Author Topic: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?  (Read 65858 times)

Offline Side incomer

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #120 on: March 11, 2013, 03:53:25 PM »
Now it seems that the problem has gotten split into 2 categories:

1. where they see it's available, but having a hard time booking.
2. where they don't see the seats at all. although class X and E do have seats


One the 1st one, there is a very good chance to get it, as the help desk knows their way around, but on the second it's extremely hard to convince to work for you as 95% will tell you it's not available.

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Offline sillypainter

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #121 on: March 11, 2013, 08:56:17 PM »
Gotta stop teasing me with that...

Here is the secret.

Book a round trip with a stopover, call UA right away that you want to take off half of the leg to keep it a one way, 99% of the time they will not catch that you have a stopover........no more teasing.

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #122 on: March 11, 2013, 09:29:43 PM »
Here is the secret.

Book a round trip with a stopover, call UA right away that you want to take off half of the leg to keep it a one way, 99% of the time they will not catch that you have a stopover........no more teasing.

I took out once a middle leg, the rep tells me its two open jaws (JFK-EWR)  [UA]

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #123 on: March 11, 2013, 09:48:40 PM »
UA ;)
No such thing a one-way ticket with UA, only a one way price :D
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Offline Drago

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #124 on: March 11, 2013, 11:42:31 PM »
Here is the secret.

Book a round trip with a stopover, call UA right away that you want to take off half of the leg to keep it a one way, 99% of the time they will not catch that you have a stopover........no more teasing.
They don't auto price it automatically? They simply remove half of the mileage?

Offline MAJ

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #125 on: March 12, 2013, 08:24:17 AM »
Now it seems that the problem has gotten split into 2 categories:

1. where they see it's available, but having a hard time booking.
2. where they don't see the seats at all. although class X and E do have seats


One the 1st one, there is a very good chance to get it, as the help desk knows their way around, but on the second it's extremely hard to convince to work for you as 95% will tell you it's not available.
i have been having both these problems for months nw

Offline Drago

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #126 on: March 17, 2013, 03:18:24 PM »
Need some advice.
I currently have DPS - HKG - TLV booked in biz class.
The problem is that 2 of the tix from DPS to HKG are currently in econ since there were no more biz class that day. My &$%$-up is that I booked my 2 young kids in the those seats. I was told to not worry by the AA agent, that s/t can be done at the gate, but ppl on FT weren't so certain. But I was told that CX will often open up more availability closer to the date, although I don't want to rely on this.

So I just checked again, and see that I can fly DPS - KUL - HKG - TLV in biz class for all 4 of us. I'm concerned about the problems booking LY. If I try to switch this itin, will I be at risk of being left w/ nothing? Also, will they charge me a fee for anything?

Offline AJK

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #127 on: March 17, 2013, 03:42:09 PM »
CX opens basically every unsold seat in the days/week(s) leading up to departure.
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Offline Side incomer

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #128 on: March 17, 2013, 03:42:47 PM »
Need some advice.
I currently have DPS - HKG - TLV booked in biz class.
The problem is that 2 of the tix from DPS to HKG are currently in econ since there were no more biz class that day. My &$%$-up is that I booked my 2 young kids in the those seats. I was told to not worry by the AA agent, that s/t can be done at the gate, but ppl on FT weren't so certain. But I was told that CX will often open up more availability closer to the date, although I don't want to rely on this.

So I just checked again, and see that I can fly DPS - KUL - HKG - TLV in biz class for all 4 of us. I'm concerned about the problems booking LY. If I try to switch this itin, will I be at risk of being left w/ nothing? Also, will they charge me a fee for anything?
They can keep the LY as is without risking of losing that, as they only change the itinerary, and don't start from scratch, but there would be a different problem, as LY and MH have no joint-fares, there's no published fare for that, and therefore is not valid for AA award redemption per the AAdvantage rules.
Most reps wouldn't tell why it wouldn't work, but it wouldn't. Same why MEL-KUL-HKG_TLV doesn't work, although it is on the way with decent stops.

CX DPS-HKG is extremely likely to open up, and IMO you have nothing to worry about.
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Offline Drago

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #129 on: March 17, 2013, 03:58:48 PM »
They can keep the LY as is without risking of losing that, as they only change the itinerary, and don't start from scratch, but there would be a different problem, as LY and MH have no joint-fares, there's no published fare for that, and therefore is not valid for AA award redemption per the AAdvantage rules.
Most reps wouldn't tell why it wouldn't work, but it wouldn't. Same why MEL-KUL-HKG_TLV doesn't work, although it is on the way with decent stops.

CX DPS-HKG is extremely likely to open up, and IMO you have nothing to worry about.
Thanks! I forgot about the published fare rule so you saved me a bunch of time on the phone. I was also considering changing the date, and that had been part of my concern about losing the LY flight.

CX opens basically every unsold seat in the days/week(s) leading up to departure.
Good to hear confirmation about that. Any idea how long in advance, or just keep checking?

Also, I'd like to book a tik for my infant as well for 30k miles rather than the $580 she would cost. Any chance that LY would open up closer to the date? Any alternative options, such as booking directly thru LY to save some money?

Offline Side incomer

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #130 on: March 17, 2013, 04:02:14 PM »
Good to hear confirmation about that. Any idea how long in advance, or just keep checking?

from 4 weeks they start releasing, and from there it goes based on the revenue seats available, or what they expect to be sold.
48 hour prior, they release almost every seat.
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Offline damaxer91

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #131 on: March 17, 2013, 08:39:56 PM »
from 4 weeks they start releasing, and from there it goes based on the revenue seats available, or what they expect to be sold.
48 hour prior, they release almost every seat.

DPS-HKG opened for me (on a Thurs flight) approx 5 days before departure when it was showing C8

Offline gunit770

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #132 on: March 17, 2013, 10:09:34 PM »
Need some advice.
I currently have DPS - HKG - TLV booked in biz class.
The problem is that 2 of the tix from DPS to HKG are currently in econ since there were no more biz class that day. My &$%$-up is that I booked my 2 young kids in the those seats. I was told to not worry by the AA agent, that s/t can be done at the gate, but ppl on FT weren't so certain. But I was told that CX will often open up more availability closer to the date, although I don't want to rely on this.

So I just checked again, and see that I can fly DPS - KUL - HKG - TLV in biz class for all 4 of us. I'm concerned about the problems booking LY. If I try to switch this itin, will I be at risk of being left w/ nothing? Also, will they charge me a fee for anything?

Some unsolicited tips: why dont you fly DPS-KUL-BKK-TLV for the same 30k AA? Yes, it adds an extra leg to your trip but the scheduling works out much better...
Instead of sitting around in HKG for a day waiting for your connection and then arriving in tlv at night when its too late to do anything (thereby really wasting 2 days), you can take the 415 out of DPS and be in TLV the next morning bright and early and refreshed from your business class semi lie flat seat without losing any days and just traveling at night.
Added benefit: getting the chance to check out MH instead of going on boring old CX, which is a regional aircraft anyway DPS-HKG and therefor really has no advantage over MH in this case.
Just some advice from a fellow DPSer

Offline AJK

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #133 on: March 18, 2013, 01:09:49 AM »
Some unsolicited tips: why dont you fly DPS-KUL-BKK-TLV for the same 30k AA? Yes, it adds an extra leg to your trip but the scheduling works out much better...
Instead of sitting around in HKG for a day waiting for your connection and then arriving in tlv at night when its too late to do anything (thereby really wasting 2 days), you can take the 415 out of DPS and be in TLV the next morning bright and early and refreshed from your business class semi lie flat seat without losing any days and just traveling at night.
Added benefit: getting the chance to check out MH instead of going on boring old CX, which is a regional aircraft anyway DPS-HKG and therefor really has no advantage over MH in this case.
Just some advice from a fellow DPSer
They can keep the LY as is without risking of losing that, as they only change the itinerary, and don't start from scratch, but there would be a different problem, as LY and MH have no joint-fares, there's no published fare for that, and therefore is not valid for AA award redemption per the AAdvantage rules.
Most reps wouldn't tell why it wouldn't work, but it wouldn't. Same why MEL-KUL-HKG_TLV doesn't work, although it is on the way with decent stops.

CX DPS-HKG is extremely likely to open up, and IMO you have nothing to worry about.
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Offline Drago

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #134 on: March 18, 2013, 01:34:10 AM »
Some unsolicited tips: why dont you fly DPS-KUL-BKK-TLV for the same 30k AA? Yes, it adds an extra leg to your trip but the scheduling works out much better...
Instead of sitting around in HKG for a day waiting for your connection and then arriving in tlv at night when its too late to do anything (thereby really wasting 2 days), you can take the 415 out of DPS and be in TLV the next morning bright and early and refreshed from your business class semi lie flat seat without losing any days and just traveling at night.
Added benefit: getting the chance to check out MH instead of going on boring old CX, which is a regional aircraft anyway DPS-HKG and therefor really has no advantage over MH in this case.
Just some advice from a fellow DPSer

Thanks. Besides for the issue about the not being able to find a published fare, I haven't yet seen 4 biz seats open up from BKK during my week of departure. I do see 3 from PEK, but I don't see any advantage of departing from there, unless s/o wants to chime in.

And I have around 20 hrs in HKG, which seems to be enough time to tour around a get a good feel for the place. My only regret right now is that my flight from DPS lands in HKG at 8pm, so I'll miss the bbq buffet.

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #135 on: March 18, 2013, 01:51:52 AM »
Thanks. Besides for the issue about the not being able to find a published fare, I haven't yet seen 4 biz seats open up from BKK during my week of departure. I do see 3 from PEK, but I don't see any advantage of departing from there, unless s/o wants to chime in.

And I have around 20 hrs in HKG, which seems to be enough time to tour around a get a good feel for the place. My only regret right now is that my flight from DPS lands in HKG at 8pm, so I'll miss the bbq buffet.
You won't miss the buffet unless there's a long line at immigrations and there shouldn't be at that time of the day.

Train is 24 minutes to central and JCC is 5 min cab from there.
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Offline gunit770

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #136 on: March 18, 2013, 10:44:23 AM »
Thanks. Besides for the issue about the not being able to find a published fare, I haven't yet seen 4 biz seats open up from BKK during my week of departure. I do see 3 from PEK, but I don't see any advantage of departing from there, unless s/o wants to chime in.


Can't speak to the availability of seats on the BKK-TLV route (could be since its such a high volume flight for them they don't open much award space) but I have a confirmed ticket number for both me and my wife on that route (DPS-KUL-BKK-TLV) for 30K miles Business class so I'm not so sure that AAdvantage agents give a hoot about the published fare rule.

Offline Drago

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #137 on: March 18, 2013, 12:19:51 PM »
Can't speak to the availability of seats on the BKK-TLV route (could be since its such a high volume flight for them they don't open much award space) but I have a confirmed ticket number for both me and my wife on that route (DPS-KUL-BKK-TLV) for 30K miles Business class so I'm not so sure that AAdvantage agents give a hoot about the published fare rule.
PlatDude, thoughts? Are you certain there's no published routing and perhaps he just got lucky?

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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #138 on: March 18, 2013, 12:27:26 PM »
PlatDude, thoughts? Are you certain there's no published routing and perhaps he just got lucky?
there is certainly no published fares between MH and LY, they don't even have A baggage agreement.

Check on ITA anything to TLV via KUL, you'll get an error message.

If he got lucky? maybe... IME it never worked, and it's hard for me to say YMMV with AA.
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Re: Using AAdvantage miles? What happened to ELAL award inventory?
« Reply #139 on: March 18, 2013, 02:04:04 PM »
there is certainly no published fares between MH and LY, they don't even have A baggage agreement.

Check on ITA anything to TLV via KUL, you'll get an error message.

If he got lucky? maybe... IME it never worked, and it's hard for me to say YMMV with AA.

Il take that challenge