Originally Posted by
mamslambam
I don't think you're crazy at all. There is obviously something going on with AA releasing award avaibility. I have never had difficulty booking trips before this year. I am trying to book a trip that is about 331 days out to Belize. The only segment of the trip that has opened up is the MIA to BZE or DFW to BZE segment. The segments within the US just aren't there. I tried 5+ airports within driving distance and none of them had availability going to MIA or DFW. I was on AA web site exactly 331 days in advance (refreshing my screen every 1 - 2 seconds) as the day opened up in AA system so I know that no one could have booked the tickets.
That's exactly the problem - I have encoutered it several times this year.
You can put the available award MIA or DFW to BZE on hold for 5 days but after that, you must *** or get off the pot, so to speak. If you book the available segment and the domestic opens later - it will cost you $150 to change (unless you are EXP). If you don't book it and wait for the domestic segment to be available, the international segment may be gone.
Hence the dilemma.
All I am trying to point out is that in all my past years with AA I have not seen so many problems redeeming saaver awards (domestic or international). This year IS definitely different. What the future holds, nobody knows.
It may be better, the same or worse (the only obvious options) - then we'll all be wiser. In the mean time, I am not holding my breath and flying with UA/*A when there is no AA saaver availability.