I need some help from the experts please. Pretty knowledgeable about AA, but woefully inadequate when it comes to OW and, OW might not even be applicable in this case, but here goes, the two trips that I want to combine into one award:

I want to go FLL to NRT and back, and either on the departure or return, I want to go from a gateway (ORD, LAX, SFO, DFW, JFK) to MSO....

So, something like FLL-XXX-SFO (outbound on int'l award) then at SFO I have a stopover, and use AS to go SFO-SEA-MSO, then stay a few days there, then MSO-SEA-SFO-NRT, and finally coming home NRT-XXX-FLL.

That was just an example, it could be any routing just so long as I get to both.

I would really like the NRT flights to be on JL airlines, and the flights to/from MSO would be on Horizon, AS's commuter, since they are the only carrier that participates in AADV/OW that I know of.

Is there any kind of reward that would be cheaper than using a 125K award for the FLL-NRT tickets, and then having to use another award for the side trip to MSO (which would be what for Y award on AS/Horizoon?)?

Thanks!

Also, any advice searching for these itineraries/classes. I know on JL I need A inventory for F, on AA I need Z, but what would I need for AS/Horizon for coach and first class award inventory?

And, will it work like that? If I am able to piece together a trip by simply fiinding the inventory, does that necessarily mean that AA can issue an award for it? Is it possible that the inventory is there, but when AA plugs this stuff in, it doesn't come out as an Award on their end....um...because I don't know why, but just asking not a valid routing, or whatever...?

I think Missoula is definitely not covered under any conceivable AA mileage award, since the Horizon flights carry no AA flight numbers and MSO is not even listed on the AA or OW flight directories as a valid city.

I'm also not sure if you could include Seattle en route to your transpac gateway; the small print in the AAdvantage T&Cs says
(My emphasis.)

which raises in my mind not only your abillity to use AS operated flights, but also JL, since AA flies its own metal over there.

So bottom line I suspect you'll need to pay for any flights to/from MSO, and for that matter possibly the SEA or BOI (for access to MSO) segments as well, if the added routing takes you above the segment limits on the award ticket,

Looks like this is a job for your friendly AAdvantage rep. Good luck.

JAL I can definitely do....I told the EXP agent that I didn't want to fly on AA, but rather JAL to try them.....no problem....it's 125K versus 120K for AA-metal flights.....I've something on hold right now....FLL-DFW-SFO-NRT, and then returning NRT-ORD-FLL. JL, both directions....

Regarding the AS tickets....can't I just get a Y or F award on AS, using AA miles? Surely that would include a flight on their commuter...for the same amount of miles as I'm using now, I could get JL to take me on to Osaka, or anywhere else they fly in Japan, if I wanted

Ok, so maybe I'm just confused (not a unique occurence)...

Am I right that your ideal route would be something like FLL-DFW-SEA-MSO-SEA-SFO-NRT-SFO-DFW-FLL (or with the MSO loop on the return) and all on one AS or AA award ticket? Or that you're prepared for a separate award ticket SFO-SEA-MSO-SEA-SFO?

If the former, isn't there a rule regarding number of segments you can fly each way on an international award ticket? (Seems I recall it's 3 segs.) Also one stopover each way?

If the latter, obviously that would be okay, and would cost 25k miles (unless there's a mileage saver) for a Y award. (I wouldn't waste an A award on Horizon.)

Maybe a call to the AS MP desk would clarify it for both of us.

Can you explain the 125K vs. 120K thing? On an AA all-partner award? That doesn't make any sense to me.

Well, if you wanna go FLL-DFW-NRT and back on AA it's 120K.....if you want to fly AA to XXX and then JL XXX-NRT, it's 125K...

I think you have been misinformed.

Whomever told you that was misreading the AAward chart.

So, what's wrong....what's the correct number?

125K for F, be it as a AA r/t award from US to Asia or an "all partner award" that let's you mix & match.

BTW, if (and only if) you'd like to economize on some miles, JL's new shellflat seat in J is fantastic (not available on all routes.) Just a thought.

I already have the F booked, but I guess I could ask about it....which routes?

Right now I'm going through SFO, which I've read doesn't have the premium F seats that ORD and JFK service get, but an older F version....what are those like, and the IFE? New J on that route??

Interestingly, SFO would have new J-- accordong to the below:

Ya SURE ya' don't wanna' re-route (JFK or ORD) to get one of these if your springing for F?
http://www.airliners.net/open.file?i...l=CABIN&size=M

Older F looks kinda "boxy" by comparison (and downright "coffin like" (AA Pacific F) if ya' ask me (minus the comforters and nice FA's etc.
http://www.jal.co.jp/en/inflight/int...at/index3.html

And here's the shellflat:
http://www.jal.co.jp/en/inflight/int...shellflat.html
http://www.airliners.net/open.file?i...l=CABIN&size=M

You might actually get better input on the AA board, since more of them have flown these, I assume.

I'd love to, but the problem is the schedule. As it is, I have to arrive SFO the evening prior, spend the night, and then take JL at 12:00p the next day. There's no way to go FLL-XXX-SFO and make it there by noon.

The same is true with ORD and JFK flights as well. FLL-LGA-JFK won't connect, and neither will ORD unless I spend the night also.

Perhaps starting from MIA would offer better connections, but I so dislike having anything to do with MIA if it can be avoided.

Are you able to look up "A" for JL using the availability tool? On flights I was told A was available, I went to look it up and the A did not show...F I D, etc all did, but no A.

Also the AAgents all seem to want to put me through LAX or SFO...I guess that pops up more readly than the others....and one even asked me, incredulously, "You want to go on Japan Airlines instead of American?"

"Uh, yeah"

Great links, thanks for those! I may consider the Biz Shell if it provides more schedule choices.

I guess I'm thinking that if you're redeeming for F on JL you don't want to be on their old F (which I'm sure is very nice-- but the pictures speak for themselves.) If it were me, I think I'd be tempted to do a J-class award and get the new J seat on the JL legs (as it seems to exist on the flights you'd be taking, I think,) unless I could get JL new-F at least one way?