Some good news re award availablilty .

I am flying ARN-ORN-MSY on a mileage business award ticket for early october this year (booked november 2013).

It was not possible to connect on anything from ORD to get to MSY on the 10th. There was just no way to get there on UA or Star. But the a/c flying on the 10th had virtually no seats occupied in their maps.

I had to accept US via CLT on the next day.

Yesterday at about the same time as the a/c was changed from a regional jet to an A319, two award seats became available ORD-MSY at a suitable time.

I am happy and I wonder if the seats weren't released because an a/c upgauge was being considered ?

There may be hope.