So I am relatively new to the AA process and was trying to book two TATL tickets in J or F. Obviously hoping to get the low level redemption. What I found was pretty peculiar. There was not a single seat available on AA metal(4 flights per day) from May 1(a ton before) to Dec 22nd(last day out). They have plenty of Y and many connecting flights but nothing direct.

So then I decided to give EXP line a call to see if maybe availability is better(as suggested by a poster on the "scarcity of award tix" thread).

Didn't help but I had a pretty funny interaction with the agent. I asked her if this is policy not to release those flights. She said that they are just snagged very quickly.

So I asked her how many seats they typically release per flight. She said about 10. So using her logic, thats means 40 seats were released yesterday for December 22nd(last day out) and I was wondering if she thought it was possible that all of them got scooped up in a 24 hour period. She did <eye roll>

While I understand that its technically possible, I have a very hard time imagining some AA vultures impatiently waiting to snag up any J or F seat the second that they become available. Especially 11 months out.

I mean, am I wrong? Isn't the likely scenario that they simply don't release that route at all on sAAver redemption level? Or have they simply put the cutoff at April 30th (for now?).

The agent didn't know how to explain it so she said that other people have redeemed sAAver in J and F on that route. Out of curiosity, has anyone been successful with that on this board? AA metal, JFK to LHR in J or F, sAAver level after May 1, 2014.

I mean, if they don't release it, thats fine. Thats the name of the game. Its not like other FF programs are perfect. I was just curious enough about this to ask all the AA travel warriors, as well as knowing for the future.

Much obliged.