www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Has anyone use this program? I'd like to give the miles to my mom, which I know I can, however, in order to use the round trip miles, she would have to come back in SEPT 09. I'd like her to leave in Feb and come back in Feb, not SEPT!

I called AA today and asked her how easy it would be to just keep calling and asking if a seat opened up? She said she couldn't tell me and that I'd have to ask people that have done it before. So I'm asking if anyone has ever used the frequent flyer 'stand by' program for a return trip from San Jose?
Thanks
Luis

I may be wrong, but from my experience, if you have a ticket and they have an empty seat, you can sit in it. Tons of checked luggage may cause a problem tho.

_________________
My life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming...." MAN....WHAT A RIDE!!!!"

GRINGO,
I think for a "paid" ticket, yes you can sit in available seats. However, for a "frequent flyer" ticket, they treat you a little different.

there is no frequent flyer "standby program". you need to book the round trip for the available dates (frequent flyer seats) and keep changing the return date when it becomes available. As the departure day gets closer freq flyer seats become available because of unsold seats.

standby is applicable only for the given day you already have an reservation. for eg you have an late evening flight reserved you can try standby for an earlier flight. it would be cheaper to book the reservation with your mother's name rather than transferring the miles.

Luis,
Como estas amigo ?!!!? I use the AA frequent flyer program extensively (almost abusively)!!! To the best of my knowledge, you can NOT book a seat on AA more than 329 days out, regardless if you're using cash or FF miles.

So basically, to book that trip for your mom, returning in Feb 2010, you'd have to wait until around late March '09.

MG

_________________
You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

hey Mucho,
Thanks for the advice, however, i want her to leave this Feb 09. Not in 2010. I called AA and they said they have planes leaving for Costa Rica with Frequent Flyer seats, however, they don't have any seats coming back until Sept 09. So i was wondering if i booked her a round trip ticket, departing Feb 16, 2009, returning Sept 2009. If she could check with the airline daily to see if there are seats available after 2 weeks? She wants to stay 2 weeks, so after her 2 weeks is up, she'd be ready to go. There is no charge to change dates on frequent flyer program, as you probably are aware of. Have you done this before?
Thanks again!

Oh, ok. I gotcha now. I thought you wanted her to leave in Feb '09 and return in Feb 2010. My bad. I've never done that before, but I'm pretty sure that you have to have specific dates for outbound/inbound flights when you book your flight(s) using FF miles. If this info is incorrect, hopefully someone else will chime in here.

Buena suerte,
MG

_________________
You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Superman,

The best place to get an answer is the AA forum on flyertalk .com
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-aadvantage-445/

Always a quick and VERY knowledgeable response.

Good luck!

Mendo

_________________
"It takes a lot of good beer to make a great wine"

If it was your mother-in-law, I'll bet you would buy her a first class non-refundable with limo on both ends. Just kick back and enjoy the home cooked meals and stop at New Fantasy or the Cuba Joint on your way to the supermarket.

_________________
My life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming...." MAN....WHAT A RIDE!!!!"