ultrasoul

wylekyote I wouldn't read too much into this verbiage. Prior to April, changes to partner award bookings would always require backend work to reinstate and recollect miles and taxes but the most important thing the ticket is never cancelled- only reissued or reticketing

Now it seems like the system does not allow this anymore with the only solution to keep the ticket as it or cancel and rebook which is not an option since cancelled award inventory never ever goes back for rebooking with partners especially U business

cmtlatitudes

Not never with partners, it does happen sometimes. A few weeks ago, my QF F award surprisingly went back into inventory immediately. 75%-ish of my ATN awards go back to inventory.

I'd never advise anyone to chance this though. Even with a few carriers whose awards have a fairly decent history of awards returning to inventory, there's not any guarantees and it's not 100%.

Better to assume it will not turn out well & deal with the positioning flight a different way.

ehallison

I was just able to do this via chat in the app. (I added an Iberia hop to an existing US to Madrid flight). However - I'm not sure what the process was. The agent told me that she had to reissue the ticket and the cost went up slightly so I needed to re-enter cc pmt info - I was very explicit with her that if there was any risk that I'd lose my originally booked flight, that I didn't want her to proceed. She assured me there was not. I decided to trust her and it appears to have worked out fine. I was sweating bullets though.

VegasGambler

Even if the cost doesn't go up, in my experience they refund the old amount and charge the new one, so you need your CC info anyway. I have lots of back to back $5.60 refunds and $5.60 charges on my Amex.

murphy

I have an award on JL from ITM-HND-JFK and AA from LGA-DCA. I had been assuming I’d be able to change the last leg to JFK-DCA once space opens up. That is no longer possible?

VegasGambler

There are mixed reports on this.

I will bet that the check in agent at JFK will do this for you when you arrive if you ask, assuming that there is space. As far as reissuing the ticket when space opens up, definitely call and ask.

FlyerBeek

I would definitely NOT bet an airport agent at JFK would be able to do this for an award ticket, regardless of JFK-DCA award availability unless in the case of IRROPS. That being said, I've had success twice in the last two weeks doing exactly this (switching LGA-DCA to JFK-DCA on a JL F award ticket without losing the JL segments) by calling the EXP desk. Definitely a case of YMMV and HUACA.

-FlyerBeek

VegasGambler

Why not? I've had them do something similar for me (the airports were LAX and BUR but the idea is the same)

I've also had the agent proactively offer me an earlier flight (same airport though) Once you are at the day of departure I don't think that award space really matters; they can just put you on anything with space.

I mean, I wouldn't just show up at the airport and expect it, but if you were unable to make the change on the phone and you were at JFK anyway, I would certainly swing by the check in desk and ask before making the trek to LGA.

FlyerBeek

Just based on significant personal experience having dealt with this exact situation (in particular, DCA-LGA/JFK) numerous times over the last 20 years.

For the last several years I've booked 4-6 international awards per year from DCA with a connection in JFK (typically to/from JL). Almost always, AA award space is available DCA-LGA but not DCA-JFK, forcing the LGA-JFK ground connection. If saver award space opens (or a large enough schedule change occurs), I'm able to easily switch to the DCA-JFK flight (or vice versa) - even with the new award policy changes in effect for the last month. But my success rate just showing up at DCA (or JFK) and being able to avoid the LGA connection is under 50%. Particularly in the last 3-4 years (a decade ago it was far easier). As always, YMMV, but I certainly wouldn't bet on this happening. I've had to do at least 4 LGA-JFK connections in the last year, despite asking at the airport and there being plenty of regular (non-award) inventory on the DCA-JFK flights. No harm in asking, but If you're successful the agents are doing you a favor because this is not an allowed change by the SDFC/CFC rules.

-FlyerBeek

ultrasoul

cmtlatitudes definitely not with case with JAL. We cancelled 4 U JL seats multiple times in the last 2 months and they never re-appear. Not instantly not in few minutes not in a few hours and not a few days later. JL seems fine-tuning the number of awards seats they release manually at certain intervals- if outside if those manual review intervals those seats fly empty

kromix

For the record - Positioning still works as of 05/25/23!

I have an award travel booked for Japan Airlines ORD to HND Business class. Needed to add my city MIA to ORD.... Called, used key words like "positioning" "Domestic leg award travel" etc... She pushed back a bit, I explained it 3-4 times, she said well if you left miami what time would you want to go? I answered which flight I want, she said "let me check"... Came back said the ORD-HND is no longer available (surprise, obviously..) but she was able to speak to her "support desk" whatever that is, and they updated and included the domestic leg MIA to ORD into my existing record locator manually and when I refreshed it was in there. So don't lose hope, looks like domestic positioning is still working! When I searched expert flyer I saw no award seats for MIA to ORD, so I am surprised she was able to do it.

Follow-up Question, she booked me in Economy MIA to ORD, while my award booking ORD HND is Business, should I call back and try to get that moved up to Business for the domestic positioning leg to match the itinerary?

**UPDATE:: Called back and said "shouldnt the domestic leg that was just added be Business/First to match the other flight? put me on hold again, came back, and bam, I refresh and now MIA ORD is AA FIRST, ORD - HND is JAL Business. Success!

jerseytom

I've just skimmed through this... and I'm amazed this was a thing (or still is a thing?)

Like at some point it was standard practice... if I'd had say an award ticket MIA-GIG, I could call up and be like, "Oh hey can ya throw in CLT-MIA for free?"

justhere

The issue of whether it's still allowed or works aside, you shouldn't be that surprised. All things being equal, USA-XXX is the same price whether you are leaving from Abbeville, LA, or Zionsville, IN (no idea if you can actually fly from those cities but you get the point). Just to be clear, while this is probably true for most programs, I'm specifically talking about awards booked via AA.

CFFrost

This is certainly frustrating. I have SAN-NRT booked, and last night tried to add NRT-ITM to the end of the trip. I was told it must be canceled and rebooked with all inventory available. Will try HUCA, but not holding my breath.

If I book the ticket at a separate PRN is there any way for them to associate the tickets so I can through check if necessary? Or would that even matter since I presumably need to collect bags in NRT anyway for customs?

Teddy Ruxpin

I can also confirm I was able to add a positioning flight to a partner award a couple days ago. I had a one way ORD-HND on JAL. I saw via British Airways that an award flight to ORD on AA I needed was bookable through them, so I figured the right fare class was available. When I called, the representative stated she couldn't make any changes. All I said was "bummer" and thanked her. She then took it upon herself to check into it, and she would update me that she was trying to get in touch with someone. After I gave her the flight information, she came back with it added. I can't give her any higher of a rating for taking the time to look into it. Whether this was in line with AA policy I cannot say, but it may be worth the phone call. If I see the right fare class (either T/U/Z that another commenter mentioned or via a partner) for my return flight I'll try again.

As for risk, she never said anything about losing the partner flight when she was adding AA. My ticket did go back to "On Request" on the AA site for a day (now ticketed), but I never lost my confirmation number/seat assignment with JAL or anything like that.