Originally Posted by
meathouse
Hi Everyone, I wanted to know if there were any tips or tricks to book a flight from LAX to Tokyo using BA Avios. I know that BA would book the flight through their partner AA and it wouldn't be a BA flight. Right now the dates I am looking for has nothing available, is there a specific time frame that AA releases flights to BA?
I am trying to fly out of LAX from either Dec 21-Dec 23 and fly back from Tokyo on January 6th.
Will AA release flights this late in the game or have I missed my window? Thanks.
Welcome to FlyerTalk.
The more detail we have the more we can help, you mentioned the dates you want and the route, but not the class. Most regulars on here are probably going to be assuming you want Business class (J), until told otherwise I will also assume that.
Avios rewards are only available for a limited number of seats on each flight. BA release a set number at T-355 days from the date of travel. Once they are gone, that availability is gone. Sometimes more get added later, but not always.
For partner rewards which AA and JL count as, then there is no guarantee of any seats. As mentioned above JL sometimes release unsold inventory very close to the time of travel, but you can't be guaranteed.
AA price their own rewards dynamically, and only the cheapest of these seem to get released for Avios booking availability. So once they are gone, they are unlikely to reappear.
So for this Christmas, you are probably not going to find any J seats meeting your criteria. But put a note in your diary and start thinking about booking for *next* Christmas a year in advance.
If you really must travel this year on a specific route on specific dates you are probably going to have to use cash.
Otherwise you will be scouring all alternate routings and you *might* find something you can use, transit via DFW or KIX has been suggested, there are plenty of other possibilities, but they will all cost more research time\travel time\Avios\Cash than a direct routing booked a year in advance.
Japan is a super popular destination for leisure travellers using Avios, so the flights do tend to get booked up. And Christmas is the peak season as well. So I agree with others that you are unlikely to get something.
JL last minute may happen for you, but likely won't and of course, by the time you realise it's not going to materialise, the cash fares will be obscene.