Award Availability Becoming More Restricted?
Jul 10, 2016, 10:37 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,847
Award Availability Becoming More Restricted?
Has anyone noticed as every year goes by, award availability becomes more scarce? I've noticed this subtly with other award programs, but Alaskas once abundant array of lowest award availability (especially on weekends...and with partners) is almost non-existent. I book 11 months in advance and now I'm seeing some routes with nothing released at all.
In particular, I was unable to book ANY Hawaii flights in March 2017 (and had no issues for 3 years in a row). And check out this story...I was booking award flights and checking all LA airports from Seattle for next March. I've been following the availability for weeks...there's been a lot available (even weekends) for almost all airports (LAX, BUR, SNA, ONT). I was waiting for a points refund, booked my flights on Thursday, checked again on Saturday (since I may need to change the return date later on) and now there's NOTHING! They've pulled all the Delta flights SEA-SNA, no more FRI-MON Alaska flight availability. All just gone! These are not flights that filled up...they pulled them after they'd been sitting available for weeks! Anyone see this happen before? Anyone noticing availability dwindling for regular routes you normally have no trouble redeeming?
In particular, I was unable to book ANY Hawaii flights in March 2017 (and had no issues for 3 years in a row). And check out this story...I was booking award flights and checking all LA airports from Seattle for next March. I've been following the availability for weeks...there's been a lot available (even weekends) for almost all airports (LAX, BUR, SNA, ONT). I was waiting for a points refund, booked my flights on Thursday, checked again on Saturday (since I may need to change the return date later on) and now there's NOTHING! They've pulled all the Delta flights SEA-SNA, no more FRI-MON Alaska flight availability. All just gone! These are not flights that filled up...they pulled them after they'd been sitting available for weeks! Anyone see this happen before? Anyone noticing availability dwindling for regular routes you normally have no trouble redeeming?
Jul 10, 2016, 12:54 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,640
They've pulled all the Delta flights SEA-SNA, no more FRI-MON Alaska flight availability. All just gone! These are not flights that filled up...they pulled them after they'd been sitting available for weeks! Anyone see this happen before? Anyone noticing availability dwindling for regular routes you normally have no trouble redeeming?
Jul 11, 2016, 5:07 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,388
Not really, but I don't redeem SEA-SoCal. It has never struck me as a high value redemption compared to a cash ticket and using miles for USA-Europe or Asia.
I added a SEA-SJD leg to an award not too long ago... but I tend to not draw much conclusive proof out of a single anecdote.
I added a SEA-SJD leg to an award not too long ago... but I tend to not draw much conclusive proof out of a single anecdote.
Jul 11, 2016, 11:57 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: ANC
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 244
lack of AS saver inventory
I've noticed a lack of AS saver inventory in the past 6 months or so when searching for flights ex-ANC. Most recent searches have been for ANC-DEN and ANC-DTW in October...not exactly peak time. Interestingly, saver partner awards, primarily Delta, are often available when only 20K or higher flights are showing up for AS metal. The few times AS saver flights are available, it is the crappiest times with the longest layovers.
I used to have good experience getting AS metal saver awards 2-6 months out for non-peak travel on most routes ex-ANC. Doesn't seem to be the case anymore.
I used to have good experience getting AS metal saver awards 2-6 months out for non-peak travel on most routes ex-ANC. Doesn't seem to be the case anymore.
Jul 11, 2016, 12:15 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,847
I've noticed a lack of AS saver inventory in the past 6 months or so when searching for flights ex-ANC. Most recent searches have been for ANC-DEN and ANC-DTW in October...not exactly peak time. Interestingly, saver partner awards, primarily Delta, are often available when only 20K or higher flights are showing up for AS metal. The few times AS saver flights are available, it is the crappiest times with the longest layovers.
I used to have good experience getting AS metal saver awards 2-6 months out for non-peak travel on most routes ex-ANC. Doesn't seem to be the case anymore.
I used to have good experience getting AS metal saver awards 2-6 months out for non-peak travel on most routes ex-ANC. Doesn't seem to be the case anymore.
And there's definitely a relationship between saver partner awards and AS award availability. Just this past weekend when AS pulled all of their weekend saver awards for March to LA area airports from SEA - POOF - all the Delta flights went bye-bye, too. I was so lucky to get mine booked on Thursday before they did that.
I also used to be able to get a pretty large inventory of both AS and partner awards from SEA-ATL - not this year. It was slim pickins for one ticket 9 months out. Then 4 months in advance I went to see if I could change my ticket coming home - nothing.
I guess it's the nature of the beast...more people booking award tickets and less award seats being released...
Jul 12, 2016, 9:53 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Melonville
Programs: Alaska Mileage Plan MVPG, HHonors Gold, Hyatt GP Plat, SPG Gold, IHG Spire
Posts: 134
Jul 12, 2016, 11:13 am
#9
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,316
Since you have so much Oz experience and luck, I'm sure that there are many here who would benefit from your counsel and guidance.
Jul 12, 2016, 12:20 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,955
Planes are full, so probably fewer award seats to start. Then, miles are everywhere. Flying isn't even the way to earn them anymore. With more competition for fewer award seats, yeah, I'm not surprised it's been harder to find space. It's not to say there's nothing out there, but my perception is that it's less. I mostly travel internationally off-peak since I don't want to be there when its crowded, so that's worked out.
That said, international fares have been a great bargain lately. Enough that I'd buy a coach ticket before redeeming miles for the same seat. So I'm just hoarding for premium cabins, and I'm sure a devaluation will wipe me out just before I'm ready to book - much like the Emirates awards.
That said, international fares have been a great bargain lately. Enough that I'd buy a coach ticket before redeeming miles for the same seat. So I'm just hoarding for premium cabins, and I'm sure a devaluation will wipe me out just before I'm ready to book - much like the Emirates awards.
Jul 12, 2016, 9:18 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Upper Left Corner of the Map
Programs: AS MVPG & Board Room, Marriott Silver, Global Entry
Posts: 2,203
Jul 14, 2016, 5:44 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,847
Has anyone noticed as every year goes by, award availability becomes more scarce? I've noticed this subtly with other award programs, but Alaskas once abundant array of lowest award availability (especially on weekends...and with partners) is almost non-existent. I book 11 months in advance and now I'm seeing some routes with nothing released at all.
In particular, I was unable to book ANY Hawaii flights in March 2017 (and had no issues for 3 years in a row). And check out this story...I was booking award flights and checking all LA airports from Seattle for next March. I've been following the availability for weeks...there's been a lot available (even weekends) for almost all airports (LAX, BUR, SNA, ONT). I was waiting for a points refund, booked my flights on Thursday, checked again on Saturday (since I may need to change the return date later on) and now there's NOTHING! They've pulled all the Delta flights SEA-SNA, no more FRI-MON Alaska flight availability. All just gone! These are not flights that filled up...they pulled them after they'd been sitting available for weeks! Anyone see this happen before? Anyone noticing availability dwindling for regular routes you normally have no trouble redeeming?
In particular, I was unable to book ANY Hawaii flights in March 2017 (and had no issues for 3 years in a row). And check out this story...I was booking award flights and checking all LA airports from Seattle for next March. I've been following the availability for weeks...there's been a lot available (even weekends) for almost all airports (LAX, BUR, SNA, ONT). I was waiting for a points refund, booked my flights on Thursday, checked again on Saturday (since I may need to change the return date later on) and now there's NOTHING! They've pulled all the Delta flights SEA-SNA, no more FRI-MON Alaska flight availability. All just gone! These are not flights that filled up...they pulled them after they'd been sitting available for weeks! Anyone see this happen before? Anyone noticing availability dwindling for regular routes you normally have no trouble redeeming?
Jul 14, 2016, 10:55 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
And check out this story...I was booking award flights and checking all LA airports from Seattle for next March. I've been following the availability for weeks...there's been a lot available (even weekends) for almost all airports (LAX, BUR, SNA, ONT). I was waiting for a points refund, booked my flights on Thursday, checked again on Saturday (since I may need to change the return date later on) and now there's NOTHING! They've pulled all the Delta flights SEA-SNA, no more FRI-MON Alaska flight availability.
Jul 15, 2016, 4:57 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,847
Yeah, the SEA-SNA Delta flight availability for saver is showing on the AS website fine, they just pulled all the weekend/Monday/Friday saver availability from March 11th onward a week ago. The AS flights returned, but the Delta saver availability never did....
Jul 20, 2016, 11:26 am
#15
Join Date: May 2003
Location: CA
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,879
It appears that AS does have much more availability than AA. Looking at LAX - Hawaii in May / June, the only award flights that are showing on AA are the AS flights flying LAX-SEA-Hawaii.