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Answers (5)

Advice kindly sought • re: AA partner award change

Advice kindly sought • re: AA partner award change

  1. Scoob72 New Member

    [COLOR=#000066][I][B]Firstly, many thanks for taking the time to read this — I do appreciate it.[/B][/I][/COLOR]

    Would anyone be able to advise me on the following? From AA’s website, I notice that award changes are fee-free if there is no change in the [U][B]origin[/B][/U] and [B][U]destination[/U].[/B]

    [B][I][COLOR=#000066]However[/COLOR][/I][/B], does this still apply if:

    [B](i)[/B] My origin ([B][COLOR=#b30000]NRT[/COLOR][/B], [B]Japan[/B]) and destination ([COLOR=#b30000][B]LHR[/B][/COLOR], [B]UK[/B]) remain the same, [B][I]but:[/I][/B]

    [B](ii)[/B] I wanted to change my current award (which is an [B][U][I]indirect[/I][/U] [/B]flight via, [COLOR=#b30000][B]AUH[/B][/COLOR]) to a [B][I][U]direct[/U][/I][/B] flight?

    Really, I’m trying to confirm whether it would still be [B]free[/B] for me to change my current, [B][I]indirect[/I][/B] award on [COLOR=#000066][B]EY[/B][/COLOR] — which is: [COLOR=#b30000][B]NRT[/B][/COLOR]– [B]AUH[/B], then [B]AUH [/B]– [COLOR=#b30000][B]LHR[/B][/COLOR] — to a [I][B]direct[/B][/I] [COLOR=#000066][B]BA[/B][/COLOR] flight from [B][COLOR=#b30000]NRT[/COLOR] [/B]– [COLOR=#b30000][B]LHR[/B][/COLOR], where, with both awards, the [B]origin[/B] and [B]destination[/B] cities remain the same?

    [COLOR=#330066][I][B]Any advice would be greatly appreciated![/B][/I][/COLOR]

    All the best

  2. rickyw Community Ambassador

    If there is availability at the saver level (assuming that’s how you originally booked), then yes… no change fee.

  3. Scoob72 New Member

    [QUOTE=”rickyw, post: 61068, member: 1436″]If there is availability at the saver level (assuming that’s how you originally booked), then yes… no change fee.[/QUOTE]

    [B][B][B]Rickyw[/B] [/B][/B]— many thanks for this. That’s reassuring to know as I had wondered if AA might be funny about me changing from a non–OW Award to an OW award and charge me a fee as a result. But, from what you say, then if I can find a replacement award at the Saver level for the same origin/destination, then I should hope to avoid a change fee. That’s reassuring and greatly appreciated.

    All the best and many thanks once again!

  4. Daniel B Gold

    [QUOTE=”Scoob72, post: 61069, member: 2235″][B][B][B]Rickyw[/B] [/B][/B]— many thanks for this. That’s reassuring to know as I had wondered if AA might be funny about me changing from a non–OW Award to an OW award and charge me a fee as a result. But, from what you say, then if I can find a replacement award at the Saver level for the same origin/destination, then I should hope to avoid a change fee. That’s reassuring and greatly appreciated.

    All the best and many thanks once again![/QUOTE]
    [USER=1436]@rickyw[/USER] is absolutely right. They will NOT charge a fee, so do not worry. I do this all the time, sometimes several times with one award ticket. I typically need a BNA-BUD ticket, so as soon as the schedule opens up and I find something which looks acceptable, I book it (put it on a 5-day courtesy hold), and 5 days later finalize it. Then keep checking and if a better option opens up, I call AA and they always change it free (I have NO status with them). Last time I changed my wife’s BNA-BUD ticket 4 times within a 6 month period, each time getting a better itinerary and saving a lot of money (less taxes and fees) at the same time. As you know taxes and fees can be significantly different for the different itineraries.

  5. Anonymous Guest

    [QUOTE=”Scoob72, post: 61069, member: 2235″]That’s reassuring to know as I had wondered if AA might be funny about me changing from a non–OW Award to an OW award and charge me a fee as a result.[/QUOTE]

    Interestingly, this is technically what is supposed to happen, as it is considered a different type of award. Not all “saver” awards are technically created equal, and AA theoretically breaks them out into multiple types:
    [LIST]
    [*]AA only
    [*]AA + oneworld
    [*]AA + single non-oneworld partner
    [*]AA + multiple non-oneworld partners
    [*]AA + oneworld + single non-oneworld partner
    [*]AA + oneworld + multiple non-oneworld partner (this is harder in practice now because of the segment limits)

    [*]oneworld only

    [*]single non-oneworld partner only

    [*]multiple non-oneworld partners only

    [*]oneworld + single non-oneworld partner

    [*]oneworld + multiple non-oneworld partners
    [/LIST]
    In practice, and if everything is at saver, the computer won’t always prompt for a fee, and even if does, the majority of agents will waive it for most of these combination changes.

    We really only ran into problems with this when the award chart devalued, and we were trying to reissue or change pre-devaluation awards. In those cases, changing the airline/partner combinations usually forced a reprice, and no one was willing to waive it.

    If you [I]do[/I] get quoted a fee, I’d reference the origin and destination rule, and see if they (or the support desk) will override it, but most of the time it shouldn’t come up.

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