American AAdvantage Now Waiving Most Phone Ticketing Fees

Published: February 3, 2015

Here’s some great news! American is making some positive changes to their AAdvantage award ticketing fees, as follows:

Effective February 3, 2015, the Reservations Ticketing Service Charge will be waived for award bookings that cannot be booked on aa.com.
Effective February 16, 2015, a Reservations Ticketing Service Charge of $30.00 for domestic itineraries and $40.00 for international itineraries will be applied by AA Reservations when ticketing award bookings that can be booked on aa.com.

AAdvantage-Processing-Fee

So basically American is finally waiving their phone ticketing fees for award tickets which can’t be booked through their website. Meanwhile in a couple of weeks they’ll be raising their ticketing fees by $5 per ticket for awards which can be booked online (which shouldn’t be a big deal, since I don’t think anyone anyone savvy enough to read a blog will literally choose to throw $25 out the window). 😉

As a reminder, awards on American, US Airways, airberlin, Alaska, British Airways, Finnair, Hawaiian, Qantas, and Royal Jordanian can be booked through American’s website.

Qatar-Airways-A350-Business-Class-28
Redeem AAdvantage miles on Qatar Airways without paying a phone ticketing fee

Now members can make bookings for travel on all partner airlines without fees, including carriers like Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Japan Airlines, etc.

US Airways hasn’t yet changed their Dividend Miles award booking fee structure, and they actually charge a “Dividend Miles Processing Fee” for all award tickets, regardless of whether they’re booked online or not. So based on this update it sure seems like American won’t be adopting these BS ticketing fees, which is great.

Dividend-Miles-Fees

With their phone ticketing fee policy they’re matching US Airways’ policy and fee structure, whereby the fee is $30/$40 for domestic/international tickets issued by phone, and it’s waived if the award can’t be booked online.

Since the Dividend Miles program will soon be merged into the AAdvantage program, we can soon look forward to redeeming our former US Airways miles without booking fees in the coming months!

And since I’m sure someone will ask, no, I don’t think it’s reasonable to request a refund on a phone ticketing fee for a ticket issued in the past. 😉

(Tip of the hat to Gary)

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cupofchai Guest

August 30, 2015, 3:49 am

I had two experiences within the past week where I had to call to book flights I couldn't book on AA.com (Cathay Pacific flight and an AA flight that was having errors because it was a multi-leg Business award flight where economy was only available for one leg and it wouldn't downgrade that leg for me) and on both separate occasions, the representatives were adamant that the phone ticketing service fee would apply. I only complained about the AA one because that was out of my control. I didn't know about this change or the documentation, which I do still read on the AA Award travel page. But I called just now and had no trouble or resistance getting the fee refunded. So if all else fails, just call back after booking.

‼ 0

porkisking Guest

May 5, 2015, 12:31 am

Never mind, it's still on their website: "The AA Reservations Ticketing Service Charge will be waived for all members redeeming miles for awards that cannot be booked on aa.com". I guess I now have to fight for $40 to be refunded. This will be fun.

May 4, 2015, 8:51 pm

I don't see language anymore about waiving telephone booking fees for award bookings that can not be made on their website. Did they revert back at some point? I just booked a Cathay Pacific flight and was charged $40.

BT New Member

February 7, 2015, 4:52 pm

Does AA have blackout dates to Europe between 12/29/2015 and 01/05/2016? Or are they not releasing EconomysAAver rewards? There is no EconomysAAver award availability on any AA or US operated flights out of the USA to Europe during this period. I've been checking every day and even when the next day becomes available to book only BA flights are available...

wayne Guest

February 5, 2015, 4:40 pm

Lucky, Someone told me that you can book AA one world award chart using Dividend Miles. Is that true? I've search and I can't find anything on this. I see that you can do that but only online and domestic as it is a glitch.

American AAdvantage Now Waiving Most Phone Ticketing Fees

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