We had to cancel out of a trip to Bolivia due to knee problems and have AA tickets that will not be used (outbound ORD/MIA/LPB/VVI and returning LPB/MIA/ORD). Would it be possible to change the tickets to JAL flights as we are going to Japan late next year and we prefer JAL over AA planes and service.

I think you need to ask AA.

Maybe, but with a lot of qualifications depending on the terms of your ticket. You'll likely have the value of the cancelled ticket to apply to another, minus a change fee (often $200-$300 for international tickets). If you are to fly on JAL, it would have to be booked through AA, probably as an AA codeshare. (That wouldn't be the case for every JAL flight.) When you say "late next year," probably not. You generally have one year to use the value of an unused ticket.

Socaltraveler is right: AA can give you the definitive answer.

If, for some reason, they don't give you an answer that you feel is acceptable, say thank you, and then try again 3 days later.

Always make sure that you have the international desk.

There are 2 NS flights a day, both with AA codeshare. I checked for next May, with no changes.

Thanks everyone! I will contact AA but thought I'd gather a little info before calling.

Jeff_Costa_Rica, is that one year from purchase or ticketed flights?

expect one year from purchase