticket you simply must cancel before the scheduled departure time of the first flight in order to have the miles redeposited and any taxes/fees refunded.
Oct 24, 2021, 2:54 pm
#935
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,929
This is true and you should be able to do it online. The miles are returned immediately and the cash in a couple of days. If you want to rebook then you can put the new flights on hold for up to five days while you deal with the cancellation provided that there is no conflict that makes the new booking impossible.
Oct 24, 2021, 3:23 pm
#936
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,027
Oct 24, 2021, 4:14 pm
#937
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,389
Hello,
AA sold us a flight PWM-DCA-MCO with a 30 minute layover upon arrival at DCA. I have not set foot in this airport in almost a decade and have concerns about this short of a layover. The first leg is actually Republic Airways as AA. Please advise. I will have 2 children in tow (seasoned travelers and can hustle) and 3 carry-ons. We will be crossing our fingers the checked luggage makes it.
Thanks in Advance!
AA sold us a flight PWM-DCA-MCO with a 30 minute layover upon arrival at DCA. I have not set foot in this airport in almost a decade and have concerns about this short of a layover. The first leg is actually Republic Airways as AA. Please advise. I will have 2 children in tow (seasoned travelers and can hustle) and 3 carry-ons. We will be crossing our fingers the checked luggage makes it.
Thanks in Advance!
Oct 24, 2021, 7:09 pm
#938
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,642
Thanks for responses confirming what I read. With this being the case, I may expand my AA usage and book something speculative for next year. I did just get the Citi Premier 80K point bonus that I can transfer to AA.
Oct 25, 2021, 12:40 am
#939
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA, SWA
Posts: 3
Quick question as I'm not too familiar with partner airline earning. I'm about 900 short of the 2k for the AA EQD re-qualifier end of year program. If I book a random AS F (D and I code) between DFW and SEA, that should get me there?
1,657*2 * 0.30 = 994.2 EQD
There doesn't need to be anything special about this flight other than I need to make sure to use my AA number when booking on alaskaair.com ? Thanks!
1,657*2 * 0.30 = 994.2 EQD
There doesn't need to be anything special about this flight other than I need to make sure to use my AA number when booking on alaskaair.com ? Thanks!
Oct 25, 2021, 1:09 am
#940
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: The Indo Jungle
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,319
I have already selected MCE seats for all of us, if I split the reservation to 2 and 2, will those seat assignments be lost?
Thanks
Oct 25, 2021, 5:34 am
#941
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
Quick question as I'm not too familiar with partner airline earning. I'm about 900 short of the 2k for the AA EQD re-qualifier end of year program. If I book a random AS F (D and I code) between DFW and SEA, that should get me there?
1,657*2 * 0.30 = 994.2 EQD
There doesn't need to be anything special about this flight other than I need to make sure to use my AA number when booking on alaskaair.com ? Thanks!
1,657*2 * 0.30 = 994.2 EQD
There doesn't need to be anything special about this flight other than I need to make sure to use my AA number when booking on alaskaair.com ? Thanks!
Oct 25, 2021, 5:38 am
#942
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 134
However, if you get upgraded, your reservation will be split again so it will be 1 1 2. At this point, I believe you will be unable to extend your benefits to your traveling companions.
Oct 25, 2021, 5:44 am
#943
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
Yea, PNR needs to be split in order to request upgrades for just one of your companions. If you split the PNR your other companions will not lose their MCE seats, as there is no requirement that companions must be on the same PNR in order to leverage your free preferred seating benefits.
Oct 25, 2021, 6:12 am
#944
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 134
I remember reading something on AA's website that was something along the lines of:
One world status will be added at ticketing or applied at the gate, whichever is higher.
I can't seem to find that verbiage on AA's site anymore... does anyone know what I'm talking about?
One world status will be added at ticketing or applied at the gate, whichever is higher.
I can't seem to find that verbiage on AA's site anymore... does anyone know what I'm talking about?
Oct 25, 2021, 7:28 am
#945
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 551
I remember reading something on AA's website that was something along the lines of:
One world status will be added at ticketing or applied at the gate, whichever is higher.
I can't seem to find that verbiage on AA's site anymore... does anyone know what I'm talking about?
One world status will be added at ticketing or applied at the gate, whichever is higher.
I can't seem to find that verbiage on AA's site anymore... does anyone know what I'm talking about?
It's on the checked baggage page still. https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...age-policy.jsp
Complimentary bags
In some cases, you won't have to pay the fees for up to 3 bags when traveling on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines or marketed by American and operated by a oneworldŽ partner. If you qualify for complimentary bags based on elite status, the benefits are based on your highest status level at time of ticketing or check-in.