Award Booking - Changing to Earlier Flight

[NoName]

Have booked and award using QF pts SYD-YYZ with LAX-YYZ being on AA metal. All flights in F. There is approx 6hrs layover in LAX as I couldn't book anything earlier for the final leg.

My question is, will AA allow me to move to an earlier flight on the day if there happens to be availability? If so what should I do once clearing immigration in LAX to find out?

Thanks for the help.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Have booked and award using QF pts SYD-YYZ with LAX-YYZ being on AA metal. All flights in F. There is approx 6hrs layover in LAX as I couldn't book anything earlier for the final leg.

My question is, will AA allow me to move to an earlier flight on the day if there happens to be availability? If so what should I do once clearing immigration in LAX to find out?

Thanks for the help.

AA *may* allow you to move to an earlier flight. Once you have collected you bags, head to the bag drop and speak to an agent. Coming off an international flight might improve your chances slightly (much the same as QF has flexibility moving pax to the 'next available' MEL-SYD-BNE flights if you arrive international).

However - this is far from a certainty and you may well get 'no' for an answer. F cabins will almost always leave full (whether paid or through elite status upgrades). Whether AA moves you will depend on several factors, including whether there's an operational need to move you to the earlier flight. Are the earlier flights on AA or AS metal?

 

[NoName]

AA *may* allow you to move to an earlier flight. Once you have collected you bags, head to the bag drop and speak to an agent. Coming off an international flight might improve your chances slightly (much the same as QF has flexibility moving pax to the 'next available' MEL-SYD-BNE flights if you arrive international).

However - this is far from a certainty and you may well get 'no' for an answer. F cabins will almost always leave full (whether paid or through elite status upgrades). Whether AA moves you will depend on several factors, including whether there's an operational need to move you to the earlier flight. Are the earlier flights on AA or AS metal?

Thanks for that. As I expected by the sounds of it - possible but not certain.
Yes there are several flight options (both direct and one stop) which would get me to YYZ earlier. Assume offering to fly Y would increase the chances? If it meant getting on a direct flight I would be willing to do this.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for that. As I expected by the sounds of it - possible but not certain.
Yes there are several flight options (both direct and one stop) which would get me to YYZ earlier. Assume offering to fly Y would increase the chances? If it meant getting on a direct flight I would be willing to do this.

It's hard to say. I asked to to be moved to a non-stop flight a year or so ago (45 min flight, coach only aircraft, plenty of seats) rather than a connecting service (3 hours in F) and they politely declined. This was despite a tight connection at the hub, and connecting to an international flight at the end (all of this was on the same ticket). If there was ever a case of being moved that was it, and they weren't open to the idea.

YMMV

 

[galah]

AA's written policy technically doesn't allow routing changes, or even switching to another multi-city airport. See the policy here: https://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/sameDayTravel.jsp

But, YMMV as MT mentioned, the AA agents are generally flexible and willing to bend the official rules if there is capacity. I have had an agent at LAX change my LAX-SFO-JFK (Q fare) to a LAX-JFK direct (standby) and had no problems getting on the first available flight. I'd say you'd be fine, the only real issue would be if there is fog in LA that morning in which case you could be waiting 6 hours anyway

 

[Glider_]

I tried to do this on a Lifemiles SQ J redemption last year in Singapore at the transfers desk. They said that they can't do it, but I could try going to the SQ sales desk land-side and asking (but were dubious about the likelihood of success).

I didn't bother any further with it, it was only a few extra hours in the lovely lounge.

 

[drewbles]

I've had no problems with AA moving me to an earlier flight when connecting from an international flight, even on an award. That was some time ago, but typically they're very good. You can only ask