Thanks all for the advice. I'm connecting from DFW to AUH on EY with baggage so dumping the onward sector won't work for IAH

The reason I was looking at first is that Y with two bags was practically the same price so I may as well get a free Gin and Tonic out of it !

I was looking at the 2PM flight as I'm worried that the 4PM only gives me two hours to switch to the International and it could get quite itchy if any delays occur.

I'm surprised there's no award seats on either flight seeing as there's no one really on them...

SAT just seems expensive full stop, was why I flew to AUS last time and drove. Saved me a heap of money out of LHR

I think I'll just keep an eye every now and then as it is almost three months away and I don't think it goes higher than the current fare