Last edit by: garkman
Can Seats Be Preassigned?
If your flight is marketed as AA, but on JL metal (i.e. "AA 8499 Operated by Japan Airlines"), the following apply based upon the fare code or booking code for your flight segments:
If your flight is marketed as AA, but on JL metal (i.e. "AA 8499 Operated by Japan Airlines"), the following apply based upon the fare code or booking code for your flight segments:
N - Seats may only be selected at checkin/airport
O - Seats may only be selected at checkin/airport (Confirmed with AA 6/11/17)
Others - Probably can preassign, but please modify this wiki if not
AA Award tickets on JL metal - DO allow seat assignments.
**When inputting a flight number that is a single digit (such as flight 1 from HND-SFO), you must add a leading '0' (zero) when looking up your flight. Failure to do this will result in an error that they can't find your PNR.
If you try to call AA on these fares and select seats, even as an EXP, the agent will be unable to view the seatmap and select seats for you. Your reservation will simply display "--" as the seat selection. Oftentimes these codeshare tickets do not allow JL checkin at T-72 hours, so you may not be able to actually get seats until the airport. You can try online checkin with JL here: http://www.jal.co.jp/en/inter/boarding/quic/
You may find more information here:
Flights from US to Japan
Flights from US to Other Asian Destinations
==========
Info added on 15th Sept. 2019. As a one world Sapphire, you can select the following business class window seats
From row 5 on the 767, 787 and 772 (excludes rows 1-4 window seats)
From main cabin on the 777W (excludes whole of mini cabin)
As a non-status passenger (or Ruby member), you can only select the following business class window seats
From second row onward of second cabin on the 767, 787 and 772 (excludes all of the forward cabin window seats and first/exit row of main cabin)
From second row onward of main cabin on the 777W (excludes whole of mini cabin and first/exit row of main cabin)
As a OWE, you have unlimited access.
Info added on 15th Sept. 2019. As a one world Sapphire, you can select the following business class window seats
From row 5 on the 767, 787 and 772 (excludes rows 1-4 window seats)
From main cabin on the 777W (excludes whole of mini cabin)
As a non-status passenger (or Ruby member), you can only select the following business class window seats
From second row onward of second cabin on the 767, 787 and 772 (excludes all of the forward cabin window seats and first/exit row of main cabin)
From second row onward of main cabin on the 777W (excludes whole of mini cabin and first/exit row of main cabin)
As a OWE, you have unlimited access.
==========
Which Booking Code Am I In?
If you have not viewed your fare at booking, you can follow the below steps to check your booking code:
Which Booking Code Am I In?
If you have not viewed your fare at booking, you can follow the below steps to check your booking code:
- Visit AA.com and open your itinerary
- Visit the URL https://www.aa.com/reservation/print...raryReceipt.do
- Your booking code should appear for each flight
Selecting seats on JAL when booked as AA codeshare
#286
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 59
https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2022/inter/220101/
Yep, you should call AA.
#287
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SAN, TYO, OSA
Posts: 228
Ditto. My third leg also disappeared. JAL updated their route information on 1/12/22.
https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2022/inter/220101/
Yep, you should call AA.
https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2022/inter/220101/
Yep, you should call AA.
#288
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 79
I looked back in this thread a bit and didn't see anyone else mentioning it so excuse me if it's repeated information but I booked some award travel on JAL for late this year. In my aadvantage account the trip details explictly list the associated JAL confirmation # so no need to call either AA or JAL. I could go direct to the JAL site to mange my booking and select the seat myself. I don't recall this information showing up the last time I booked award travel on JAL so maybe it's something AA has only started displaying semi recently.

#289
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Diamond (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 17,983
I looked back in this thread a bit and didn't see anyone else mentioning it so excuse me if it's repeated information but I booked some award travel on JAL for late this year. In my aadvantage account the trip details explictly list the associated JAL confirmation # so no need to call either AA or JAL. I could go direct to the JAL site to mange my booking and select the seat myself. I don't recall this information showing up the last time I booked award travel on JAL so maybe it's something AA has only started displaying semi recently.


#290
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Diamond (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 17,983
A quick investigation has revealed that it is also available for codeshare bookings. So a valuable addition to the AA app. Thank you for highlighting this.
#291
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SAN, TYO, OSA
Posts: 228
I think this was implemented sometime last year. However, it was useless for me when I booked an AA code share flight operated by JL last time (booking class R, OWE). AA.com did show show the JL booking reference. but JL website didn't accept it and I couldn't do anything with it.
#292
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Unio Europaea
Programs: BA GGL, AS, Hertz Cirque Présidentielle
Posts: 1,445
As a recent datapoint: I managed to get my seat selection done by calling AA and the support desk was able to assist the AAgent to have the OWE preferential seats available. The JL booking reference won't work for the JL website to retrieve the AA ticketed booking, so indeed, a phone call is still the sole option.
P.S. Somebody should seriously tidy up this thread. There's way too many AAdvantage award redemption posts here, which have zero to do with flying AA by JL, which is the actual subject at hand. The off-topic makes the thread cluttered.
P.S. Somebody should seriously tidy up this thread. There's way too many AAdvantage award redemption posts here, which have zero to do with flying AA by JL, which is the actual subject at hand. The off-topic makes the thread cluttered.
#295
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 2
In case anyone is wondering how to get past the error page on the JAL seat assignment website...JAL's English language site has been broken for a while. I guess they can't be bothered to fix it? Seat reservations only work on the Japanese version of their website.
#296
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 2,088
I'm on a revenue ticket: AA flight # and JL metal, SFO-HND B777-300 with 2-3-2 configuration in J, non-elite
Row 5 is reserved for elites but opens up at OLCI for everyone? Is it really a lot better than the main J cabin (more privacy and less noise)?
#297
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Diamond (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 17,983
Is the answer above (from Feb 28, 2020) still valid for row 5?
I'm on a revenue ticket: AA flight # and JL metal, SFO-HND B777-300 with 2-3-2 configuration in J, non-elite
Row 5 is reserved for elites but opens up at OLCI for everyone? Is it really a lot better than the main J cabin (more privacy and less noise)?
I'm on a revenue ticket: AA flight # and JL metal, SFO-HND B777-300 with 2-3-2 configuration in J, non-elite
Row 5 is reserved for elites but opens up at OLCI for everyone? Is it really a lot better than the main J cabin (more privacy and less noise)?
#298
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SAN, TYO, OSA
Posts: 228
Even with a paid JAL-marketed business class ticket in "J" booking class I couldn't select row 1 window sides on 788 as an AA OWS until a few days before the departure (as OWE, I can reserve any seat). So I would guess OWE is pretty much needed to reserve 5A/5K on 77W in advance.
#299
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Diamond (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 17,983
Even with a paid JAL-marketed business class ticket in "J" booking class I couldn't select row 1 window sides on 788 as an AA OWS until a few days before the departure (as OWE, I can reserve any seat). So I would guess OWE is pretty much needed to reserve 5A/5K on 77W in advance.
#300
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SAN, TYO, OSA
Posts: 228