Bohemiana

I was particularly frustrated this year for our annual Christmas travel plans--I had to fly in and out of my cities earlier and later than I really would have liked just to get the lowest award. This is the reason why I am changing my future Christmas airline to fly on Southwest (me and my husband just got 100,000 bonus miles). Southwest had quite a few flights left at the lowest award amounts up until October. PLUS, for 25k I am able to get three segments to visit my family whereas with AA I have to spend 37.5k.

deeseeel

Does any other airline do this with their FFP? (Honestly I don't know...)

But I never recall seeing this with any other program I follow (WN and UA). Yes, WN used to publish embargo dates (2 award ticket systems ago), but when they switched to limited availability, I never got a heads up from them as to when awards may or may not be more difficult.

Sure, I can understand you're unhappy about it. I won't defend AA to you, because I would only do so according to how I evaluate the program.

Change (can) suck, but it's a risk we all play in the funny money (point/miles) game.

Thank you for sharing this observation in award availability. I've learned something. But as to the assessment/interpretation, I'm inclined believe it may be something else.

EsquireFlyer

Can this be right? AA offers saver awards from HNL to LHR for only 20,000 miles, but charges 22,500 miles for a saver award from HNL to LAX?

I can't imagine why an airline would do that. Are you sure there is no confusion here (such as comparing the price of a round-trip award to the price of one-way award)?

Science Goy

This appears to be right in some cases - e.g. on March 13, both HNL-LAX 22.5K and HNL-LHR 20K awards are available. Cheaper "MileSAAver Off-Peak" awards for 17.5K from HNL-LAX do exist, but none are available on that date.

iahphx

It's what you'd call a "loophole," and has to do with peak and off peak periods.

Things sometimes don't make sense in the frequent flyer world.

Happy

EXACTLY! Go with the program(s) that work the best for your need.

Such as for us, we have never flown WN even in pay tickets - simply not an airline that serves our needs given most our travels are International.

Therefore, to declare a program has a lot less value whenever an airline's program does not work to suit one's particular needs is plain silly. While it does not work for YOU, it most still works GREAT for OTHERS - even the DL's Skypesos still work for a lot who can find the niches of the program, ditto for the massively devalued BA program (on the long haul awards), there are still gems to be found.

It is a perfect example that you should go with WN because the level of miles required is cheaper for the same trip you are doing.

Happy

It isn't a loophole per se. It is the knowledge to know how to cherry pick the best of a program. Otherwise, knowledge would have no value, wouldn't it?

laxconnorw

I'd love to know how you can book a 12/16, 12/25 2012 or 1/2/2013 ticket this far in advance.

Happy

Why this is a shocking news to you? It should have long been this way - CO practices such from day one - that earns its OnePass the nickname of NoPass because CO does not open up award seats until much closer to departure. Even an agent told me so when we were still living in Houston and used CO more often. CX has been this way for 2 years running in their coveted premium cabins - when they finally decide no revenue ticket would likely be sold, they open seats up for award redemption - and members from partner programs often snap them right up, so it still bring CX moola as the partner airlines must pay CX in hard currency.

While the domestic coach on AA may not be selling like hot cake like CX's J or F, AA can choose to withhold the award seats for more revenue tickets. After all, AA does not make any extra to fill the plane with award seats, other than slightly denting its mileage liability on the book, so why should AA tries to fill the plane with award seats? AA certainly can take a "toll" by not filling the plane to the gill by opening up award seats, 'cause AA does not make any extra to take on a full load that has a higher than preferred % of award seats. It does not even pay for the extra fuel to carry the extra passengers.

I honestly dont understand your fixation on this topic even though I understand your plight and others who are subject to a FIXED vacation schedules. But that is life, not much one could do other than finding an alternative. Right?

vasantn

He checked ON 12/16/11 FOR outbound 12/20/11 and return 12/25/11-1/2/12.

Science Goy

I'll have to keep this in mind next time I need to fly HNL-LAX. AA probably doesn't get too many hidden-city tickets where the unused segment is LAX-LHR

jordyn

Wait, you're arguing AA should try to emulate a program that everyone reviles? Why is that good advice, unless you assume that everything that you do that pisses off your customers must be good for business.

sdsearch

Well, I never before was able to do holiday travel reservations 10 months out, so I didn't notice a difference.

Booking just 5 months out, for quite a few years I noticed never any saver coach award avialability for Christmas, but until 2011 always saver business/first award avialability (at the same price as anytime coach). But the family I visit for the holidays moved in 2011 from a nonstop transcon location to a have-to-connect-through-DFW location, so I can't tell whether 2011 was worse for business/first award avialability or if it was just the LAX-DFW route. (It seemed that if I hadn't been originating in SoCal I might indeed have been able to book business/first saver.)

jayer

I'm having difficulty with the conspiracy theory rather than assuming holidays are just very competitive and seats go withing hours. My hero and data point is a family friend who manages to book her entire 8-member extended family to Hawaii every, single, year for the last 20, and always on the days she wants. Small gentle blond woman who would normally drive across town in the middle of the night in the rain to tell you about Jesus rather than fight over anything. Except she knows the scriptural day and the hour and the minute holiday flight availability will be poured out on the public. That night she is logged on with her flights typed in at midnight, or whenever it is, gives it about 30 seconds in case her watch is fast, and hits enter. Why anyone wants to go to Hawaii when its packed is beyond me, but she nails it. Every, single, year. She swears flights are picked over by three and everything is gone by six. Its hard to argue with success.

sdsearch

Upgrades are totally different.

During the holidays, there is less business travel and so fewer tickets bought up front, so it may actually be easier to upgrade, at the same time that it's way harder to get a saver coach award. (And saver business/first awards tend to be in the middle, more available than saver coach award but still not as available as upgrades.)