A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thanks, I've got some alerts set up.

CX alerts through EF don't work IME. Monitor the J loads for the flights you want and check BA.com every few hours for the period you expect the flight to open up based on similar flights on different days. I snagged the CX J flight I wanted less than an hour after it was added to the award inventory.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

CX alerts through EF don't work IME. Monitor the J loads for the flights you want and check BA.com every few hours for the period you expect the flight to open up based on similar flights on different days. I snagged the CX J flight I wanted less than an hour after it was added to the award inventory.

Noting that BA.com (and QF.com) can show phantom availability. JAL is more accurate (requires free membership to access).

 

[legroom]

OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

Recently I had an AA redemption - selected / held on AA.com - for a domestic US flight.

When I decided to pay, it will repeatedly refuse my OZ CCs (2-3 cards). I nearly always use AA.com to search, book & pay for flights (revenue or redemption), rarely the OZ site.

Calling up the Oz AA help line, I was advised that a fee of $80 will be charged to help me pay for the $5.50 co-payment !

Calling up the US AA help line, the advice is to log onto the Oz AA site so that the Oz CC will be accepted. Agent told me that the US AA site will only accept US-based CCs.

This is new to me !

Hope it will help you with your bookings.

PS: it also insisted that the CC name has to match the AA account name - IIRC, this is also new.

 

[Pushka]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

PS: it also insisted that the CC name has to match the AA account name - IIRC, this is also new.

You can buy points in any named account with your credit card but when it comes to redemption and paying the taxes the credit card must match the account name. Found that out a few months ago.

 

[DC3]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

I'm not sure whether you have rung AA USA and asked to pay through them. Is that what you are saying?

The USA agents have accepted my Australian credit card, this week, when I phoned for award bookings that were not bookable on-line (EY). I used the AU number, but I've found that it is never answered in Fiji. Maybe a time zone issue.


Edit: Additionally, last night when making another AA award booking (booked on-line for QF and BA flights), I made the booking and payment in one on-line session, using my AU cc, although using the credit card details that matched the AA account. I've never placed an on-line award redemption "on hold", so can't comment on those issues. Anyway, I would HUACA.

 

[legroom]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

I place the redemption on hold because I could not finalise the payment.

I called - as written - both the Oz & the US AA numbers, with their responses detailed.

Again, as mentioned, I had done many revenue & redemption on AA.com with an Oz CC previously without any issue.

Your Oz CC was accepted - without fee - as it was not bookable on line and you called the AU number. No surprise there !

I'm not sure whether you have rung AA USA and asked to pay through them. Is that what you are saying?

The USA agents have accepted my Australian credit card, this week, when I phoned for award bookings that were not bookable on-line (EY). I used the AU number, but I've found that it is never answered in Fiji. Maybe a time zone issue.


Edit: Additionally, last night when making another AA award booking (booked on-line for QF and BA flights), I made the booking and payment in one on-line session, using my AU cc, although using the credit card details that matched the AA account. I've never placed an on-line award redemption "on hold", so can't comment on those issues. Anyway, I would HUACA.

 

[drron]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

My CC was accepted on aa.com 2 days ago booking an award.But probably because my co-payment was larger-$US5.60.

 

[LA10]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

Can someone please assist interpret the following from expert flyer? (I've tried to figure it out to no avail). I'm looking at the possibility of getting a J award. Thanks.

J9 C9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9N9 Q9 T9 O9

 

[diningdecadence]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

Can someone please assist interpret the following from expert flyer? (I've tried to figure it out to no avail). I'm looking at the possibility of getting a J award. Thanks.

J9 C9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9N9 Q9 T9 O9

unfortunately that means nothing available. you need it to show U for business, or P for first.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

Can someone please assist interpret the following from expert flyer? (I've tried to figure it out to no avail). I'm looking at the possibility of getting a J award. Thanks.

J9 C9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9N9 Q9 T9 O9

What this means is that AA has (a minimum of) 9 seats available for sale in both business (JCDI) class and economy class (Y->). It's not coughulative... so the 9 seats in business they will sell at either J, D, C or I levels. As the flight fills up, the lower classes will generally become less, while the full fare may or may not reduce until such time as there are less than 9 seats remaining.

 

[LA10]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

Thanks MEL_Traveller and diningdecadence.

Edit: just came across this very useful thread.
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....scussion/understanding-expert-flyer-9314.html

 

[smit0847]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

Can someone please assist interpret the following from expert flyer? (I've tried to figure it out to no avail). I'm looking at the possibility of getting a J award. Thanks.

J9 C9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9N9 Q9 T9 O9

It's fabulous when you see a J9 for a CX or SQ flight 7 days out because it means they're likely to release more award seats!

 

[LA10]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I am currently booked on Mel - HK - LHR on QF/CX in J. Due to plans changing, I now need to leave a week later, which means it's difficult to now again find availability. My final destination has now been changed to Prague.
I can see CX availability from HK - Europe on Thursdays, but none on Friday/Sat in J. Surprisingly, there are F seats. Do people know if CX still releases last minute J award seats (i.e. if I book F and change to J closer to the date)? Thanks.

Just an update for those who helped me. I may be crazy but I'm fairly risk averse and I thought if cx don't release more J Seats, I'd rather use 80k on QF F than QFj/CX F. So i quickly purchased some extra miles and put qf 9 on hold. I'll cancel it closer to the date if J becomes available. Thanks all.

 

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

If you're trying to call AA today expect very long wait times http://m.theage.com.au/world/washin...raffic-chaos-hits-region-20160121-gmbg98.html

 

[legroom]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

Can someone please assist interpret the following from expert flyer? (I've tried to figure it out to no avail). I'm looking at the possibility of getting a J award. Thanks.

J9 C9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9N9 Q9 T9 O9

unfortunately that means nothing available. you need it to show U for business, or P for first.

The EF data as shown is not expected to show any U or P availability.

For that you have to go to EF's Awards & Upgrades section to search.

 

[diningdecadence]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

The EF data as shown is not expected to show any U or P availability.

For that you have to go to EF's Awards & Upgrades section to search.

i have seen the award space in these results previously...

e.g. SYD-DFW 30/11/16 (matches qantas.com) - F9 A9 J9 C9 D9 I9 U1 W9 R9 T9 Z1 Y9B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 G0 X9

 

[legroom]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

i have seen the award space in these results previously...

e.g. SYD-DFW 30/11/16 (matches qantas.com) - F9 A9 J9 C9 D9 I9 U1 W9 R9 T9 Z1 Y9B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 G0 X9

I stand corrected !

Thanks

 

[hossein_au]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

i have seen the award space in these results previously...

e.g. SYD-DFW 30/11/16 (matches qantas.com) - F9 A9 J9 C9 D9 I9 U1 W9 R9 T9 Z1 Y9B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 G0 X9

How did you get it to show X, U or P (without having to specifically search for awards)?

 

[diningdecadence]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

How did you get it to show X, U or P (without having to specifically search for awards)?

just a standard search - agree it's easier to use the awards function on EF, but it does show if you're doing a normal search.

 

[hossein_au]

Re: OZ CCs only accepted on AU site

just a standard search - agree it's easier to use the awards function on EF, but it does show if you're doing a normal search.

I had never seen that, but I'll pay a closer attention next time. Thanks.