Can't use Australian credit card for AAdvantage reward booking

[pyramidforce]

I am very very sorry for the basic question, but where do I save the itinerary to generate a PNR?

Does the green "heads up" warning have something to do with (not being able to do) this?

(please don't judge me for my attempt to put together a TP run)

EDIT: Perhaps logging in helps?

 

[DC3]

… where do I save the itinerary to generate a PNR? …

The last time that I booked and paid for AA flights on-line, I received an AA PNR on completion (after payment), and a confirming email, and could view my booking on the AA website.

 

[pyramidforce]

That makes sense, but it looks like I need 5o generate a PNR without paying so I can pay over the phone.

 

[DC3]

That makes sense, but it looks like I need 5o generate a PNR without paying so I can pay over the phone.

So, the website doesn’t let you pay online, by selecting a payment option? Am I missing something here?

 

[pyramidforce]

Earlier in this thread, I was advised to pay over the phone as paying online requires me to put a fake address in as I dont live jn the US. Changing the location to AU loses the itinerary I imported via Matrix.

 

[SYD]

Earlier in this thread, I was advised to pay over the phone as paying online requires me to put a fake address in as I dont live jn the US. Changing the location to AU loses the itinerary I imported via Matrix.

Others are saying you ought to be able to get to a point on the US site such that it creates the booking (on hold) then call to pay. Don’t let go to the .AU website (which happens if you enter an AU address or is it AU CC details?).

Personally, I just use the “El Segundo” method - usually the hotel address where I intend to be staying before or after the flight.

BTW, have you tried re-creating the booking on the .au site? It’s actually got a little better and not always more expensive. I try and compare and go with the cheapest - allowing for forex and CC fees (if any).

 

[pyramidforce]

Others are saying you ought to be able to get to a point on the US site such that it creates the booking (on hold) then call to pay. Don’t let go to the .AU website (which happens if you enter an AU address or is it AU CC details?).

Yes I am aware, hence the screenshot of the final page before I pay. I cant find a save itinerary button or similar and was hoping that I had missed something. Only way forward is to pay, which includes putting in the wrong address and hoping the AU card is accepted.

I imported the itinerary via bookwithmatrix and cant import it to the AU site. No chance at all to search for 10 segments manually.

 

[serfty]

Yes I am aware, hence the screenshot of the final page before I pay. I cant find a save itinerary button or similar and was hoping that I had missed something. Only way forward is to pay, which includes putting in the wrong address and hoping the AU card is accepted.

I imported the itinerary via bookwithmatrix and cant import it to the AU site. No chance at all to search for 10 segments manually.

Many AA.com (USA site) booking came up with an "Hold" option at the payment page but no all.

From your screenshot, this is not available. Possible due to OAs being in the routing or originating in Spain. (OA means "Other Airlines")

At this point in time, the booking exists and it may be possible for you to telephone AA and and get the payment so done.

 

[tinkybelle]

just choose an address and use your au amex or visa it works fine

 

[NM]

Just an update and reference point.

Tonight I have paid for four AAdvantage USA domestic award bookings. I made the reservations over the weekend and had them on hold while confirming total trip arrangements with people we will be visiting. So these 4 reservations needed to paid within 5 days of being placed on hold (I love the reservation hold option and wish QFF offered this option).

Went to "My Trips" and entered the PNR for each on-hold reservation. Each time I then selected "Pay for trip" and then entered my 28 Degrees MC details and address using "Maine" as the state and adding a leading zero to my home postcode (which results in a USA Zip Code for a location in Maine).

All 4 reservations now booked and paid without needing to trudge through the aa.com.au site or calling AA on their USA or AU number. Confirmation emails received.

 

[DC3]

Yes I am aware, hence the screenshot of the final page before I pay. I cant find a save itinerary button or similar and was hoping that I had missed something. Only way forward is to pay, which includes putting in the wrong address and hoping the AU card is accepted.

I imported the itinerary via bookwithmatrix and cant import it to the AU site. No chance at all to search for 10 segments manually.

Any update? It’s gone a bit quiet.

 

[NM]

Note that the reason my trip was split into 4 separate PNRs was due to sector limits and fare/class differences with the routing.

PNR#1 - LAX-AUS; AUS-JFK (F)
PNR#2 - ALB-ORD (Y only on E145)
PNR#3 - ORD-CLT-LEX (AA F); LEX-CLT-TPA (AA F); TPA-SAN-SFO (AS F)
PNR#4 - SFO-LAX (AA F)

There is a maximum of 4 "trips" for each reservation, though each trip can consist of multiple connecting sectors. However, when I have PNR#3 and PNR#4 on the same booking, it failed to process and reverted to the "New Search" page. So I removed the 4th "trip" and make SFO-LAX its own PNR and it was happy to process PNR#3 with three "trips". I suspect it may have been related to the combined AA and AS sectors.

Combining this with already booked QF J (U) booking BNE-LAX-BNE.

 

[NM]

All my bookings were for 2 passengers (myself and Mrs NM). Each booking converted to two credit card charges, one for each passenger. Except for PNR#3 which produced 3 x USD17.80 charges on the card. Then checking my AAdvantage account, PNR#3 resulted in -231,000 miles from my account, when it should have been 154,000 miles (2 x 77,000).

So it appeared they had charged me for 3 passengers, but the issued ticket and on-line view of the booking clearly showed 2 passengers.

A call to the Sydney number and selecting the option for AAdvantage enquiries, I was quickly connected to a very helpful service agent who took my issue to his support team and within about 20 mins it was all resolved and I was refunded the extra 77,000 miles that had been taken from my account and I note from my credit card on-line account that one transaction is still in "Pending" status but all the others have been processed. So the one pending is expected to drop off in a few days as un-charged.

Looking at the timing of the email notifications when the booking was processed, it looks like the ticket issue had some manual intervention (possibly as it contained both AA and AS flights) and that may have triggered the extra miles/charge. Whatever was the cause, it was quickly resolved on one phone call, without any fear that an incompetent agent might completely cancel my booking!

 

[NM]

Another thing I did with these award reservations was to remove the default entry for my AAdvantage membership details as Traveler #1, and entered my new details with my QFF membership number. That way the boarding passes should show OneWorld Sapphire status (QFF LTG) and hence Admirals club lounge access where lounges exist. Also means I will get the two check bags allowance for the Y-only flight ALB-ORD due to my OneWorld Sapphire status, where I would only qualify for 1 checked bag if using AAdvantage Gold status. All the rest of the sectors are in F cabin so include 2 checked bags.

The down-side with having my QFF number in the book and not my AAdvantage membership is that I have to keep a track of the Booking References for each flight as they won't show up in either AA or QFF accounts. I need to enter surname and Booking Reference into the AA "My Trips" page to retrieve the details.

Now to see if we can manage HLO for 3 week trip. Going to give it good shot. Through some flights are on smallish aircraft (E145, E175 etc.) so may not have the storage space for a HLO size carry-on bag, so want to keep the options open for checked bags if/when it suits us.

 

[Mattg]

I just had to use the same method to book an AA award ticket. Apparently my zip code is in Massachusetts.

I have no idea how one of the world's largest airlines can't manage to run a website that lets you seamlessly book award tickets with a non-US credit card in 2024, but there you go.

 

[NM]

I just had to use the same method to book an AA award ticket. Apparently my zip code is in Massachusetts.

I have no idea how one of the world's largest airlines can't manage to run a website that lets you seamlessly book award tickets with a non-US credit card in 2024, but there you go.

Well, we are discussing AMERICAN Airlines .... Nuff Said.

 

[burmans]

Have you tried banking in America? In comparison the AA website is state of the art!

 

[NM]

Have you tried banking in America? In comparison the AA website is state of the art!

I guess American's would just write them a check (cheque) ... but Aussie banks no longer provide cheque books/accounts for most customers.

https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-12/c2023-471331-cp.pdf

 

[Vic]

In early mid February, I also paid for some AA flights using aussie debit card (HSBC global where I keep my USD). I used the leading zero on my post code and selected the suburb as "Pacific Forces" or similar - scroll to the bottom of the list.

Interestingly, I made the mistake of booking the first flight via aa.com.au (MCO-xCLT-SAV), which offered me business on the first leg and only economy on the second. When I checked AA.com - same flights, business on both legs. The cancellation process was seamless (within the first 24 hours). Re-booked on AA.com.

I guess American's would just write them a check (cheque) ... but Aussie banks no longer provide cheque books/accounts for most customers.

https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-12/c2023-471331-cp.pdf

Had Australian friends who moved their for work. The school required a some sort of small fee as part of the enrolment process (for example $10). The friend pulled out a $10 note - no we can't accept that. Ok what's your bank account I'll transfer - no can't do that, you need to write a check.

So they had to go get a "checking account" and come back.

 

[NM]

Again used my 28 Degrees Master Card today for an AAward booking - all on-line.

I was notified today of a change to one of my upcoming AAward bookings - a new flight number and slightly different departure/arrival times (within 10 mins or so of original). I noticed this change also involved a different aircraft type. So the original single-class E145 had become a 2-class CRJ700. So I made a new award reservation for 2 people in the F cabin and put it on hold. Then cancelled the original Y cabin booking. Miles were immediately returned to my account.

Then went back to the new on-hold booking and paid using 28 Degrees card, entering zip-code as 04xx_ and state as Maine. Payment successfully processed and new tickets issued immediately.

All done on-line on aa.com site.

This confirms a few things I really like about AAdvantage:

• Award reservations can be placed on-hold for 5 days with no penalty or cost
• Award booking can be cancelled without any penalty
• Award booking cancellation result in immediate return of miles to account
• Immediate ticket issue of award flight and ticket number provided

QFF could learn a lot from AAdvantage in terms of being member-friendly.