Originally Posted by guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

The ba.com website does a poor job of showing available award redemptions on AA metal that involve connecting flights. And ba.com is not capable of showing any award availability on AS metal.

Here's my suggestion: Go to aa.com, and search for SAAver availability separately in each direction, making sure that the "Include Partners" radio button is clicked. (You might also try searching to/from FLL if you can make that airport work for you. I believe that AS now has a SEA-FLL nonstop, to compete with AA's SEA-MIA nonstop.)

If you find an all-AA itinerary, go to ba.com, and try to book each leg separately, if the connection does not appear. If aa.com displays a SAAver itinerary that involves a combination of AA and AS metal, you can try booking the AA segment at ba.com, but you must call the BAEC Service Center to book the AS segment. Caveat: If you call BAEC and try to book both AA and AS flights on a single itinerary, you will be charged the much higher multi-partner redemption rate.

With a little luck, you'll be able to use your Avios in one direction, and your UA miles in the other. But don't blame BAEC if neither AA nor AS has SAAver seats available to and from Florida over Christmas: BAEC has no control over what low-tier award seats partner carriers make available, and Avios can only be used on low-tier award seats.