Originally Posted by
diver858
Agreed. Book the least offensive connection, invest $10 per month in an Expert Flyer subscription, set alerts for more desirable options.
That's what I did for the LHR-NYC leg. Booked a BA flight using AA Milesaver miles (which I have plenty of) with a hefty fee. Long layover in LHR, but hoping AA flights that leave earlier open up using Milesaver. I've an ExpertFlier alert open for those flights for months now.
Here's a related question: Suppose we walk up to the AA counter for one of their earlier LHR-NYC flights and they have space in Biz. Would they switch us to that flight for no charge?