Can you get a refund if award ticket mileage drops?
Aug 20, 2023, 8:02 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,673
I do understand your point. I am still happy with how I booked this and will continue to monitor it.
Aug 21, 2023, 7:33 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Motown
Programs: DL, WN, AA, IHG Diamond, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,420
AAdvantage flight awards -- at least, those involving only AA flights, which are the awards where redemption rates can change over time -- are not changeable. You must cancel and rebook (though not necessarily in that order) if you wish to take advantage of a reduced redemption rate.
Aug 21, 2023, 9:00 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,979
One thing I suggest: book one ways for award tickets. If you are into the repricing/cancellation game, you might get burned if one segment drops from say, 17,500 miles to 10,000 but owing to demand, the return portion increased from 17,5000 miles to 30,000. You wind up being in a net loss position.
Aug 21, 2023, 9:02 am
#20
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,979
AA's systems have become a lot smarter at preventing double bookings so this is difficult. Of course, in an attempt to become smarter, AA's system has become dumber as the system frequently shows dupes when they're not really there -- e.g., if I I book an award ticket for someone else while logged into my AA.com account, I cannot then go book that same itinerary for a different passenger while logged into my account. AA.com refuses to do so and says the reason is a double booking when that's not in fact true as the flights are for completely different passengers, only similarity is both bookings were made from the same AAdvantage account.
Aug 21, 2023, 12:24 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 30,449
One thing I suggest: book one ways for award tickets. If you are into the repricing/cancellation game, you might get burned if one segment drops from say, 17,500 miles to 10,000 but owing to demand, the return portion increased from 17,5000 miles to 30,000. You wind up being in a net loss position.
Aug 21, 2023, 2:33 pm
#22
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 1,626
To complicate and make this even more difficult/confusing -- often times the round-trip is cheaper than booking two one-ways, but buyer beware. Apparently, you cannot make any changes to the return portion before the outbound is flown. Attempting to do so means you have to cancel the entire R/T ticket. However, after you fly the outbound, you can cancel the return and get a refund for that one-way return segment. This makes zero sense to me and seems to be inefficient for both passengers and the company.
Aug 23, 2023, 8:38 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: AA Plat Pro
Posts: 962
5 minutes ago I discovered the 26.5K FC routing I paid, dropped to 18K for same routing. Couldn't change online due to other "duplicate" booking, so opened second window to "hold" the cheaper mileage booking, while I canceled booking in first window. Then rebooked in second window. All went smooth and the difference in miles returned within 2 minutes.
Aug 23, 2023, 8:58 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 15
I have a flight booked from Barcelona to Nashville for next May. There is now a flight available same route the next day. I want to cancel my awards tickets that I have booked and get the miles refunded. I am just trying to confirm if there is a chance that I would not get the $45 fee refunded also. When I try to search online, it states something about not refunding fees that are imposed whether you fly or not. Has anybody experienced not receiving your fee back in this situation. I have been on hold going on 3 hours, and no answer when I try to call them yet. Once I cancel I will rebook.
Aug 23, 2023, 9:13 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 15
I have a flight booked from Barcelona to Nashville for next May. There is now a flight available same route the next day. I want to cancel my awards tickets that I have booked and get the miles refunded. I am just trying to confirm if there is a chance that I would not get the $45 fee refunded also. When I try to search online, it states something about not refunding fees that are imposed whether you fly or not. Has anybody experienced not receiving your fee back in this situation. I have been on hold going on 3 hours, and no answer when I try to call them yet. Once I cancel I will rebook.
Aug 28, 2023, 9:43 pm
#26
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: AA Plat Pro
Posts: 962
5 minutes ago I discovered the 26.5K FC routing I paid, dropped to 18K for same routing. Couldn't change online due to other "duplicate" booking, so opened second window to "hold" the cheaper mileage booking, while I canceled booking in first window. Then rebooked in second window. All went smooth and the difference in miles returned within 2 minutes.