No int'l. AA saaver or SWU availability 11+ days out – Being resolved? (Nov 2014)
#121
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: ABQ & RNO
Programs: AA EXP 4MM, Piper Dakota, Admirals Club, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Gold, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 1,414
One of the first signs of this not being a glitch will be if AA throttles back partner award availability with blocking, or with higher redemption rates as UA implemented.
Right now one can still attempt to get around this with partner awards.
Right now one can still attempt to get around this with partner awards.
#122
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,490
I'm not sure there is a need for this thread. You answer your own question in the short post - milesaver awards are available but for connecting flights with huge layovers. Summer season is busy season, so why would AA give away seats on non-stop flights so far in advance when it can probably sell them? I would pick a connecting itinerary and keep checking until a seat on the non-stop becomes available and then you can change free of charge (if you're an elite). Thus, to answer your rhetorical question - NO, milesaver awards have NOT become a thing of the past.
Also worth a call to AA for possible partner options not shown on the website; still involve a connection, but without the huge layovers.
#124
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,643
Except if the only other partner who can get you to your desired destination is BA. Does anyone actually redeem for those awards and pay the ridiculously high fuel surcharges? In all these years of accumulating and redeeming Aadvantage points for my vacation travel, I have never redeemed for a BA award.
#125
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
Except if the only other partner who can get you to your desired destination is BA. Does anyone actually redeem for those awards and pay the ridiculously high fuel surcharges? In all these years of accumulating and redeeming Aadvantage points for my vacation travel, I have never redeemed for a BA award.
#126
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,643
I think this "strategy" has been pretty much non-existing for a while now
and - on every airline. A few exceptions like partners, CX or EY - although
the new trend is clear - AA agents have a lot of trouble "seeing" partners' seats.
The last existing option - book awards for tomorrow or after tomorrow
and - on every airline. A few exceptions like partners, CX or EY - although
the new trend is clear - AA agents have a lot of trouble "seeing" partners' seats.
The last existing option - book awards for tomorrow or after tomorrow
Next award vacation trip is to Africa in April, again used UA miles to fly on UA and partners, also booked 11 months in advance when the seats became available.
And my last award trip using AA miles , in Aug. 2013, was also booked 11 months in advance. Went to Bali and Java flying AA, CX, and JR flights. For all 3 of these trips I was able to get the exact date so wanted on the flights I wanted by booking at 330 days.
Having to plan a vacation 1 to 2 months in advance is going to be tricky, especially with work schedules and getting time off last minute.
#127
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: ABQ & RNO
Programs: AA EXP 4MM, Piper Dakota, Admirals Club, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Gold, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 1,414
Except if the only other partner who can get you to your desired destination is BA. Does anyone actually redeem for those awards and pay the ridiculously high fuel surcharges? In all these years of accumulating and redeeming Aadvantage points for my vacation travel, I have never redeemed for a BA award.
#129
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO
Posts: 1,719
I fear this is only the beginning of the end. I predict there will be a devaluation for Business and First awards on AA metal right after AA and US merge. This is possibly why they're all unavailable after 4/14/15.
#130
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
"Normal" people (not FTers) may simply tire of waiting for standard award availability, or face the 1 year (or whatever it is right now) expiration policy, or need to travel at the last minute and don't have the $$ to pay cash, so give up on finding a standard award and just redeem the for double or triple-miles. And people die as well.
If it stays this way, it's a devaluation plain and simple. AA's version of SkyPesos: disAAdvantaged miles.
#131
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 488
I'm not sure there is a need for this thread. You answer your own question in the short post - milesaver awards are available but for connecting flights with huge layovers. Summer season is busy season, so why would AA give away seats on non-stop flights so far in advance when it can probably sell them? I would pick a connecting itinerary and keep checking until a seat on the non-stop becomes available and then you can change free of charge (if you're an elite). Thus, to answer your rhetorical question - NO, milesaver awards have NOT become a thing of the past.
#132
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: TBD
Posts: 840
Either you're (a) much better at finding sAAver awards than me or (b) wrong. Please try and find a sAAver fare from NYC-LIM any day past April 14, 2015. I'm not seeing anything - long connection or not, and pre-11/22, the schedule had something nearly every day for 2 people via both MIA and DFW.
#133
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 488
Here's a related question: Suppose we walk up to the AA counter for one of their earlier LHR-NYC flights and they have space in Biz. Would they switch us to that flight for no charge?
#134
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
Very YMMV. There have been reports of success here, but generally seems to be only if the later flight is oversold or the agent is in a good mood. I wouldn't make plans assuming you'll be able to.
#135
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SBA & LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, BA Lifetime Blue, Marriott Gold, and many others
Posts: 1,152
Except if the only other partner who can get you to your desired destination is BA. Does anyone actually redeem for those awards and pay the ridiculously high fuel surcharges? In all these years of accumulating and redeeming Aadvantage points for my vacation travel, I have never redeemed for a BA award.
FWIW I'm still not seeing any changes in availability of AA metal Saver J/F inventory on this route. Still none.
Last edited by BLG; Dec 1, 2014 at 10:57 am