A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Try this - it's normally free for the standard AA number: Contact American Airlines Reservations

Thanks - I tried to AA-AU number and they actually did it for me with no booking fee so its all ticketed!

 

[boomy]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thanks - I tried to AA-AU number and they actually did it for me with no booking fee so its all ticketed!

Yep, no more fees through the AU number.
It's my preferred contact number to AA, less waiting time and often better service.

 

[Nizar]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Yep, no more fees through the AU number.
It's my preferred contact number to AA, less waiting time and often better service.

Same, I used to call only the US number but after I was once on a 45min hold, I have given up on them and started using the Aussie number and found them quite good. Hold times usually no longer than 10mins.

Has anyone on here booked an Apartment on the SYD-AUH route in the past 48 hours ?
How about F Suite on the 789 ?

I'm keen to know what is bookable through AA.

 

[drron]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

And I now call the AU number late at night.Sometimes after hours it gets switched to the US.Last time I had a great agent who told me he was in Tulsa.

 

[kamchatsky]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Yes i definitely used the AU number for bookings. There is no fee which is great. It is much better than the US number.

 

[legroom]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Hello,

Found a routing on QR with 2-4 J seats available but when I called up, two different AA agents claimed they could not see anything.

I am aware of phantom CX seats but QR ?

Should I call back again or that's enough.

Is there another way (like JL checking of CX) to double check on these phantom QR seats to avoid wasting time on the (Skype) phone ?

T.I.A.

 

[legroom]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

To follow up re. QR phantom seats on BA

It looks like this is a live issue on the other forum as well

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23949686-post2.html

Annoying !

 

[TheEmu]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Yes i definitely used the AU number for bookings. There is no fee which is great. It is much better than the US number.

+1 for using the AU number.
Taxes, etc. are charged in $AUD which is handy.

 

[WeeGraeme]

AA award availablity

In general terms, what's AA award availability generally like for flights from Australia to UK? I'm considering doing the platinum challenge, but other than lounge access, I could end up with nothing but a bunch of points I can't actually use. I don'

 

[smit0847]

Re: AA award availablity

The same as every other oneworld carrier

 

[Hvr]

Re: AA award availablity

Depends what class you want to travel, how many people traveling and how far ahead of time you can book. Basically how long is a piece of string?

They also offer different routes including through Japan and flying on BA. So if you really want to get to LHR you will with a bit of effort but it may not be on QFi.

 

[moa999]

Re: AA award availablity

Generally worse as with AA you can only book 330 days out, and a whole bunch of QF seats get snapped up on 355

 

[Mattg]

Re: AA award availablity

Availability isn't great but it's usually possible to find something to the UK with a bit of creativity and flexibility.

If you do find that you end up with a bunch of AA miles that you can't use, don't forget that AA has excellent value redemptions within Australia and New Zealand. Queenstown-Brisbane-Perth-Paraburdoo (purely as an example) can be had for the same amount of miles as Sydney-Canberra.

 

[Nizar]

Re: AA award availablity

There is some, but not alot, of availability in F when looking say 7+ months in advance

 

[Paddy55]

Re: AA award availablity

The same as every other oneworld carrier

Found QF and BA F availability (1 & 2 seats) through AA that didn't appear on qantas.com.au

 

[Nizar]

Re: AA award availablity

Found QF and BA F availability (1 & 2 seats) through AA that didn't appear on qantas.com.au

I've noticed that too.
Since it seems that you may have tried both, which overall product is better, QF F or BA F ?
I have only tried the former and thought it was quite good and have another trip planned next year.
Keen to hear your thoughts.
(Sorry for the off topic)

 

[Paddy55]

Re: AA award availablity

I've noticed that too.
Since it seems that you may have tried both, which overall product is better, QF F or BA F ?
I have only tried the former and thought it was quite good and have another trip planned next year.
Keen to hear your thoughts.
(Sorry for the off topic)

Coming up in July will be my first BA experience in first. It looks pretty good, however I think most would agree QF first is ahead of the BA hard and soft products. However looking forward to travelling with Mrs Paddy in BA First, especially as we scored the 2 First tkts SYD-LHR and VIE-LHR-SYD (7 months ahead) and will get to be in the QF Flounge in Sydney, and the Concorde Room (1st time) in LHR, where we've already booked a Cabana!

Last trip managed to score QF then EK going to LHR... now EK is awesome! . Paddy Jnr was thoroughly spoiled as we scored 2 First Class seats on just 2 months notice

Another bonus has been to 80K points via AA to go QF/EK First vs the 192K points I would have needed to book via the QF web site... if the seats were available!

 

[Mattg]

Re: AA award availablity

Found QF and BA F availability (1 & 2 seats) through AA that didn't appear on qantas.com.au

I suspect you would have been able to book the QF or BA seats with QF by ringing up. Sometimes there are unexplained differences in what is shown on each airline's own website, but in principle the availability should be the same.

 

[WeeGraeme]

Re: AA award availablity

Depends what class you want to travel, how many people traveling and how far ahead of time you can book. Basically how long is a piece of string?

They also offer different routes including through Japan and flying on BA. So if you really want to get to LHR you will with a bit of effort but it may not be on QFi.

Thanks for the reply. Thanks everyone else who replied, too. I'd have no issue with it not being on QF as I don't particularly want to travel via the Middle East. I'd prefer to arrive in the morning and avoid the change in Dubai followed by a shorter flight. I just wasn't sure whether they'd even offer reward flights from Australia to UK or anywhere in Europe. I had imagined they'd be focused on travel to USA.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: AA award availablity

Since it seems that you may have tried both, which overall product is better, QF F or BA F ?

QF F overall will be better than BA (better seats, more room). Food I'd say is possibly equal. The crews however on BA probably have the edge in terms of consistency.

I'd have no issue with it not being on QF as I don't particularly want to travel via the Middle East. I'd prefer to arrive in the morning and avoid the change in Dubai followed by a shorter flight. I just wasn't sure whether they'd even offer reward flights from Australia to UK or anywhere in Europe. I had imagined they'd be focused on travel to USA.

Generally Oneworld availability is I'd say 'fairly hard' to come by in premium cabins, particularly for more than one seat... unless you can book right at the opening window, or close in (like a week or less). For partner airlines of the program you're with, that 'opening window' can be as much as 30 days later than members of that airline's program... making it even more difficult.

QF only has two flights a day to London, both via Dubai, and first and business are at a premium... perhaps exacerbated because platinums (and above) can ring QF to get extra seats released... so ordinary members don't really have much of a chance once the initial ones are gone.

But there are other options... CX, JL, QR, BA.

Through AA you can also get Etihad, and through QF, Emirates.