Need help redeeming AA miles!
Oct 20, 2014, 8:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6
Need help redeeming AA miles!
Hi all,
I am trying to redeem some miles to travel next May, round trip from Brazil to the US.
According to the AAdvantage Awards chart, travel between Brazil and The US between March 1st and May 31st should be 20,000 miles per person each way. I am traveling with my family (2 adults and two 2-11 kids) which should total 160,000 miles (4x20,000x2).
What I do not understand is that whenever I try to book those, I only get a minimum of 55,000 miles, not the advertised 20,000 miles. Can anybody explain to me or help me on that? I greatly appreciate it!
I am trying to redeem some miles to travel next May, round trip from Brazil to the US.
According to the AAdvantage Awards chart, travel between Brazil and The US between March 1st and May 31st should be 20,000 miles per person each way. I am traveling with my family (2 adults and two 2-11 kids) which should total 160,000 miles (4x20,000x2).
What I do not understand is that whenever I try to book those, I only get a minimum of 55,000 miles, not the advertised 20,000 miles. Can anybody explain to me or help me on that? I greatly appreciate it!
Last edited by Persio Pucci; Oct 21, 2014 at 11:12 am
Oct 20, 2014, 8:14 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,522
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Welcome to FT!
The 20,000-mile award is for a one-way, Economy MileSAAver award. These awards are capacity controlled. If you are searching for four award seats and you are only seeing AAnytime award redemption options, then there are no AA flights that currently have four SAAver seats available. Try searching for 3, then 2, and then 1 seat to determine if any SAAver seats are available.
Award seats on LAN and TAM cannot be displayed on aa.com, so a call to AA Reservations might be in order.
Do all four of you have to travel together, or can you split up into two groups of two (with one adult and one child in each group)?
And no reward is required.
Welcome to FT!
The 20,000-mile award is for a one-way, Economy MileSAAver award. These awards are capacity controlled. If you are searching for four award seats and you are only seeing AAnytime award redemption options, then there are no AA flights that currently have four SAAver seats available. Try searching for 3, then 2, and then 1 seat to determine if any SAAver seats are available.
Award seats on LAN and TAM cannot be displayed on aa.com, so a call to AA Reservations might be in order.
Do all four of you have to travel together, or can you split up into two groups of two (with one adult and one child in each group)?
And no reward is required.
Oct 20, 2014, 8:22 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
It is possible that additional Milesaaver award seats will be released 60 - 90 days prior to departure. Rather than checking daily, consider investing $10 per month in a subscription to expert flyer, set a series of alerts for flights of interest, you will receive an email if/when inventory becomes available.
From personal experience, I would move QUICKLY after receiving an alert, as others may be waiting for the same seats to become available.
From personal experience, I would move QUICKLY after receiving an alert, as others may be waiting for the same seats to become available.
Oct 20, 2014, 9:34 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Oct 21, 2014, 11:12 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Welcome to FT!
The 20,000-mile award is for a one-way, Economy MileSAAver award. These awards are capacity controlled. If you are searching for four award seats and you are only seeing AAnytime award redemption options, then there are no AA flights that currently have four SAAver seats available. Try searching for 3, then 2, and then 1 seat to determine if any SAAver seats are available.
Award seats on LAN and TAM cannot be displayed on aa.com, so a call to AA Reservations might be in order.
Do all four of you have to travel together, or can you split up into two groups of two (with one adult and one child in each group)?
And no reward is required.
Welcome to FT!
The 20,000-mile award is for a one-way, Economy MileSAAver award. These awards are capacity controlled. If you are searching for four award seats and you are only seeing AAnytime award redemption options, then there are no AA flights that currently have four SAAver seats available. Try searching for 3, then 2, and then 1 seat to determine if any SAAver seats are available.
Award seats on LAN and TAM cannot be displayed on aa.com, so a call to AA Reservations might be in order.
Do all four of you have to travel together, or can you split up into two groups of two (with one adult and one child in each group)?
And no reward is required.
Oct 21, 2014, 11:13 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6
It is possible that additional Milesaaver award seats will be released 60 - 90 days prior to departure. Rather than checking daily, consider investing $10 per month in a subscription to expert flyer, set a series of alerts for flights of interest, you will receive an email if/when inventory becomes available.
From personal experience, I would move QUICKLY after receiving an alert, as others may be waiting for the same seats to become available.
From personal experience, I would move QUICKLY after receiving an alert, as others may be waiting for the same seats to become available.
Oct 21, 2014, 11:25 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,522
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Since AA flies out of several Brazilian cities, I would do an award search from each one. If you find something suitable, I would put that on hold at aa.com (do not actually purchase the award), and then call AA to see if connecting travel on TAM can be added to the same award. (You can also do the same thing searching aa.com for departures from EZE, MVD, etc.)
What U.S. destination are you trying to reach?
Since AA flies out of several Brazilian cities, I would do an award search from each one. If you find something suitable, I would put that on hold at aa.com (do not actually purchase the award), and then call AA to see if connecting travel on TAM can be added to the same award. (You can also do the same thing searching aa.com for departures from EZE, MVD, etc.)
What U.S. destination are you trying to reach?
Oct 21, 2014, 11:28 am
#9
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
ExpertFlyer, KVS etc. are well discussed in the Travel Tools Forum; they do show award availability.
For awards, check the FAQ in this forum. It includes links to helpful and lengthy threads about Partner awards and MileSAAver awards. They even tell you which other oneworld airlines' sites can be used to seek awards that won't be reflected on AA.com.
We've retitled your query; it's against rules to request, offer or barter AA instruments or anything like cash value for assistance.
Now that we've moved your thread to the appropriate forum (the Consolidated forum only relates to merged AA and US operations, and they are mostly still operating as separate airlines.
/Moderator
For awards, check the FAQ in this forum. It includes links to helpful and lengthy threads about Partner awards and MileSAAver awards. They even tell you which other oneworld airlines' sites can be used to seek awards that won't be reflected on AA.com.
We've retitled your query; it's against rules to request, offer or barter AA instruments or anything like cash value for assistance.
Now that we've moved your thread to the appropriate forum (the Consolidated forum only relates to merged AA and US operations, and they are mostly still operating as separate airlines.
/Moderator
Oct 21, 2014, 11:32 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6
ExpertFlyer, KVS etc. are well discussed in the Travel Tools Forum; they do show award availability.
For awards, check the FAQ in this forum. It includes links to helpful and lengthy threads about Partner awards and MileSAAver awards. They even tell you which other oneworld airlines' sites can be used to seek awards that won't be reflected on AA.com.
We've retitled your query; it's against rules to request, offer or barter AA instruments or anything like cash value for assistance.
Now that we've moved your thread to the appropriate forum (the Consolidated forum only relates to merged AA and US operations, and they are mostly still operating as separate airlines.
/Moderator
For awards, check the FAQ in this forum. It includes links to helpful and lengthy threads about Partner awards and MileSAAver awards. They even tell you which other oneworld airlines' sites can be used to seek awards that won't be reflected on AA.com.
We've retitled your query; it's against rules to request, offer or barter AA instruments or anything like cash value for assistance.
Now that we've moved your thread to the appropriate forum (the Consolidated forum only relates to merged AA and US operations, and they are mostly still operating as separate airlines.
/Moderator
I'll check the FAQs!
Oct 21, 2014, 11:34 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Since AA flies out of several Brazilian cities, I would do an award search from each one. If you find something suitable, I would put that on hold at aa.com (do not actually purchase the award), and then call AA to see if connecting travel on TAM can be added to the same award. (You can also do the same thing searching aa.com for departures from EZE, MVD, etc.)
What U.S. destination are you trying to reach?
Since AA flies out of several Brazilian cities, I would do an award search from each one. If you find something suitable, I would put that on hold at aa.com (do not actually purchase the award), and then call AA to see if connecting travel on TAM can be added to the same award. (You can also do the same thing searching aa.com for departures from EZE, MVD, etc.)
What U.S. destination are you trying to reach?
Oct 21, 2014, 12:06 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,522
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"Trying to get my family to MCO for a Disney vacation!"
Be sure also to check award-availability to alternate FL airports, like TPA, RSW, and MIA. Sometimes, the award-seat availability problem is with the domestic (U.S.) segment, not with the international segment. And since all AA awards are now one-ways, you might be able to fly into one airport, and fly home from another. Search for one-ways, not roundtrips. @:-)
"Trying to get my family to MCO for a Disney vacation!"
Be sure also to check award-availability to alternate FL airports, like TPA, RSW, and MIA. Sometimes, the award-seat availability problem is with the domestic (U.S.) segment, not with the international segment. And since all AA awards are now one-ways, you might be able to fly into one airport, and fly home from another. Search for one-ways, not roundtrips. @:-)
