I have been monitoring Alaska's website to book a JAL F for next year and I have noticed a change in pattern as no longer 2 F awards tickets are bookable as soon as the calendar opens.
I am able to see some JAL F award space on AA and on Qantas when is T-330 days, however I find none though the website and when calling Alaska.
Has anyone been able to book JAL F lately for a trip next year?
Has anyone noticed this pattern change as well?
AS is definitely blocking booking new JL F awards in April of next year. If you want to go in February - no problem.
Of course it is more difficult in general since JL releases award space at 360 days out and programs that support booking further out than 330 days have a definite advantage over AS to begin with. But, in general, AS has shown a pattern of restricting JL F awards for a while during the first few days of schedule open and now their blocking is getting more flagrant. I would guess once they join OneWorld they will not have an excuse to block these awards any longer but I'm pretty sure by then they will have significantly devalued the JL F awards so they will be happy to make them available without restriction at that time.