AA buy miles promo, 50% bonus, increased annual limit to 60k

[dfcatch]

just wondering if the availability of F points redemption flights will fall with this promotion, sounds too easy a way to book an F flight, suspect that for the average public without EXP status seats will be very scarce, if not impossible to find, does anyone have any experience with this at the moment?

Generally good transpacific availability (maximum 2 seats) around 330 days out. Sometimes you can find an odd seat a few months out or less - but that generally involves using EF alerts.

Haven't tried booking LHR but I understand its even tougher.

Whenever QF has F award availability showing on EF - then it's bookable via AAdvantage.

 

[ermen]

the main problem you are hitting is that AA wants to charge you the higher price for the SGN fare, and everytime someone agrees to the lower, it comes back at the higher. I would have given up on the second go!

Fair enough on the SGN - xHKG - PER leg. Only bought the points after they confirmed could do for 35K in J.


Now to ticket PER -xHKG - HAN though... another round of to-ing and froing...

1/ So I email in the copy of ID + credit card to AA head office...
2/ Call up Australia office today to see if my booking can be processed in Brisbane, customer service says "you cannot email ID + credit card, you got to fax" (yeah right? didn't I just email you a copy a few days ago and that worked?)
3/ So I fax it to them. Confirm receipt of fax now, but "sorry sir we have received yor fax but... FAX QUALITY IS LOW - PLEASE EMAIL IT TO US". I'm like what do you expect? Its a FAX. And now you accept email?

It is so incompetent that it is almost hillarious... Now I really do appreciate Qantas! Great airline!

I wonder if US Dividend Miles will get absorbed into AA if / when the merger will happen...

 

[casanovawa]

I stuffed around for about 8 hours over several days on a USDM redemption recently and thought that experience was a bit of the pitts, but seems AA are trying to surpass it....

 

[wafliron]

Fair enough on the SGN - xHKG - PER leg. Only bought the points after they confirmed could do for 35K in J.

<snip>

I feel for you, sounds like a truly terrible experience. Have you considered maybe using one of the "frequent flyer travel agent" services to get the booking done? As far as I know most will be happy to make a booking for you for a small fee (even though their main offering is to help you find seats in the first place). A US-based one may know a few tricks to try and circumvent AA's ridiculousness - plus it makes all the hassle someone else's problem.

 

[ermen]

I guess its just a confluence of many things going wrong that have culminated in this disaster.

Still beats flying Y

Next time will use AA miles for relatively simple itins that dont run into MPM issues. Like QF Syd - HKG F in the A380

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I guess its just a confluence of many things going wrong that have culminated in this disaster.

Still beats flying Y

Next time will use AA miles for relatively simple itins that dont run into MPM issues. Like QF Syd - HKG F in the A380

i dunno whether its an MPM issue or if it is just that CX don't have a published fare for the particular route you wanted to fly? There are some amazing redemptions listed on the FT forum - but all involve having a published (not YY) fare for the route.

 

[ermen]

Well... I checked EF and there seems to be a published fare by CX for this route (SGN - PER)? Note I managed to book CX PER - xHKG - HAN no problems at all for 35K points.

Note though as someone had mentioned on EF before, the published MPM of this fare at 3732 is way below the HAN - xHKG - PER routing (based on GCM. this will be just within MPM+25% by a few miles). But as someone also mentioned, maybe the miles that AA use are different from GCM, which will put me marginally over the MPM+25% threshold. Who knows...



Results from ExpertFlyer.com

Fare Routing Search:
Departing SGN on 01/01/13 for PER
Fare basis code JOW5
Flying CX
Routing via Eastern Hemisphere

SGN-PER       CXR-CX       TUE 01JAN13                     USD
THE FOLLOWING CARRIERS ALSO PUBLISH FARES SGN-PER:
BA BI BR CA CZ EK EY FJ GA HU HX IT JL KA KE LH MH MK MU NH NZ 
OZ QF QR QV RJ SK SQ TG VN YY 
ADDITIONAL CARRIERS PARTICIPATE IN YY FARES
//SEE FQHELP FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW FARE DISPLAYS//
  SURCHARGE FOR PAPER TICKET MAY BE ADDED WHEN ITIN PRICED
CX     SGNPER.EH       01JAN13          MPM  3732
    V FARE BASIS     BK    FARE   TRAVEL-TICKET AP  MINMAX  RTG
  1   JOW5           J‡O     0.00     ----      -    -/12M EH01
  2   JOW5           J‡O  1800.00     ----      -    -/12M EH01
 
*** YY REQUESTED FARES NOT PERMITTED SGN-PER ON CX *** 
 
EH01*  /WITHIN THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE/ PUBLISHED MPM 3732
       MILEAGE SYSTEM APPLIES ORIGIN TO DESTINATION

 

[grussellt]

Last year I bought miles, booked 2J SYD/NRT/LHR/CDG, paid with Australian CC and got charged a $25 fee (called AA on 1-800-882-8880). We flew this trip in September and the whole process from booking to landing in CDG was perfect.
So we (a family of four) thought we would have a short trip to from SYD to Lord Howe (LDH). As 4 awards were available SYD-LDH on QFF my son grabbed 2 for himself from QF and I went to AA to grab the other 2. This is where the problems start. The outbound flight is via Port Macquarie (PQQ) i.e SYD/PQQ/LDH so is 8000 pts on QFF. However AA discovers this is 2 segments and there is no published "through" fare by QF and therefore 20,000 miles (not 10,000 miles) for award. The indirect route is 172 km (24%) longer than SYD-LDH direct and only costs $77 more as Red e-deal but unfortunately this translates to double miles on AA. I tried patiently with reference to a supervisor and they valiantly tried to manually adjust to 10,000 miles but the computer said no. I reluctantly agreed to fly PQQ-LDH/LDH-PQQ (and drive to Port Macquarie) just so that we would all get to LDH. I then came to pay using the same Australian CC as last year and discovered that this was not possible. I was told to try online or via Australian call-centre (no thank you!). So I rang back to the US call centre and was put through to another very friendly supervisor who found out how to process the charge. However I must now pay a Telephone Ticketing Service Fee of $80 on top of usual taxes/charges. This seems high compared to the charge last year of $25 but I do want the tickets so I pay up.
We had a short discussion about the fact that I could travel PER-BNE or PER-MEL-BNE for a mere 10,000 AA miles (no extra for indirect) or even SYD-MEL-PER-BME (Broome), a trip of 5119km (which have through-fares) but I have to be charged 2 segments for my 896 km trip from SYD-PQQ-LDH.
I am still happy with the service I have received and the tickets are a good saving on revenue tickets at over $500 one-way. However perhaps QF could figure out some more through-fares to regional centres so that our American cousins visiting this country might enjoy better value for their miles. I'm sure there are lots of tourist areas outside the capitals who would welcome the increased traffic. Over to you at QFF.

 

[ermen]

As it was a QF award, could you not book and pay online?

the A$80 ticketing fee - isin't that the Australian Call centre fee?

 

[grussellt]

I booked two awards from two AAdvantage accounts and wanted to ensure I got both awards, not one. I couldn't see the SYD-PQQ-LDH award online so I couldn't book it. I don't think the Australian Call Centre charges $80 (I seem to recall $60) but I was dealing with the US call centre.

 

[smit0847]

Hmmmm... I was all set to use Lifemiles for my BKK trip next year but now that they have (slightly) increased the redemption rates and I'm reading about how excellent the new CX J is, perhaps I should be looking at going one way through this program and the other way through LM (as I've already bought some LM).

I understand one-way J MEL-HKG-BKK would be 35k points required. Is it correct that you can't book CX online? What would the availability be like for trying to book one (1) J seat for late October if booked in, say, Feb/March next year.

 

[bcworld]

Hmmmm... I was all set to use Lifemiles for my BKK trip next year but now that they have (slightly) increased the redemption rates and I'm reading about how excellent the new CX J is, perhaps I should be looking at going one way through this program and the other way through LM (as I've already bought some LM).

I understand one-way J MEL-HKG-BKK would be 35k points required. Is it correct that you can't book CX online? What would the availability be like for trying to book one (1) J seat for late October if booked in, say, Feb/March next year.

You can check CX availability on QFF to get an idea.

Yes, the new seat is great...to me, everything else on board is no better or worse than TG.

I'm not sure if there will be any difficulties pricing MEL-HKG-BKK at 35k.

 

[grussellt]

Last year I bought miles, booked 2J SYD/NRT/LHR/CDG, paid with Australian CC and got charged a $25 fee (called AA on 1-800-882-8880). We flew this trip in September and the whole process from booking to landing in CDG was perfect.
So we (a family of four) thought we would have a short trip to from SYD to Lord Howe (LDH). As 4 awards were available SYD-LDH on QFF my son grabbed 2 for himself from QF and I went to AA to grab the other 2. This is where the problems start. The outbound flight is via Port Macquarie (PQQ) i.e SYD/PQQ/LDH so is 8000 pts on QFF. However AA discovers this is 2 segments and there is no published "through" fare by QF and therefore 20,000 miles (not 10,000 miles) for award. The indirect route is 172 km (24%) longer than SYD-LDH direct and only costs $77 more as Red e-deal but unfortunately this translates to double miles on AA. I tried patiently with reference to a supervisor and they valiantly tried to manually adjust to 10,000 miles but the computer said no. I reluctantly agreed to fly PQQ-LDH/LDH-PQQ (and drive to Port Macquarie) just so that we would all get to LDH. I then came to pay using the same Australian CC as last year and discovered that this was not possible. I was told to try online or via Australian call-centre (no thank you!). So I rang back to the US call centre and was put through to another very friendly supervisor who found out how to process the charge. However I must now pay a Telephone Ticketing Service Fee of $80 on top of usual taxes/charges. This seems high compared to the charge last year of $25 but I do want the tickets so I pay up.
We had a short discussion about the fact that I could travel PER-BNE or PER-MEL-BNE for a mere 10,000 AA miles (no extra for indirect) or even SYD-MEL-PER-BME (Broome), a trip of 5119km (which have through-fares) but I have to be charged 2 segments for my 896 km trip from SYD-PQQ-LDH.
I am still happy with the service I have received and the tickets are a good saving on revenue tickets at over $500 one-way. However perhaps QF could figure out some more through-fares to regional centres so that our American cousins visiting this country might enjoy better value for their miles. I'm sure there are lots of tourist areas outside the capitals who would welcome the increased traffic. Over to you at QFF.

RED ROO is already onto this and the matter has been referred to Team Qantas. Now that's what I call efficient and it shows it's always worthwhile to refer problems to the source.
Thank you, Red Roo and Merry Christmas!

 

[ermen]

I'm not sure if there will be any difficulties pricing MEL-HKG-BKK at 35k.

Best to call up to ask first and confirm if its 35K (they should). Once done, if they can't find the routing you want, try to feed them the individual CX flights and get them to price. Sometimes they price wrongly (57.5K) but ask them to check again if its 35K. If they can get 35K to stick without too much hassle means you are good to go. If you have to fight hard for it, then its probably not a good sign as your routing and price can be knocked back at ticketing.

That said, don't think there will be a problem if there is CX U availability MEL-xHKG-BKK. Routing should be well within the MPM+25% that AA seems to use.

As always YMMV but that is what I have learnt after my ordeal with AAdvantage (basically could not get SGN-xHKG-PER to price properly, but PNH-xHKG-PER could be done without a problem. My speculation is that it is an MPM issue).

 

[Princess Fiona]

Maxed out four AA accounts two days ago up to the 60K PA buy limit. Points have all posted today
Mind you looks like I'll need to redeem them on J AAwards to LAX with Hawaiian !!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Maxed out four AA accounts two days ago up to the 60K PA buy limit. Points have all posted today
Mind you looks like I'll need to redeem them on J AAwards to LAX with Hawaiian !!

ouch! is via NRT on JL out of the question?

 

[grussellt]

Maxed out four AA accounts two days ago up to the 60K PA buy limit. Points have all posted today
Mind you looks like I'll need to redeem them on J AAwards to LAX with Hawaiian !!

Maybe even more difficult for availability but have you thought of going via PPT. Long flying time but a bit more exotic!

 

[fersea]

Are you able to book award flights on LAN within south America using AA miles?

 

[Danger]

ouch! is via NRT on JL out of the question?

That would be two awards - SWP to Asia 1 and Asia 1 to NA.

Are you able to book award flights on LAN within south America using AA miles?

Select South America countries, yes, I believe so. See here.

Moderators: a number of posts in this thread would be more suited to this thread. Perhaps they could be moved.

 

[smit0847]

You can check CX availability on QFF to get an idea.

Yes, the new seat is great...to me, everything else on board is no better or worse than TG.

I'm not sure if there will be any difficulties pricing MEL-HKG-BKK at 35k.

I'm not a QFF and realise there's a joining fee (I dont have a WW EDR card) and want to avoid joining up if I can help it.

Is there any free way to check availability short of calling AA? If I can check there is decent availability, Ill buy the points during this promo and book as soon as I know the dates my friends will be there.

Would anyone be so kind as to check for me if they are QFF? I looking for a one-way MEL-HKG-BKK (or alternatively HKT on Dragonair) in J for one (1) pax leaving MEL around 10/10/2103 (Im flexible a few days either side). Ideally the flight that leaves MEL around midnight (assume this is the new J?) to arrive into BKK/HKT late morning.

Sorry - I'm a gun on USDM and LM but this AA thing is still new to me. Would beta.awardtravelr.com have this availability information?

Thanks!