Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into United soon.
Right now, I am looking at AA flights and noticed that off-peak/peak cut-off date is May 15th. I am flexible with my plans. I could even go in April/May. But I noticed, while not using BA flights, with AA miles, the surcharges are still high: around $150-$200 for a RT.
If I want to use AA miles and avoid high surcharges, what are my options? Thanks.