You are trying to book on Thanksgiving week right. You can go on the 25th from SNA and connect SJC to DFW or you can go LAX direct to DFW plus a couple of connecting flights LAX-LAS-DFW. Then Sunday after Thanksgiving is wide open for the plan ahead award for the return SNA-DFW. If you think that EXP means that you can get an award anytime on any flight then you have misunderstood AA's advertising. AA does provide expanded award and upgrade inventory for EXP. I have been able to see and book both. As for UA, if you don't like AA's award inventory the UA will be totally unexceptable to you as theirs is much harder to get than AA.

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dallasflyer, Let's put the fun back in FlyerTalk!