JDiver

Welcome to the game, BAK! Your news has been merged into the existing thread.

Microwave

Depends on how you define tier. By any definition I use, AA still have two award tiers, and Dynamic Air Awards are a different option altogether. However, if you're talking award availability, I'd love to hear how you came to the conclusion that DL's award availability is better than AA's--although I don't know that I'm interested in changing your mind.

ma91pmh

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html

Microwave

Okay... And? If a FT thread about low-level award scarcity to certain destinations at certain times is enough to push you to Delta (of all possible places to go ), please head right on over and enjoy it.

I'm not saying I'm unconcerned about the developments in that thread, but overall I still believe AA availability is much better than DL's, and my own experience redeeming miles for myself on AA and for friends and business associates on DL bears that out. If this changes for me, I'll look at my options, but I can assure you DL won't be one of them, for many reasons, including their low-level award availability to all destinations pretty much all the time.

ma91pmh

well that's a nice little rant, but on one of the main routes in that thread, jfk-lhr, dl is wide open in j class for 4+ passengers through the calendar whereas aa is tough to find one

i understand dl miles have been hard to use... but i manage to get very good value out of them, and aa is tightening the screws now

Microwave

If you read that as a rant, you should spend more time reading this forum. In any case, enjoy DL.

EDIT: I just checked a few random Tuesdays and Wednesdays over the next several months for low-level DL business class awards JFK-LHR via KVS and didn't find any dates with even one low-level award seat. Not scientific, but I'm not seeing the wide breadth of low-level business award availability between JFK and LHR that you're referencing. Not saying it doesn't exist, but I'm not seeing it, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to be easier days to find awards.

ma91pmh

lol. fair enough. but i am enjoying dl. and aa (at least the miles)

tom911

Just did my first sampling for a trip to Omaha next June:

From SFO 34,000 miles
From SJC 40,000 miles
From SMF 44,000 miles

Sacramento is my preferred airport when I fly but there's no way in the world I'm giving up 44,000 miles for a round trip domestic coach ticket from there. That routing currently prices at $630+ if I was to buy a ticket (which I wouldn't do this far out).

DeirdreTours

Has anyone else noticed the discrepancy in dynamic air mileage rates for one way vs. round trip ticketing? On one route, one way is 17,000 going and 22,000 coming back OR 40,000 if booked as a round trip (same dates, same flights).

TravelGuy1965

This is the first step toward a major devaluation.

First introduce only for elites. With some savings on what are now standard awards with no saver availability.

Then reduce saver award inventory.

Then publish how much better dynamic awards are for everyone with new data based on saver awards being non-existant.

Its a very sad time for the originator of FF programs....

This is absolutely not a positive step for members. It is a very very negative step that AA can control, manipulate, and move toward each mile being worth less and less value to its customers while showing marketing data that its better by reducing saver awards.

Oh how I miss the days before saver awards were introduced.... That was a clear way of evaluating programs - who offered award inventory and who didn't. Any evaluation was clear and based on what inventory was opened up.

I have never used a Standard Award award level of 50k domestically and from the looks of the Dynamic Awards its going to be much worse for me once they start cutting back on saver award inventory .... Dynamic and Standard will become very close to one another and Saver something you can never find. With either, miles will have a value of less than 1 cent each for domestic in 5 years from now. Remember my prediction.... From the quick review I did, they don't even tie this to published fares. At least Southwest did that so it can't be as easily manipulated by the airline.

I speak the future and you can be sure I am right.

TravelGuy1965

AA is fairly good at being a leader....

So once they start in this direction they have a good chance at passing sky pesos on the road toward alliance destruction .....

TravelGuy1965

Maybe to prepare for selling the AA rewards program?

Or maybe (and more likely - IMHO) they outsourced the development of the Dynamic IT system to save dollars. The Legacy systems take a lot of effort to change and some risks/testing to ensure changes don't cause unexpected issues.

pkerr

I for one like it.
I've used it twice. Saved a total of about 10,000 miles compared to what a Anytime award would have been.

Ross0

Can anyone confirm that EXPs are exempt from redeposit and cancellation fees if the miles come from the EXP's account, but are used for a ticket for a non-elite flyer?

I'm holding an AAnytime award for a friend and just learned that I could save 8k if I use the Dynamic AAward instead. The whole reason for using the miles as opposed to buying the ticket is she needs flexibility and may not be able to fly that weekend. So, I need to have the option to cancel without fee/penalty.

Thanks

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

While I cannot say I've done it with my own experience, I've been cancelling and redepositing and changing awards for me and my wife a lot in the last few weeks, and each time I try to change, the EXP agent asks if the miles for my wife come from my account to avoid fees. That makes it sound pretty clear to me that the fees are not there if the miles come from the account of an EXP.