Have booked a multi city award ticket using AA, JAL and CX and have 2 questions. My first flight is out of MIA to ORD on AA, this flight is booked under a separate booking and confirmation due to the 4 leg rules on award flights. The next leg from ORD is on JAL to NRT and the remainder of my trip is on this booking and confirmation, both flights are first class. I was told at the time of booking that AA would be able to check the luggage through to the JAL flight, last week at the airport I wanted to confirm this again and the first class to agent told me as the bookings were separate they are not allowed to check luggage through and I would have to collect the luggage in ORD and then check back in with JAL. Can anyone confirm if AA can indeed check the bags through? Also the second issue brought up another concern as we only have a 2 hour layover in ORD, so if there is a delay it might be difficult to re check in, does anyone know should there be a delay on the first leg that caused us to miss the JAL flight what is my recourse and rebooking option? As part of one world I would think both of these issues would be straight forward and handled and honored by AA / JAL but want to ensure. Thanks in advance.

Are they under the same record locator? Did you book them as one award or separately? I've never heard of a four leg rule. I have 5 legs as one reservation booked through AA on JL, CX and MH. You should HUCA and see if they can reissue as one ticket.

Humm I don't think it matters it would be considered a in line bag transfer . Like one world desperate tickets different airlines and even different alliance airlines have this agreement . The key U.S. To have the bags tag to the final destination its up to them to see that they get to the flights

Four leg rule?

When I made the booking they told me I couldn't have more than 4 award flights on one locator. So I have 2 separate locators.

AA policy is to check bags through if the other airline is a oneWorld member, even if separate tickets (assuming the connection is valid, not overnight, etc.). AA policy is also to rebook you if you miss the connection to another oneWorld flight due to AA's flight being late, even if on separate tickets. You are correct, it is straightforward.

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How many separate awards have you booked? Five? Four? One? I thought the rule was that you can't have more than four awards on a single PNR.

I have 6 awards booked, so with the max awards per locator at 4, they have 4 on one which includes my USA to Asia legs and my Asia flights then the second locator has any time awards from MIA to Chicago and then Chaicago to MIA for my return.