Able to change coach to first if award seats become available?

[DanR]

I'm way out in advance on this one so am thinking to just hold tight for a bit.

My family is heading to Costa Rica next summer for my in-laws 50th wedding Anniversary (MSP-LIR). As it is a special trip, we'd like to fly first class (4 of us). Today is 331 days out on our return trip. I've already booked a one-way flight to Costa Rica in first for 7/18/2015. Coming home, there are currently only 3 first class seats available for a saver award.

Now my quesiton

If I book 3 first class and 1 coach ticket today and another 1st class low level award ticket becomes available at some point in the future on the same flights, can I rebook to get that first class ticket for the additional 5k miles? Any fees?

Alternatively, if an alternate flight or set of flights becomes available with 4 FC low level award seats , can we change? Are there fees?

I believe I can do the 2nd scenario without additional fees based upon my reading, but am unsure about the 1st.

Thanks ahead of time for your help!

 

[Haley]

Try a private message to theBOSman he has agreed to be a resource for American Airlines bookings.

 

[dfwrealtor]

I think the answer would really help newbies like us. theBOSman, can you please be kind enough to post answer here for everyone if possible.

 

[smittytabb]

I think the answer would really help newbies like us. theBOSman, can you please be kind enough to post answer here for everyone if possible.

I think a quick call to AA could clarify the answer to this question. From the website:

Changes that require different award type -

Changes to the itinerary which involve different AAdvantage award(s) than originally ticketed require a reinstatement of the original award ticket, payment of the applicable award reinstatement charge (see below), and a new award ticket issued (waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members using miles from their account).

When requesting a reinstatement, a $150 USD processing charge will be assessed per account for the first award ticket. Any additional award tickets reinstated to the same account at the same time will have a $25 USD per ticket add-on charge.

 

[DanR]

I think the answer would really help newbies like us. theBOSman, can you please be kind enough to post answer here for everyone if possible.

Here is the reply from thebosman

The way AA works, there is actually no fee for canceling an award ticket. The fee occurs when reinstating the miles to your account (if you aren't Executive Platinum). If you book the 3 first class seats and the one low level coach, and another fc becomes available, you should be able to upgrade without an additional fee. Of course, you'll have to pay the additional miles. What happens is, you effectively cancel the economy award, and use the miles from this canceled ticket for a new ticket in first. Since you aren't reinstating the miles, and aren't changing origin or destination, and aren't changing date within 21 days, the fees listed onhttp://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/redeemMiles/makingAwardReservations.jsp do not apply. Hopefully the fourth seat appears for you!

 

[smittytabb]

I stand corrected then. Thanks for the heads up. I am AA EXP so I do not have to pay anything for changes, so I had to look it up on the website. I hesitated to answer at all because I thought the website was not at all clear. So, this is helpful information for sure.

 

[Haley]

I just booked two seats to FRA and had to do 1 in 1st one in Business. I booked by phone because I kept getting errors trying to book online, saw the segments but couldn't get them to combine. Anyhow, that is exactly what I was told, I can upgrade the Business seat for just the difference in miles but I can't downgrade the 1st because it would result in a milage credit and that has the fee.

Oh darn, we have to fly in 1st

 

[fr33b13]

I was able to change an Economy award to Business and then First w/o paying a change fee.
I also changed flights (connected out of a different airport) and wasn't charged any fees.

 

[Haley]

I was able to change an Economy award to Business and then First w/o paying a change fee.
I also changed flights (connected out of a different airport) and wasn't charged any fees.

AA is great for that. I like that I can book something then when better flights open up space switch over. Anything can change fee free except departure and destination city. So dates and routes and going up a service class are all free until you run into the close in booking fees.

I'm not sure of those rules, if a departure date change causes your flight to be under (is it 21 days for close in fee?) do they charge you the fee?

 

[Haley]

Answering my own question,looks like no fee for close in change unless it moves you into the 21 day zone for original booking. So you can't avoid the fee by booking further out and then changing the date.

Changes to your outbound travel date, resulting in a departure within 21 days -

A $75 USD award processing charge will apply for a confirmed change to the date on an AAdvantage MileSAAver and AAnytime award ticket if the change results in a new outbound travel date that is within 21 days of the original booking date (waived for AAdvantage Executive PlatinumAAdvantage Platinum and AAdvantage Gold members using miles from their account).

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[Dkelly1110]

Hate to hijack this thread, but can one similarly upgrade a coach award to business on United w/o penalty? (I have a feeling not.)

 

[Haley]

Hate to hijack this thread, but can one similarly upgrade a coach award to business on United w/o penalty? (I have a feeling not.)

Not. Unless you have top level status.
They have fees for any change, however they allow origin/destination changes for $100 or less depending on status.

 

[Matt]

Not. Unless you have top level status.
They have fees for any change, however they allow origin/destination changes for $100 or less depending on status.

I've not done this for a while, and to show my ignorance I don't know the answer (I don't really care about program changes unless I am booking a trip) but the last time I did this there wasn't a fee for changing from X to I... did it come in the last year or so?

 

[Haley]

I've not done this for a while, and to show my ignorance I don't know the answer (I don't really care about program changes unless I am booking a trip) but the last time I did this there wasn't a fee for changing from X to I... did it come in the last year or so?

Midyear 2013, I think.
X to X or I to I via different partner is a fee now too.
That said, United rules are not always written in stone.

I'm pretty sure last minute is still free, under 24 hr by standby.

Drew over at travelisfree is the United guru.