A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[Beta4Me]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

You need JMB for try CX availability.

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thanks for the advice all. One (possibly final) query - is it possible to do a mixed class award by ringing up? I can get J out of Europe to MEL, but then want to do a Y to WLG as no through J option.

 

[knasty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Yep no problem with a downgrade sector.

 

[Danger]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thanks for the advice all. One (possibly final) query - is it possible to do a mixed class award by ringing up? I can get J out of Europe to MEL, but then want to do a Y to WLG as no through J option.

As knasty notes this is possible but note you will still be charged the higher (J) points cost.

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thanks to you both.

As knasty notes this is possible but note you will still be charged the higher (J) points cost.

At 80k points still I'd presume? (i.e ZAG(J)-LHR(J)-DXB(J)-MEL(J)-WLG(Y) is all one ticket? ) Don't mind paying another 10k points if I have to, to get on the WLG flight but easier if it's all on one ticket and bags can be interlined.

 

[Danger]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

At 80k points still I'd presume? (i.e ZAG(J)-LHR(J)-DXB(J)-MEL(J)-WLG(Y) is all one ticket? ) Don't mind paying another 10k points if I have to, to get on the WLG flight but easier if it's all on one ticket and bags can be interlined.

Subject to the maximum permitted mileage rules there would be no issue with having what you've proposed on the one ticket. Regardless, though, you'd be able to interline your bags because you'd be flying oneworld.

Also, I think you'd only be up for 60k in J, 80k in F (subject to the maximum permitted mileage and all the other rules).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thanks to you both.



At 80k points still I'd presume? (i.e ZAG(J)-LHR(J)-DXB(J)-MEL(J)-WLG(Y) is all one ticket? ) Don't mind paying another 10k points if I have to, to get on the WLG flight but easier if it's all on one ticket and bags can be interlined.

As long as LHR-MEL is a single flight number. If you change planes or flight numbers in DXB you'll be up for two awards.

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Well, thanks to the advice above I've just sorted my outbound flight (well, relatively - currently on request). If it tickets, it'll be DRW-SYD-SIN-LHR-ZAG (SYD-SIN-LHR in F, begin and end with J).

Couldn't get to ZAG online so rang up AA. Nice bloke I spoke to couldn't get anything onwards to ZAG, but it hindsight I think he may have been trying to get me there from SIN. Not to be outdone, I thought 'WWAAFD'? (What would AAF Do?). HUACA. So I did, second operator sounded more robot than the interactive voice prompt and this time I explained I wanted to keep the LHR flight but add on ZAG, which was done in no short order. $575 (inc $400 carrier charges) + $80 booking fee later, it's now on request.

Thanks again to you all! (And now have the return journey on hold pending whether I go to WLG or DRW...)

 

[knasty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Complex F redemptions are the goal, and you've scored. I always find its best to spoon feed individual sectors so there's no need for the agent to think; less chance of.something going wrong.

 

[diningdecadence]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

does anyone know what time QF flights are released to AA (based on Sydney time)?

I understand it's pretty competitive to find a flight (if they are still available) at 330 so hoping to be able to log in at the perfect time in the oft chance there's availability.

thanks

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I personally don't, but others may. Depending on the route/cabin/proprosed travel period, they may get picked up by QFF'ers before they even get released to AA. QF may continue to release seats throughout the year?

 

[Pushka]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I've found availability on AA redemption site that doesn't show on the Qantas site.

 

[diningdecadence]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I personally don't, but others may. Depending on the route/cabin/proprosed travel period, they may get picked up by QFF'ers before they even get released to AA. QF may continue to release seats throughout the year?

yep - I understand there's the 23 day window that QF, Asia Miles and Avios get first pick of seats, but hoping might be a few here and there

I've found availability on AA redemption site that doesn't show on the Qantas site.

care to share some more? (via PM if necessary?) domestic/ international?

 

[Pushka]

yep - I understand there's the 23 day window that QF, Asia Miles and Avios get first pick of seats, but hoping might be a few here and there



care to share some more? (via PM if necessary?) domestic/ international?

Theres no secret - maybe beginners luck.
I checked on the AA site in the few days before the seats were released on AA but had been opened up on Qantas. There was little availability on Qantas - January 2016 DXB to Sydney.

When I knew my date had opened up on AA I could see the flight availability I wanted during the day but couldn't book it (I was after J or F). I gave it one last try before i left work (5pm SA time) and finally it proceeded to enter my payment details. I was after 2 seats and this was only 1 but I grabbed it anyway - F on the QF A380. Thinking I would get another ticket for the next day - we would travel separately home. No drama. And exactly the same thing happened the next day. So we had two F tickets but on different days.

A couple of weeks later for some reason I checked AA again for my dates. Another F had opened up on one of our flights. As the AA website could determine it was a double booking I had to call (and used the US number) and they changed it for free. So now two F tickets on the same flight.

During this time I was checking the Q website on my dates to gauge my chances. Not even availability for Y classic awards.

I wondered if AA can see those seats that Qantas might hold back for WP travellers and grabs them?

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Also not all available routes will show on the AA site - you may have to try for the nearest major airport/hub and chain it from there. I.e I wanted to get from DRW to ZAG. I could see availability from DRW-SYD-SIN-LHR as well as a separate LHR-ZAG.I put the DRW/LHR segment on hold and then ring up AA - because ZAG and LHR are in the same point region, the point cost doesn't change (taxes slightly do).

In my case I've also had to pay the $80AUD ticketing assistance fee, but that is small change compare to another award booking + taxes to get to ZAG or purchasing a ticket outright. You can also downgrade a sector (e.g if you can find a Y seat but not J for a flight in the chain you want,you can downgrade that sector to Y) but you'd have to ring up for that also.

You'll find that people on here are quite helpful (I can attest to that), so if you state your route people can keep an eye out for you - though the converse is that unless a sucessful find is PM'd, others could get in first.

 

[Pushka]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I asked this on another thread.
But here goes.

If I have purchased all my allowable points this year, can my sons get an account, buy points and book flights for me?

 

[Nizar]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I asked this on another thread.
But here goes.

If I have purchased all my allowable points this year, can my sons get an account, buy points and book flights for me?

Certainly. Even my cat has an account lol all they really need is an email address which you can make on Gmail in around 4 minutes

 

[Pushka]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Certainly. Even my cat has an account lol all they really need is an email address which you can make on Gmail in around 4 minutes

Oh that's priceless. I guess money is money.

Wonder why they limit people to 100k purchase of points a year?

Off to get my cat, budgie, lizard an account. Wait 30 days. Book. Hold. Buy.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Oh that's priceless. I guess money is money.

Wonder why they limit people to 100k purchase of points a year?

Off to get my cat, budgie, lizard an account. Wait 30 days. Book. Hold. Buy.

Your cat, budgie and lizard better have a credit card

 

[Pushka]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Your cat, budgie and lizard better have a credit card

Yes. They do. Mine.