NEWBIE LOUNGE 2022-2023: Ask AA newbie questions here - flame-free thread
Apr 29, 2023, 5:21 pm
#2836
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
Even if you theoretically identify routes that are “of value” using the partner award chart that has been pointed to, routes have zero value if they are not available. USA-DOH-MLE on QR is a great route, but nowadays becoming difficult to find. And if you do manage to find it, sometimes you may need to purchase a separate ticket to get to/from the outbound/inbound USA “hub” for the partner airline. Or sometimes you may not be able to get to your final destination on one award due to routing restrictions, or even available inventory made available by partner.
For example, I was recently able to get TPA-CLT-BOS-HKG in First/Business for 70K on Cathay Pacific. But my final destination is CEB, which there are no awards available at all for my date of travel, so I need to purchase that 2 hour leg (HKG- CEB) in coach from Cathay Pacific for $350. On my return, there was only coach available from CEB-HKG-JFK for 35K. And there are no available T fares to add my final leg (JFK-TPA) to the reservation to get me home. So I either need to use more points for a separate JFK-CLT-TPA award, or purchase a ticket ($150), which I could do on Jet Blue. And these were booked 300+ days in advance.
My point is that the partner award table, no matter how low the points are showing, is of no value if there are no award inventory available by the partner airlines.
Your best bet is to identify some places you would like to go, and search using the AA site (check the “redeem miles” box), and then open the calendar. You can then filter by number of stops, business class only, etc., and check different months for availability. If you have extreme flexibility, you will be better off then if you are looking to travel on specific date.
For example, I was recently able to get TPA-CLT-BOS-HKG in First/Business for 70K on Cathay Pacific. But my final destination is CEB, which there are no awards available at all for my date of travel, so I need to purchase that 2 hour leg (HKG- CEB) in coach from Cathay Pacific for $350. On my return, there was only coach available from CEB-HKG-JFK for 35K. And there are no available T fares to add my final leg (JFK-TPA) to the reservation to get me home. So I either need to use more points for a separate JFK-CLT-TPA award, or purchase a ticket ($150), which I could do on Jet Blue. And these were booked 300+ days in advance.
My point is that the partner award table, no matter how low the points are showing, is of no value if there are no award inventory available by the partner airlines.
Your best bet is to identify some places you would like to go, and search using the AA site (check the “redeem miles” box), and then open the calendar. You can then filter by number of stops, business class only, etc., and check different months for availability. If you have extreme flexibility, you will be better off then if you are looking to travel on specific date.
I booked awards for our family SAW-LHR-BOS (overnight)-USA. Every segment in J (BA on international flights, AA on last leg in USA). I needed one more that wasn't able to be booked with the others because no J space in the first leg, so ended up with SAW(X)-LHR(J)-BOS with a separate PNR the following day for final leg. Cost me 26k more points and $100 less in fees. It was a pain bc when I tried to book it, the AA website wouldn't allow me to pay. Son got an email saying ticket was on hold and he would need to pay the fee. Not sure why. It was a royal pain doing this but after an hour I got it done by messaging/chatting with AA agent through the app. I have two questions:
1. Is the reason this happened with the hold bc I was booking for someone else? I believe the cc name has to be the same as the passenger's (and I could use son's cc), but does the AA account holder with the points who is making the booking have to be the same as the cc? If both things are true, then it makes sense to me why it went to hold status first.
2. SAW-LHR-BOS-USA has now opened up with all J on the same PNR and I'd like to change son's ticket over to that. What are my options here? I would need the points that are currently on his original ticket in order to re-issue, but I am reluctant to cancel and rebook bc of the problems with the hold etc. I am also not sure how long it takes for those points to redeposit (esp since two legs on BA).
1. Is the reason this happened with the hold bc I was booking for someone else? I believe the cc name has to be the same as the passenger's (and I could use son's cc), but does the AA account holder with the points who is making the booking have to be the same as the cc? If both things are true, then it makes sense to me why it went to hold status first.
2. SAW-LHR-BOS-USA has now opened up with all J on the same PNR and I'd like to change son's ticket over to that. What are my options here? I would need the points that are currently on his original ticket in order to re-issue, but I am reluctant to cancel and rebook bc of the problems with the hold etc. I am also not sure how long it takes for those points to redeposit (esp since two legs on BA).
I've listed a few AA deals.
Qatar : US-DIA, US-MLE
AY: US_CDG 57.7k and I think FINN might also be in that rate occasionally..
WHEn you say where you want to go AA offers not only poor value but excessive transit time(ASIA)- SGN, MNL, DPS.Qatar — American Airlines and Qatar Airways are expanding their strategic alliance with a new codeshare agreement, enabling American’s customers to book travel on Qatar Airways flights via Doha to and from 16 new countries, Travelers will be able to book travel beyond Qatar to their final destinations in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. When I check SEA-BKK, SEA-DPS, SEA- Sin I see no special deals. Thus I'm asking for those locations from the US others have found not keep adding one by city looking.
SO all the general comments you make I know about and agree.....but it doesn't use the knowledge of others who may have found more deals.
AA whom I called th HELP DESK---totally confused about awards to different regions, then transfer to internet group and they know nothing about award deals.
AA 30 Calendar is intermittently ineffective and manytimne 57,7K fare J will show then when I click on it it's gone. Doubt ti ever existed just another AA web mistake.
Cities I would like is anywhere in Europe, Manila, Saigon, Bali----- but AA has some challenging transit times even if an award soemtiemns over 36 hours.
SO I seeking specific best deals internationally that other know about or have booked.
Apr 29, 2023, 5:41 pm
#2837
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,603
WHEn you say where you want to go AA offers not only poor value but excessive transit time(ASIA)- SGN, MNL, DPS.Qatar — American Airlines and Qatar Airways are expanding their strategic alliance with a new codeshare agreement, enabling American’s customers to book travel on Qatar Airways flights via Doha to and from 16 new countries, Travelers will be able to book travel beyond Qatar to their final destinations in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. When I check SEA-BKK, SEA-DPS, SEA- Sin I see no special deals. Thus I'm asking for those locations from the US others have found not keep adding one by city looking.
If you want to fly QR you will have to search for and pay for two separate awards: U.S.-DOH, and DOH-Asia.
Do not confuse the AA-QR codeshare arrangement for cash travel between the U.S. and Asia with AAdvantage award travel between the U.S. and Asia. Apples and oranges.
Last edited by guv1976; Apr 29, 2023 at 5:51 pm
Apr 29, 2023, 6:10 pm
#2838
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 24
There are a couple threads on this and some discussion in the main Loyalty Choice rewards thread, I'm not aware of anyone who has used this reward yet.
As to timing, you are fine for a trip booked before you selected the reward. The only stipulation is you must have selected the 15% rebate award before actually taking the flights.
For the actual credit/rebate, it is a 100% manual process, there's no automation or system doing anything with this. After you take the award trip you have to call AAdvanatge Customer Service, an agent calculates the 15% and manually issues the rebate to your account.
So it'll be completely YMMV with regards to whether they'll be able to issue it for only 2 pax on a 4 pax PNR. There are no datapoints on how strict they're being with the terms. The rules say up to 2 pax, so they'd be inbounds to just say "sorry, can't be used for this trip". But since it's manual an agent could also easily just issue it for the 2 pax amount even though you have 4 pax on the PNR.
If it were me and I wanted to be absolutely certain I could use the rebate on this trip then I'd split the PNR to have only 2 pax on one.
As to timing, you are fine for a trip booked before you selected the reward. The only stipulation is you must have selected the 15% rebate award before actually taking the flights.
For the actual credit/rebate, it is a 100% manual process, there's no automation or system doing anything with this. After you take the award trip you have to call AAdvanatge Customer Service, an agent calculates the 15% and manually issues the rebate to your account.
So it'll be completely YMMV with regards to whether they'll be able to issue it for only 2 pax on a 4 pax PNR. There are no datapoints on how strict they're being with the terms. The rules say up to 2 pax, so they'd be inbounds to just say "sorry, can't be used for this trip". But since it's manual an agent could also easily just issue it for the 2 pax amount even though you have 4 pax on the PNR.
If it were me and I wanted to be absolutely certain I could use the rebate on this trip then I'd split the PNR to have only 2 pax on one.
I'll try splitting the PNR and will post the results in the LCR thread.
Cheers
Apr 29, 2023, 9:16 pm
#2839
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,450
Qatar — American Airlines and Qatar Airways are expanding their strategic alliance with a new codeshare agreement, enabling American’s customers to book travel on Qatar Airways flights via Doha to and from 16 new countries, Travelers will be able to book travel beyond Qatar to their final destinations in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. When I check SEA-BKK, SEA-DPS, SEA- Sin I see no special deals. Thus I'm asking for those locations from the US others have found not keep adding one by city looking.
Apr 29, 2023, 10:09 pm
#2840
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: SkyTeam Elite Plus lifetime
Posts: 102
Does Main Cabin Extra vs Main Cabin affect upsell offers?
I just have a question that's been nagging me.
1. If I book a Main Cabin fare, and then select a Main Cabin Extra seat for an additional fee, does this fee get accounted for in the upsell offer I receive for First or Business?
2. If I book Main Plus by selecting it in the booking screen, it still gets booked as an economy fare + an additional fee (unlike Premium Economy, which is a separate cabin), so does this affect the amount of the upsell offer I receive for First or Business?
3. If the answer to #1 or #2 is no (as in, I get the same upsell offer as other economy passengers), if I take the upsell offer, do I get refunded the extra legroom fare difference?
The answer is much more straightforward for Delta, since Delta codes Comfort Plus as a separate cabin, but I cannot for the life of me find the answer for American...
1. If I book a Main Cabin fare, and then select a Main Cabin Extra seat for an additional fee, does this fee get accounted for in the upsell offer I receive for First or Business?
2. If I book Main Plus by selecting it in the booking screen, it still gets booked as an economy fare + an additional fee (unlike Premium Economy, which is a separate cabin), so does this affect the amount of the upsell offer I receive for First or Business?
3. If the answer to #1 or #2 is no (as in, I get the same upsell offer as other economy passengers), if I take the upsell offer, do I get refunded the extra legroom fare difference?
The answer is much more straightforward for Delta, since Delta codes Comfort Plus as a separate cabin, but I cannot for the life of me find the answer for American...
Apr 29, 2023, 10:11 pm
#2841
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
You’ve mentioned a few times about the expanding strategic alliance between AA and QR. Who knows how (or even if) this will impact QR award ticket availability for AA. The only thing it guarantees is we will have more routes to purchase with cash through the AA and QR websites.
I posted teh article on Q expanding since I cannot find 60K J and QR does fly in this region. While the AA booked special on QR seems limited to DOH, MLE.
So nobody has any new updates and my search fluid nothing new and AA can't fidn anything after making wait 45 min for call back, then first person can't answer and send s me Help DESK which is the internet group, then that AA person knows nothing then transfers me again to mileage person who cannot answer any question except look a specific route if I tell her. Typical wasted day using AA support.
Apr 29, 2023, 10:36 pm
#2842
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,603
Houston to Nepal for 70,000 AA miles in Business Class on QR:
For travel on partner airlines, AA can only make available those award seats which the partner carrier chooses to make available to AA.
For travel on partner airlines, AA can only make available those award seats which the partner carrier chooses to make available to AA.
Apr 29, 2023, 10:46 pm
#2843
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
Never been to Nepal.....interesting idea. IO did fidn this fare from SEA but 17 hours long transit.
I'll keep checking this route for better transit times, thanks.
Apr 29, 2023, 10:51 pm
#2844
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 24
There are a couple threads on this and some discussion in the main Loyalty Choice rewards thread, I'm not aware of anyone who has used this reward yet.
As to timing, you are fine for a trip booked before you selected the reward. The only stipulation is you must have selected the 15% rebate award before actually taking the flights.
For the actual credit/rebate, it is a 100% manual process, there's no automation or system doing anything with this. After you take the award trip you have to call AAdvanatge Customer Service, an agent calculates the 15% and manually issues the rebate to your account.
So it'll be completely YMMV with regards to whether they'll be able to issue it for only 2 pax on a 4 pax PNR. There are no datapoints on how strict they're being with the terms. The rules say up to 2 pax, so they'd be inbounds to just say "sorry, can't be used for this trip". But since it's manual an agent could also easily just issue it for the 2 pax amount even though you have 4 pax on the PNR.
If it were me and I wanted to be absolutely certain I could use the rebate on this trip then I'd split the PNR to have only 2 pax on one.
As to timing, you are fine for a trip booked before you selected the reward. The only stipulation is you must have selected the 15% rebate award before actually taking the flights.
For the actual credit/rebate, it is a 100% manual process, there's no automation or system doing anything with this. After you take the award trip you have to call AAdvanatge Customer Service, an agent calculates the 15% and manually issues the rebate to your account.
So it'll be completely YMMV with regards to whether they'll be able to issue it for only 2 pax on a 4 pax PNR. There are no datapoints on how strict they're being with the terms. The rules say up to 2 pax, so they'd be inbounds to just say "sorry, can't be used for this trip". But since it's manual an agent could also easily just issue it for the 2 pax amount even though you have 4 pax on the PNR.
If it were me and I wanted to be absolutely certain I could use the rebate on this trip then I'd split the PNR to have only 2 pax on one.
I'll try splitting the PNR and will post the results in the LCR thread.
Cheers
Apr 29, 2023, 10:53 pm
#2845
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,603
Seattle to the Seychelles for 75K AA miles in Business Class on QR:
Apr 29, 2023, 11:00 pm
#2846
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
Fabulous-- I know very little about the beauty of Africa or its islands"The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, off East Africa. It's home to numerous beaches, coral reefs and nature reserves, as well as rare animals such as giant Aldabra tortoises."
How do find these special fares? Point . me?
Appreciate your skill finding these ------ I would never have thought about N epal or Seychelles. I'm reading up on these thanks a s I once wanted to hike in Nepal Annapurna Sanctuary. Then a climbing team of 7 from SEA got killed climbing Everest and I kind of never headed into that direction again. Good idea.
How do find these special fares? Point . me?
Appreciate your skill finding these ------ I would never have thought about N epal or Seychelles. I'm reading up on these thanks a s I once wanted to hike in Nepal Annapurna Sanctuary. Then a climbing team of 7 from SEA got killed climbing Everest and I kind of never headed into that direction again. Good idea.
Apr 29, 2023, 11:04 pm
#2847
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,603
Seattle to South Africa for 75K AA miles in Business Class on QR (with a short or a long connection at DOH):
Apr 29, 2023, 11:14 pm
#2848
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,603
These are not "special" fares; they are AA's published redemption rates for Business Class travel on partner carriers between the 48 contiguous U.S. states and the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent (70K miles) or Africa (75K miles.) It took me just a few minutes of random searches on the AA app to find these award redemptions. You can do the same.
Familiarize yourself with AA's region definitions, and then just start searching randomly for different time periods from SEA (or one of QR's other North American gateways) to whichever destination in AA's Middle East, Africa, or Indian Subcontinent regions you like. Sometimes, you will only find redemptions on BA, with their high surcharges. But occasionally, you will find a Business Class redemption opportunity on QR.
Familiarize yourself with AA's region definitions, and then just start searching randomly for different time periods from SEA (or one of QR's other North American gateways) to whichever destination in AA's Middle East, Africa, or Indian Subcontinent regions you like. Sometimes, you will only find redemptions on BA, with their high surcharges. But occasionally, you will find a Business Class redemption opportunity on QR.
Apr 29, 2023, 11:23 pm
#2849
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
These are not "special" fares; they are AA's published redemption rates for Business Class travel on partner carriers between the 48 contiguous U.S. states and the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent (70K miles) or Africa (75K miles.) It took me just a few minutes of random searches on the AA app to find these award redemptions. You can do the same.
Familiarize yourself with AA's region definitions, and then just start searching randomly for different time periods from SEA (or one of QR's other North American gateways) to whichever destination in AA's Middle East, Africa, or Indian Subcontinent regions you like. Sometimes, you will only find redemptions on BA, with their high surcharges. But occasionally, you will find a Business Class redemption opportunity on QR.
Familiarize yourself with AA's region definitions, and then just start searching randomly for different time periods from SEA (or one of QR's other North American gateways) to whichever destination in AA's Middle East, Africa, or Indian Subcontinent regions you like. Sometimes, you will only find redemptions on BA, with their high surcharges. But occasionally, you will find a Business Class redemption opportunity on QR.
AA Award specials
Air Tahiti (AY) - CDG(Paris) June- Dec) 57.7k -J
Qatar(QR) - JNB South Africa 75k -J
Qatar (QR)- DOH 70k - J Jan 24'
Qatar (QR)- MLE Jan 24' 40k/70k - X/J
Qatar (QR) - KTM(Nepal) Oct 75k - J
Qatar (qr) - SEAZ (Seychelles ) Island of West Africa 75k - J May 23'
FINN -Hell/MUC/FRA 30k/57.7k(?) - X/J
So fast with you appreciate the time you've spent helping me. I did notice of AA when I bring 30 day calendar at check 75K KTM fare the next time I check teh page that date/fare disappear. strange....seems to happen often on aa web site.
Apr 29, 2023, 11:51 pm
#2850
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,603
If you have any interest in visiting Jordan, you should be able to find some 70K Business Class award redemptions to AMM. Royal Jordanian (RJ) is a oneworld carrier, and they have nonstops to AMM from ORD, DTW, and JFK. But if you find such a redemption, scrutinize the "Details" section carefully: sometimes you will booked in Economy Class for the domestic segment.