Mar 2, 2021, 10:17 am
Last edit by: JDiver
NOTE: This archive thread contains all posts made in 2019 from the original thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage/1511217-help-desk-milesaaver-saaver-award-questions-assistance.html
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability - Help, Assistance & Discussion
Some of you might have found your thread merged into this "consolidated" thread. If your desire is to become thoroughly familiar with the knowledge that has been accumulated about the process for acquiring MileSAAver awards feel free to read this entire thread. If you only want the assistance from those who have the knowledge your request has been merged at the end. Feel free to wait for a forthcoming answer.
If you have reached this thread by using the search process you have the same choices as above. Read the thread and become knowledgeable or post at the end and wait for a forthcoming answer.
thanks
~magic111
If you have reached this thread by using the search process you have the same choices as above. Read the thread and become knowledgeable or post at the end and wait for a forthcoming answer.
thanks
~magic111
NOTE: for more detailed fare rules, see AA oneworld & Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (master thd)
Two award search systems — TWA884
There are two search systems,
See:
New Award Booking / Search / Calendar on aa.com 2019 — link (FT thread)
The Insider Trick to Getting More American Airlines Saver Award Availability
***
If you want to make sure that you’re seeing results from both award searching systems, you’ll want to perform an award search starting on each of these:
If you want to make sure that you’re seeing results from both award searching systems, you’ll want to perform an award search starting on each of these:
NOTE: “Married segment” issues exist, wherein AA may make a IAH-DFW-XXX award available, but not DFW-XXX; or STL-PHL-LHR, but PHL-LHR May not be available in conjunction with ORD- and others. See
More award availability restricted by married segments / connections
Award hold period: Awards can generally be held for five days; five day extensions require continued availability of your flights and generating a new award booking and five day hold.
Though AA can start releasing awards 331 days from the desired flight date (even though some other airlines might make award seats available to their members 355 days out), it’s very likely award seats may be released a few days after that. If seats aren’t sold and Revenue Management algorithms signify slow sales, more seats might be released going forward.
Within 14 days the hold period changes from 5 days to 1 day. And AA has periodically played the game in the past whereby within certain timeframes, usually 7 or 14 days before, they eliminate all sAAver space. Completely route specific. — JJeffrey
="3"%Airlines that can be booked for award travel on aa.com
oneworld alliance airline partners
oneworld alliance airline partners
- AA - American Airlines
- BA - British Airways (awards incur significant YQ surcharge
- AY - Finnair
- IB - Iberia
- JL - Japan Airlines
- QF - Qantas
- QR - Qatar Airways
- RJ - Royal Jordanian Airlines (joining 31 Mar 2020)
- S7 - S7 Airlines
- UL - Sri Lankan Airlines
AS - Alaska Airlines*(ended 29 Feb 2020, to be restored upon joining oneworld in 2021 )- 9K - Cape Air (but only certain cities)
- TN - Air Tahiti Nui
- EY - Etihad
- HA - Hawaiian Airlines (only certain routes
* Mileage redemption on Alaska Airlines is ending effective February 29, 2020. All award travel must be booked and ticketed by February 29, 2020. Travel is valid for 1 year after ticketing date and must be flown no later than February 28, 2021. Ticket changes will not be allowed after February 29, 2020.
NOTE: To search for partner awards, go to advanced search from the awards search or home page and select all airlines.
="3"%Full list of oneworld airline partners (and their affiliates)
- AA - American Airlines
- BA - British Airways (Cityflyer, Comair, OpenSkies, Sun-Air of Scandinavia)
- CX - Cathay Pacific (Dragonair)
- AY - Finnair (Flybe)
- IB - Iberia (Air Nostrum, Iberia Express)
- JL - Japan Airlines (JAL Express, J-Air, Japan Transocean Air)
- LA- LAN Airlines (LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador, LAN Express, LAN Colombia, LAN Peru only, ending 1 Oct 2020)
- MH - Malaysia Airlines
- QF - Qantas Airways (QantasLink, Jetconnect)
- QR - Qatar Airways
- AT - Royal Air Maroc (as of 31 Mar 2020)
- RJ - Royal Jordanian Airlines
- S7 - S7 Airlines (Globus) (excludes Siberia / far eastern Russia awards)
- UL - SriLankan Airlines
- JJ - TAM Airlines (LATAM Airlines will no longer operate using the airline code JJ for flights on or after October 27, 2019.)
When you do call, you might want to search for award space on the flights you want and tell the agent about those flights; sometimes AA agents won't find award seats unless they search by segment.
When using other airline web sites or tools to search for award availability, it’s best to do so by segment rather than by trip. E. g. BA may show availability SAN-LHR and LHR-AMS, but not SAN-AMS. And in some instances (EY, FJ, etc.) AA US may not see availability that AA Australia or New Zealand might see.
="3"%Full list of additional airline partners offering award redemptions
- 9K - Cape Air
AS - Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air(end 29 Feb 2020, to begin upon joining oneworld in 2021)- CZ - China Southern Airlines
- EY - Etihad Airways
- FJ - Fiji Airways
- HA - Hawaiian Airlines
- TN - Air Tahiti Nui
="3"%NOTE: Ticketing charge
Effective February 16, 2015, a Reservations Ticketing Service Charge of $30.00 for domestic itineraries and $40.00 for international itineraries will be applied by AA Reservations when ticketing award reservations that can be booked on aa.com. The charge is waived for award reservations that cannot be booked on aa.com including reduced mileage awards, and for Executive Platinums. N.B. Executive Platinums booking award for non-EP will pay the service charges.
Code:
oneworld Partners Award Fare Codes First-Business-Economy -------------------------------------------------------- AA - American Airlines Z U T -------------------------------------------------------- AY – Finnair U X -------------------------------------------------------- BA – British Airways Z U X -------------------------------------------------------- CX – Cathay Pacific Z U T KA - DragonAir -------------------------------------------------------- IB – Iberia U X -------------------------------------------------------- JL – Japan Airlines (Intl) Z U T JL – Japan Airlines (Dom) Z D S -------------------------------------------------------- LATAM Group JJ - TAM Airlines O I X LA – LAN Chile Z U T XL - LAN Ecuador LP - LAN Peru 4M - LAN Argentina -------------------------------------------------------- MH - Malaysia Airlines P U X -------------------------------------------------------- QF - QANTAS Airways P U X -------------------------------------------------------- QR - Qatar Airways Z U X -------------------------------------------------------- RJ – Royal Jordanian U X -------------------------------------------------------- S7 – S7 Airlines U E -------------------------------------------------------- UL - SriLankan Airlines -------------------------------------------------------- Other Partners First Business Economy -------------------------------------------------------- CZ– China Southern Airways (unknown) -------------------------------------------------------- FJ – Fiji Airways U X -------------------------------------------------------- TN – Air Tahiti Nui F for Business U for Economy -------------------------------------------------------- AS – Alaska Airlines A W -------------------------------------------------------- LY – El Al Israel P X E -------------------------------------------------------- EY - Etihad O I N -------------------------------------------------------- HA – Hawaiian Airlines D T --------------------------------------------------------
="3"%Other rules that may affect your awards="3"%:
="3"%Award Rules
American Airlines Awards are valid for travel on flights that are marketed and operated by AA (no codeshares). These awards can be booked online at AA.com.
oneworld and Other Airline awards are valid for travel on AA and any of its partner airlines, and can include travel on multiple partners. Some of these awards must be booked over the phone, and will not incur a Ticketing Service Charge (waived for EXPs in any case) if they cannot be booked online.
Up to four one-way awards can be booked on a single PNR. Codeshares are not bookable as Awards.
MPM or Maximum Permitted Miles: A Fare or award may not exceed the most direct routing by more than 25% (unless the fare routing includes a ticketed point deduction (essentially a miles allowance that extends MPM). See MPM / Maximum Permitted Mileage & Ticketed Point Deductions (merged threads).
Stopovers and Connections
Stopovers are no longer allowed on AA awards. Stopovers will require multiple awards.
Connections are limited to two connections / three flight segments for domestic awards, and three connections / four flight segments for international awards as of Aug 2017. Link
Domestic Connections must be under 4 hours for domestic flights (except Hawaii), with some exceptions: "LIFO" (Last In - First Out connections are generally allowed.
Hawaii itinerary: Effective on 14 Jul 2014 on an all-AA-metal award itinerary, you now have up to 18 hours to connect when traveling to/from Hawaii. NOTE: Hawaii interisland connections must be separate awards and can not be included as part of a mainland-island award.
International Connections must generally not exceed 23:59 hours. Some leeway has occasionally been granted when connecting flights are not daily. If the itinerary includes an international flight, the rules for international connections apply. Link to these courtesy of JonNYC.
If there is a non-stop flight that departs after the 4h / 23h59m windows and arrives at the destination earlier than a connecting flight within the 4h / 23h59m window, the passenger may be booked on the non-stop flight. It may be difficult getting some agents to book this.
"Most Significant Carrier" rule: To price as a single award, AAdvantage requires the most significant carrier to publish a cash fare (non-constructed) between the origin and destination. Airline MSC (e.g. DFW-SFO-HKG-BKK, CX SFO-HKG is the prevailing or most significant carrier) would have to have a published fare from XXX to YYY that allows travel on all included airlines, and routing that you want. If the MSC only offers constructed fares between your desired origin and destination, AA will price this as two awards.
Constructed fares: Another rule disallows awards where the fare must be constructed (also referred to as "YY"): Using a partner, the trip will require two awards if the governing carrier (e,g. airline operating on the major route, such as transpacific carrier) doesn't publish a through fare that includes the award's proposed origin and destination that allows the carriers proposed.
See this thread about examples using TN.
Married Segment Logic - a prospective trip may be available when searching segment by segment, yet not be bookable through from origin to destination. When selling seats for through flights and the desired inventory is not available, you cannot opt to sell the flight point-to-point. If sold point-to-point, the error response MULTIPLE SEGMENTS FOR SAME FLIGHT - SELL AS ONE SEGMENT will be received, indicating this booking is not allowed. Overriding the error check by ending the PNR twice is not acceptable.
See Award with available segments not bookable? (Married Segment issues)
="3"%Award Rules
American Airlines Awards are valid for travel on flights that are marketed and operated by AA (no codeshares). These awards can be booked online at AA.com.
oneworld and Other Airline awards are valid for travel on AA and any of its partner airlines, and can include travel on multiple partners. Some of these awards must be booked over the phone, and will not incur a Ticketing Service Charge (waived for EXPs in any case) if they cannot be booked online.
Up to four one-way awards can be booked on a single PNR. Codeshares are not bookable as Awards.
MPM or Maximum Permitted Miles: A Fare or award may not exceed the most direct routing by more than 25% (unless the fare routing includes a ticketed point deduction (essentially a miles allowance that extends MPM). See MPM / Maximum Permitted Mileage & Ticketed Point Deductions (merged threads).
Stopovers and Connections
Stopovers are no longer allowed on AA awards. Stopovers will require multiple awards.
Connections are limited to two connections / three flight segments for domestic awards, and three connections / four flight segments for international awards as of Aug 2017. Link
Domestic Connections must be under 4 hours for domestic flights (except Hawaii), with some exceptions: "LIFO" (Last In - First Out connections are generally allowed.
Hawaii itinerary: Effective on 14 Jul 2014 on an all-AA-metal award itinerary, you now have up to 18 hours to connect when traveling to/from Hawaii. NOTE: Hawaii interisland connections must be separate awards and can not be included as part of a mainland-island award.
International Connections must generally not exceed 23:59 hours. Some leeway has occasionally been granted when connecting flights are not daily. If the itinerary includes an international flight, the rules for international connections apply. Link to these courtesy of JonNYC.
If there is a non-stop flight that departs after the 4h / 23h59m windows and arrives at the destination earlier than a connecting flight within the 4h / 23h59m window, the passenger may be booked on the non-stop flight. It may be difficult getting some agents to book this.
"Most Significant Carrier" rule: To price as a single award, AAdvantage requires the most significant carrier to publish a cash fare (non-constructed) between the origin and destination. Airline MSC (e.g. DFW-SFO-HKG-BKK, CX SFO-HKG is the prevailing or most significant carrier) would have to have a published fare from XXX to YYY that allows travel on all included airlines, and routing that you want. If the MSC only offers constructed fares between your desired origin and destination, AA will price this as two awards.
Constructed fares: Another rule disallows awards where the fare must be constructed (also referred to as "YY"): Using a partner, the trip will require two awards if the governing carrier (e,g. airline operating on the major route, such as transpacific carrier) doesn't publish a through fare that includes the award's proposed origin and destination that allows the carriers proposed.
See this thread about examples using TN.
Married Segment Logic - a prospective trip may be available when searching segment by segment, yet not be bookable through from origin to destination. When selling seats for through flights and the desired inventory is not available, you cannot opt to sell the flight point-to-point. If sold point-to-point, the error response MULTIPLE SEGMENTS FOR SAME FLIGHT - SELL AS ONE SEGMENT will be received, indicating this booking is not allowed. Overriding the error check by ending the PNR twice is not acceptable.
See Award with available segments not bookable? (Married Segment issues)
="3"%Resources
Some airlines or areas have different, extra or special characteristics for securing awards. See
aa.com Basic (front page) vs Advanced Award Search Results (abbreviated results for front page search vs. Advanced award search)
AAdvantage awards to / from Australia, New Zealand link
AAdvantage awards to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador link
AAdvantage awards on Air Tahiti Nui link
AAdvantage awards using British Airways incurring (avoiding) high fees link
AAdvantage award on Cathay Pacific (and Cathay Dragon) link
AAdvantage awards using Etihad Airways link
AAdvantage awards using Fiji Airways link
AAdvantage awards using Japan Airlines link
AAdvantage awards using Qantas Airways link
AAdvantage awards on S7 (Siberian) Airlines link
aa.com Basic (front page) vs Advanced Award Search Results (abbreviated results for front page search vs. Advanced award search)
AAdvantage awards to / from Australia, New Zealand link
AAdvantage awards to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador link
AAdvantage awards on Air Tahiti Nui link
AAdvantage awards using British Airways incurring (avoiding) high fees link
AAdvantage award on Cathay Pacific (and Cathay Dragon) link
AAdvantage awards using Etihad Airways link
AAdvantage awards using Fiji Airways link
AAdvantage awards using Japan Airlines link
AAdvantage awards using Qantas Airways link
AAdvantage awards on S7 (Siberian) Airlines link
Awards assistance tools: Use at your own risk; may not be up to date. These are not recommendations.
- Check this oneworld interactive map and timetable by Innosked to see potential routes.
- British Airways Executive Club: You can sign up for British Airways Executive Club, Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank or Qantas Frequent Flyer to use their sites to find awards (look for the lowest level awards) you can't see on aa.com. BA in particular is prone to show "phantom" availability.
- See this article by the Points Guy on BA and Qantas for award searching.
- See this article to new online tool from Japan Airlines by Australian Frequent Flyer
- Award booking services - list and reviews (FT thread)
- Award Nexus: It's easy to do your experiments for some free browsing (click "more signup options" under the green Purchase button to sign up with your FlyerTalk login info). You might want to run each segment rather than origin to destination. Or use this link to use with your FT login: https://awardnexus.com/user/login?url=%2F.
...Award Nexus is free (up to a point) for FlyerTalk users. Click "more signup options" under the green Purchase button to sign up for free as a FlyerTalk member.
“What I like about Award Nexus is it has a much nicer user interface than BA and lets you choose whether to search through BA and/or QF, and as you can see each of those may give somewhat different results.”
The "cost" to do all these searches once was a total of 12 points, and you get 200 points free when you signup, and then every 90 days you can reload 100 more points for free (once you're below 10 points). So that gives an idea of how many searches could do free...
- AwardAce: Compare Award Redemptions Across Airlines In Seconds
- AwardHacker: "a tool we build to tell you how to travel with the least miles"
- Award Nexus: which can search availability but can't determine cost, with FT member free limited use
- Economical Excursionist's Tools: compare Frequent Flyer Mile Redemptions
- ExpertFlyer is a common tool used on FT. There is a $99.99 annual fee, monthly fee and five day trial
- Great Circle Mapper is useful for calculating distance and MPM (Maximum Permitted Mileage)
- You can try PEX+ (currently in beta), which will even tell you how many miles you'll need, though it draws data from aa.com and S7 so it can't reveal awards that can not be seen on those sites.
- Travel Codex Award Maximiser commercial blog
Also see:
aa.com Basic (front page) vs Advanced Award Search Results
Phantom / false AA award availability with AA partners (consolidated)
oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
Help with British Airways / BA surcharge / YQ (AA award on BA, consolidated) (Awards using BA incur significant "YQ" surcharges.)
UK APD / Air Passenger Duty charged for UK departures[/quote] (Flights originating in the UK other than INV or BFS - or connections 24:00 or over - incur UK Air Passenger Duty excise taxes.)
MileSAAver / SAAver award reduction / scarcity >= Aug 2011 onward (consolidated)
Older posts from 2018 have been archived to this archive thread.
Older posts from 2017 have been archived to: this archive thread
Older posts from 2016 have been archived to: this archive thread
Older posts through 2015 have been archived to: this archive thread
ARCHIVE: HELP DESK: 2019 MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
Sep 21, 2019, 9:40 pm
#286
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,456
Sep 23, 2019, 12:00 pm
#287
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: East or West
Posts: 388
Are phone agents unable to see MH? Had 3 agents tell me there is nothing, but is easily bookable online.
Sep 23, 2019, 5:45 pm
#288
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
Sep 25, 2019, 4:38 pm
#289
Join Date: Oct 2016
Programs: IHG, American Advantage
Posts: 11
Award Travel Advice
This September, I intend to book award travel from BDL to OGG in F, traveling in September 2020. Knowing of the high demand on routes to Hawaii, I’d like to book the outbound as soon as it becomes available. My return, however, is nearly two weeks later. Will AA allow me to book the outbound prior to my inbound flight becoming available? Is utilizing an extended hold an option? Thank you in advance for any guidance.
Sep 25, 2019, 4:59 pm
#290
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
Yes, you can and indeed should book any saver outbound as soon as it becomes available.
Sep 25, 2019, 5:09 pm
#291
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
This September, I intend to book award travel from BDL to OGG in F, traveling in September 2020. Knowing of the high demand on routes to Hawaii, I’d like to book the outbound as soon as it becomes available. My return, however, is nearly two weeks later. Will AA allow me to book the outbound prior to my inbound flight becoming available? Is utilizing an extended hold an option? Thank you in advance for any guidance.
From BDL, you’ll of course have to connect. If recommend, when it’s time, looking at connecting to an airport where you can connect to Alaska for the overwater portion of your award, as part of your searching.
Please read the Wikipost at the top of the page for more information.
Oct 1, 2019, 11:21 am
#292
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Hilton Silver, Marriott Titanium Elite, AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 130
I am looking at AUS-DFW-EWR on 10/17 for myself and my family (total of 4 pax). A couple of questions:
1) There are 2 business saver awards on 1595/34. What is the probability of AA opening up saver awards for the additional 2 to complete the party? What is the best process for this?
2) If saver award space were to open up between AUS-JFK, could the awards be switched?
Thanks in advance!
1) There are 2 business saver awards on 1595/34. What is the probability of AA opening up saver awards for the additional 2 to complete the party? What is the best process for this?
2) If saver award space were to open up between AUS-JFK, could the awards be switched?
Thanks in advance!
Oct 1, 2019, 12:00 pm
#293
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
I am looking at AUS-DFW-EWR on 10/17 for myself and my family (total of 4 pax). A couple of questions:
1) There are 2 business saver awards on 1595/34. What is the probability of AA opening up saver awards for the additional 2 to complete the party? What is the best process for this?
2) If saver award space were to open up between AUS-JFK, could the awards be switched?
Thanks in advance!
1) There are 2 business saver awards on 1595/34. What is the probability of AA opening up saver awards for the additional 2 to complete the party? What is the best process for this?
2) If saver award space were to open up between AUS-JFK, could the awards be switched?
Thanks in advance!
2) Changing your destination from EWR to JFK would require paying the $150++ mileage redeposit fee.
Oct 6, 2019, 8:17 pm
#294
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: AA Plat, IHG Plat, HH Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,933
I have an award with two segments on JL (Japan-US) on hold in C for 60k miles + taxes. When I was trying to book it, there was space on the JL segments and on an AA segment that I wanted as a connection, but when I did a search for the whole route as a one-way search on AA, it wouldn't come up. When I then tried breaking it up and searching as a multicity, the flights would show up, but it would price at 67.5k (either 60k for the two JL segments + 7.5k for the short domestic segment, or 7.5k for the domestic JL segment + 60k for the JL transpac and AA domestic segment).
This should be able to be priced at 60k + taxes, but obviously it wasn't working online. I held the JL segments online because I didn't want to lose the JL C space. If I call AA to add the domestic AA segment, can I still go back to ticket online so that I don't get charged the ticketing fee, or will that no longer be available once a phone agent touches it?
This should be able to be priced at 60k + taxes, but obviously it wasn't working online. I held the JL segments online because I didn't want to lose the JL C space. If I call AA to add the domestic AA segment, can I still go back to ticket online so that I don't get charged the ticketing fee, or will that no longer be available once a phone agent touches it?
Oct 7, 2019, 11:34 am
#295
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,588
I have an award with two segments on JL (Japan-US) on hold in C for 60k miles + taxes. When I was trying to book it, there was space on the JL segments and on an AA segment that I wanted as a connection, but when I did a search for the whole route as a one-way search on AA, it wouldn't come up. When I then tried breaking it up and searching as a multicity, the flights would show up, but it would price at 67.5k (either 60k for the two JL segments + 7.5k for the short domestic segment, or 7.5k for the domestic JL segment + 60k for the JL transpac and AA domestic segment).
This should be able to be priced at 60k + taxes, but obviously it wasn't working online. I held the JL segments online because I didn't want to lose the JL C space. If I call AA to add the domestic AA segment, can I still go back to ticket online so that I don't get charged the ticketing fee, or will that no longer be available once a phone agent touches it?
This should be able to be priced at 60k + taxes, but obviously it wasn't working online. I held the JL segments online because I didn't want to lose the JL C space. If I call AA to add the domestic AA segment, can I still go back to ticket online so that I don't get charged the ticketing fee, or will that no longer be available once a phone agent touches it?
In any event, what I suggest you do is put all of your desired award flights on hold -- using the multi-city award-booking engine if you can, or via two separate award bookings if necessary. Then, call AA, explain the problem to the agent, and provide the record locator(s) for your held flights. Ask the agent to attempt to reprice the entire itinerary as a single award, and if the agent is successful, ask the agent to waive the telephone booking fee due to the failure of aa.com. If the agent waives the fee, you should then be able to go back to aa.com and book the now-correctly-priced itinerary without the booking fee; in some cases, the AA agent might even be willing to ticket the itinerary over the phone without the fee.
Oct 7, 2019, 3:00 pm
#296
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: AA Plat, IHG Plat, HH Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,933
Don't assume that the segments that are available as stand-alones will also be available to be tacked on to what you already have on hold. In addition to their being married-segment availability, there is also reversed-married-segment availability (what some here call "divorced-segment" availability).
Anyway, I guess I'll have to call when I have time to see what is possible. The domestic AA leg can be purchased standalone for fairly cheap though, so it'd be annoying if an agent touching it all makes it so that I can't even book the JL-JL segments I have on hold online without the ticketing fee because if they can't price it as a single award, I'd rather just book the JL flights as an award and tack on the revenue AA leg.
Oct 7, 2019, 3:25 pm
#297
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
My understanding that married-segment availability applies for segments on the same carrier (JL uses married segments, so this could affect JL-JL, as does AA, so this would affect AA-AA), but this doesn't seem to be the case here because the fare breakage happens between JL and AA, and the two segment combinations of JL-JL as well as JL-AA out of the overall JL-JL-AA itinerary price fine as single awards. So I doubt this has anything to do with married segments.
Anyway, I guess I'll have to call when I have time to see what is possible. The domestic AA leg can be purchased standalone for fairly cheap though, so it'd be annoying if an agent touching it all makes it so that I can't even book the JL-JL segments I have on hold online without the ticketing fee because if they can't price it as a single award, I'd rather just book the JL flights as an award and tack on the revenue AA leg.
Anyway, I guess I'll have to call when I have time to see what is possible. The domestic AA leg can be purchased standalone for fairly cheap though, so it'd be annoying if an agent touching it all makes it so that I can't even book the JL-JL segments I have on hold online without the ticketing fee because if they can't price it as a single award, I'd rather just book the JL flights as an award and tack on the revenue AA leg.
Oct 9, 2019, 12:12 am
#298
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
I'm having trouble booking YVR-JFK/LGA-ORD-DOH-MCT on CX/AA/QR/QR. All connections are under 24 hours each. QR publishes a fare between YVR and MCT. It's under MPM25. I have on hold LGA-ORD-DOH-MCT (so I don't think backtracking is the issue because the direct JFK-DOH is not available so there's that allowance). Is there any reason why this wouldn't be valid as one award?
The multiple times I've called I've been given different reasons - first that starting from Canada breaks the award, and second, because the routing has to be over the atlantic (???). So, I'm kind of stumped. Third agent said it's MPM (???). For some reason, even if I try to book YVR-JFK-DOH on another day, the CX YVR JFK and QR JFK DOH makes the computer break it into two awards. Is there a published reason for that?
The multiple times I've called I've been given different reasons - first that starting from Canada breaks the award, and second, because the routing has to be over the atlantic (???). So, I'm kind of stumped. Third agent said it's MPM (???). For some reason, even if I try to book YVR-JFK-DOH on another day, the CX YVR JFK and QR JFK DOH makes the computer break it into two awards. Is there a published reason for that?
Last edited by yerffej201; Oct 9, 2019 at 1:18 am
Oct 9, 2019, 2:10 am
#299
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: ORD (formerly SAN)
Programs: Hilton Diamond; IHG Platinum; Bonvoy Gold; AA Platinum Pro and United Premier Silver (DH = AA EXP)
Posts: 1,929
I'm having trouble booking YVR-JFK/LGA-ORD-DOH-MCT on CX/AA/QR/QR. All connections are under 24 hours each. QR publishes a fare between YVR and MCT. It's under MPM25. I have on hold LGA-ORD-DOH-MCT (so I don't think backtracking is the issue because the direct JFK-DOH is not available so there's that allowance). Is there any reason why this wouldn't be valid as one award?
The multiple times I've called I've been given different reasons - first that starting from Canada breaks the award, and second, because the routing has to be over the atlantic (???). So, I'm kind of stumped. Third agent said it's MPM (???). For some reason, even if I try to book YVR-JFK-DOH on another day, the CX YVR JFK and QR JFK DOH makes the computer break it into two awards. Is there a published reason for that?
The multiple times I've called I've been given different reasons - first that starting from Canada breaks the award, and second, because the routing has to be over the atlantic (???). So, I'm kind of stumped. Third agent said it's MPM (???). For some reason, even if I try to book YVR-JFK-DOH on another day, the CX YVR JFK and QR JFK DOH makes the computer break it into two awards. Is there a published reason for that?
Last edited by TravelLawyer; Oct 9, 2019 at 2:18 am
Oct 9, 2019, 5:16 am
#300
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Join Date: Feb 2001
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Posts: 12,483
I'm having trouble booking YVR-JFK/LGA-ORD-DOH-MCT on CX/AA/QR/QR. All connections are under 24 hours each. QR publishes a fare between YVR and MCT. It's under MPM25. I have on hold LGA-ORD-DOH-MCT (so I don't think backtracking is the issue because the direct JFK-DOH is not available so there's that allowance). Is there any reason why this wouldn't be valid as one award?
The multiple times I've called I've been given different reasons - first that starting from Canada breaks the award, and second, because the routing has to be over the atlantic (???). So, I'm kind of stumped. Third agent said it's MPM (???). For some reason, even if I try to book YVR-JFK-DOH on another day, the CX YVR JFK and QR JFK DOH makes the computer break it into two awards. Is there a published reason for that?
The multiple times I've called I've been given different reasons - first that starting from Canada breaks the award, and second, because the routing has to be over the atlantic (???). So, I'm kind of stumped. Third agent said it's MPM (???). For some reason, even if I try to book YVR-JFK-DOH on another day, the CX YVR JFK and QR JFK DOH makes the computer break it into two awards. Is there a published reason for that?
This one is rather easy, looking at the routing rules for QR's fares from YVR-MCT, CX is not allowed. Depending on the connection city, only AA/AC/WS can be used to get to the QR gateway. The allowable carriers vary depending on if you're connecting through ORD, DFW, NYC, etc. Obviously AC/WS isn't an option with AA awards, so you need to find space on AA to the QR gateway city.
That is why it's always pricing as separate awards, even on a simple routing like YVR-JFK-DOH.