Best way to book an American Airlines (ex US) flight

Re: Best way to book an AA (US dom) flight?

Yes I go straight to the US site.No problems with payment.I do put 0 before the postcode as it becomes a Maine zipcode.It also works over the phone.I was honest the first time a week ago and was going to get the $80 per ticket so did the old trick-put ticket on hold,rang back and said my Amex has a Maine zip.As a bonus the telephone booking fee was dropped.

No need to do the postcode/zipcode trick any more. Just select Australia as the country, and zipcode field is an optional field. (It is only mandatory for US, Canada and Puerto Rico addresses)
 
Re: Best way to book an AA (US dom) flight?

No need to do the postcode/zipcode trick any more. Just select Australia as the country, and zipcode field is an optional field. (It is only mandatory for US, Canada and Puerto Rico addresses)
You do need it when phoning the US as I was doing.
No problems on line of course.
 
Re: Best way to book an AA (US dom) flight?

Looking to book a simple MEL-LAX return flight in early 2015. QF price is ~ $1200-$1300 but AA codeshare price (for same flights operated by QF) is about ~ $1600-$1700.

Anyway to book the AA codeshare for the same price as the QF flight? Don't want to book the QF flight as it only earns 25% with AAdvantage/USDM
 
Re: Best way to book an AA (US dom) flight?



The Americanairlines.com.au site charges so much more for business / first flights compared to the US site. Booking on the US site gives very reasonably priced First class tickets. Checking the same flights on the australian site where it changes the name to "Business" instead of "First" increases the cost by 2-3 times!!! The economy flights are approximately the same price. Has anyone else experienced this?

It seems like a blatant rip off
4 years later and the aa.com.au rip off is still continuing. Changing the country to Australia aborts the whole booking and starts again and adds at least 50% or more to the price of business class bookings. I tried PayPal but they only accept PayPal accounts with a US billing address. Fortunately using my Australian credit card and leaving the country as US and just adding a 0 to my Australian postcode worked. You can google what the US zip code would be if you add a 0 to the end of your aussie one.
 
Hi,

I need to book an AA domestic flight using points.
I was going to book through Qantas website, using qantas points.
Is this the best way to do that ?

Regards
TQ
 
4 years later and the aa.com.au rip off is still continuing. Changing the country to Australia aborts the whole booking and starts again and adds at least 50% or more to the price of business class bookings. I tried PayPal but they only accept PayPal accounts with a US billing address. Fortunately using my Australian credit card and leaving the country as US and just adding a 0 to my Australian postcode worked. You can google what the US zip code would be if you add a 0 to the end of your aussie one.
For interest, did you add the "0" to the start or end of the postcode, and did you use the location of that zipcode or your home suburb (to match the card billing address)?
I agree, the AA Australian booking site gives much less choice of flights and significant cost difference.
 
I think I've done it both ways, just write your home postcode and then google which state the US zip code applies to. eg 04001 is Maine and 40010 is Kentucky
 
Hi,

I need to book an AA domestic flight using points.
I was going to book through Qantas website, using qantas points.
Is this the best way to do that ?

Regards
TQ

If you're using Qantas points to book an AA flight, using the Qantas website (or call centre) is the only way to do it.
 
Re: Best way to book an AA (US dom) flight?

Just booked an AA award for mrsdrron.Did it by ringing EXP desk then put it on hold because a few dates were not definite.Out of interest asked if I could pay the taxes of $US159.20 with my Aussie CC-No Sir.But I believed that was an EXP benefit?Oh no sir.
So 2 days later rang the BNE number.Had to hold for ~ 20 minutes but the agent was very good.Made the necessary changes and so I preceeded to pay up-$A189.58-fantastic exchange rate!:shock:
Hi Dron..could you tell me the BNE number you called to get that service...Thank You.
 
When booking from AU I used to always call up the US 1800 number via skype or similar and speak to a US AAgent, almost always a great experience.
 
Hi all, I'm in need of an AA flight within the US booked with AA due to a lack of award availability to suit the long haul from Aus.
I've got family in the US so can either book here or there but the booking options seem to differ and for the life of me I can't find full details on any option.
Also given I need to align with a points seat, should there be any changes, I need the option to refund/change easily.

When I use the US AA.Com i get the option of:
"Main Select" - Refundable and no change fees (difference in ticket price may apply)
"Main Cabin" + "Make my trip refundable" - "No change fees; cancel any time"
Or Using the Australian site

"Main Cabin Flexible" - Flight changes allowed (fee may apply) - Doesn't seem refundable.
There doesn't seem to be an option for "Main Select" or a Refundable ticket booking from Aus, does this seem right?

If so, is there any issue with having a ticket booked from the US, for us in Aus?
I'd love to confirm any fee differences on the Main Select vs "Make my trip refundable" if there is any. Has anyone used these?
 
Hi all, I'm in need of an AA flight within the US booked with AA due to a lack of award availability to suit the long haul from Aus.
I've got family in the US so can either book here or there but the booking options seem to differ and for the life of me I can't find full details on any option.
Also given I need to align with a points seat, should there be any changes, I need the option to refund/change easily.

When I use the US AA.Com i get the option of:
"Main Select" - Refundable and no change fees (difference in ticket price may apply)
"Main Cabin" + "Make my trip refundable" - "No change fees; cancel any time"
Or Using the Australian site

"Main Cabin Flexible" - Flight changes allowed (fee may apply) - Doesn't seem refundable.
There doesn't seem to be an option for "Main Select" or a Refundable ticket booking from Aus, does this seem right?

If so, is there any issue with having a ticket booked from the US, for us in Aus?
I'd love to confirm any fee differences on the Main Select vs "Make my trip refundable" if there is any. Has anyone used these?

No issues booking though the US site, though you technically can't pay with an AU card - so you can either fudge your address, or if you want to be legit, select the "hold booking" option and then call the AU reservations number to pay over the phone. I do it all the time.

Main select is more of a bundle, you get other things other than it just being refundable. Similar to Starter Max with JQ.
 
Thought the Aus call centre was offshored to Fiji, even when it was a Bris number.
My experiences with AA go back nearly two decades and the end point has varied significantly.

At one stage I gave up and began using in the USA via a free calling service.
 
Hi all, I'm in need of an AA flight within the US booked with AA due to a lack of award availability to suit the long haul from Aus.
I've got family in the US so can either book here or there but the booking options seem to differ and for the life of me I can't find full details on any option.
Also given I need to align with a points seat, should there be any changes, I need the option to refund/change easily.

When I use the US AA.Com i get the option of:
"Main Select" - Refundable and no change fees (difference in ticket price may apply)
"Main Cabin" + "Make my trip refundable" - "No change fees; cancel any time"
Or Using the Australian site

"Main Cabin Flexible" - Flight changes allowed (fee may apply) - Doesn't seem refundable.
There doesn't seem to be an option for "Main Select" or a Refundable ticket booking from Aus, does this seem rig

If so, is there any issue with having a ticket booked from the US, for us in Aus?
I'd love to confirm any fee differences on the Main Select vs "Make my trip refundable" if there is any. Has anyone used these?
This Is Australian number for AA (02) 91019148 when I lasted used it 💀
 
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