Help with first AA award booking

[N860CR]

I'm currently trying to make my first AA award booking and have a few quick questions. For better or worse... the very helpful AA agent insisted on placing the booking "on hold" for me (2 pax in J).

Routing is

SYD-BNE (QF)/BNE-HKG (CX)/HKG-HAN(KA)

PNH-HKG(KA) / HKG-SYD (CX)

Firstly, in regards to purchasing the miles, I'm calculating $3201.25USD to purchase the max 160K miles (will leave 20k over for the next time) including the little taxes I hadn't initially thought about This comes to $4198AUD

The agent advises that the taxes on the above flights are $176.59 AUD plus a $80USD "award booking charge". All up I'm looking at about $2350pp (including the few extra points in the bank). This seems a little higher than I was planning for... or is it about right?

What was interesting was that the agent couldn't see availability on a flight (CX139) that CX, QF and BA are all showing (BA says 4 seats). They could, however, find availability on CX101 that I can't see on any other website. Does that sound right? Or has there possibly been a mistake made.

He also advised me that if I buy the miles online, it will take 72 hours to show up, but if they do it over the phone, it will appear immediatley. I noticed on the website a note that says the points are immediatley available. What's the best method to do it?

All in all I was impressed with how helpful the staff member was, its a shame it can't be done online!

 

[JessicaTam]

Points will show up pretty well straight away.

 

[ejd711]

Hi OP,

As your itinerary (CX+KA) is not bookable online, you should be able to get a waiver on the booking fee. This is a recent change - the US call centre charged me even though it had changed (I wasn't aware), but I got an exemption from the Australian call centre. It should be all call centres though apparently. I definitely got it waived about 2 weeks ago for a KA/CX itinerary as it was not available online. A nice recent change by AA. So make sure you ask!

In the past, points have usually hit soon after purchase. i'd say within 24 hours purchasing online. However I wouldn't have been watching particularly to see when they hit.