AS Award system broken again?
 

I have an award flight booked ANC-SEA-LHR-ATH on Oct. 31, 2020 and have been looking for return flights for Nov. 23. We are well within the 330 day window, but the processor is stuck on Nov 18 with nothing after that. It has been that way for several days. I have tried alternate airports, FCO, MXP, LHR, ETC. and there is nothing after Nov. 18. I have called in to the Partner desk and they are seeing the same thing-no availability. Anyone want to speculate on what is up?

IT dept still celebrating the holidays!!!! - just speculating

Yes give it until Monday, then please report back. Happen to know that the team overseeing such awards is very small and at least one had a recent addition to the family.

Wait a minute...
You're saying that we can't book online partner awards because some person had a baby?!?!

SEA-PDX is bookable. Testing complete!

What more do you need? :D

Try LHR, FCO, ATH, etc.-ANC on or after Nov. 18, 2020....it appears that the leg to ANC is broken.

It means they haven’t put in anything but Y fares for SEA-ANC. Fares are $119 on 11/18 and then $649 for 11/19. Saver requires there to be cheap coach fares. Nothing is “broken” in the sense that it’s working as designed; you’re just waiting for whoever went on vacation to file cheaper coach fares.

You would be wise to book yourself ATH - SEA/PDX/LAX/SFO now while there is likely space on the international segments and hope that AS opens up saver space SEA/PDX/LAX/SFO - ANC at a later date and add it then. I personally would choose SEA if I could find the space, because SEA - ANC has the most capacity and increases your chances of getting an onward flight? That said, competition on SEA - ANC is kind of fierce, so maybe SFO or LAX has a better chance of opening up saver F...take a look into your crystal ball and see how you come out ;)

My speculation? Thanksgiving 2020 is on Thurs 11/26. AS's historical data algorithm has told them that they don't need to offer saver seats to ANC in the week leading up to Thanksgiving far in advance, because they typically sell well?? Just a theory. Over the past couple of years, I have been seeing minimal space released around the holidays well in advance. Checking back later, space seems to open up a few weeks/months before, but they are not offering saver space for bookings 330 days out.

Yes, i DEFINITELY agree that you should book whatever segments are available now, and then just hope for the best in the future.
I recently did this, ANC-SEA---JFK-DXB, and was able to add ANC-SEA-DFW after the fact. You never know, it might not work out, but it's better than watching someone else take your international segments while you wait on a piddly domestic connection to open up!

Ya know, someone who’s a LT MVPG gets free changes...

Odds are good the OP is well aware of this and did just that.

I did, but ex-Ru awards have become limited to non-extstent reently.

I did, but ex-EU have become extremely limited or non-existent recently. Have booked EK F ATH-DXB-SFO for now. Will figure out SFO-ANC.