AA has AAnytime seats. If there is a seat, you can fly. But with the recent changes there, the highest level of AAnytime awards can cost an obscene number of miles.
That sounds interesting. Does that work with other One World carriers? For example, I recently saw the Iberia LAX-MAD flight labeled as an AA flight operated by Iberia. Could I use AA miles to book business class seats on that Iberia flight as long as there are open seats?
On UA I you have their premium card from Chase they will even let you pay at the standard rate.
I have the premium United card from Chase and I just booked at the Standard (non-Saver) rate yesterday. Do you mean they will give you the Saver rate even if there are no award seats left?