Jan 25, 2014, 2:56 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Be sure to check the lengthy http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...elections.html and oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on threads, as many members have posted questions - and useful answers - there. See the wiki posts for informative summaries.
Also be aware - AA have reduced capacity and apparently chosen to make MileSAAver flights significantly less available during predicted periods of high demand and high demand flights, undoubtedly keeping seats available for those willing to pay higher fares and use the new tiered AAnytime awards.
Older posts as of 1 Jan 2015 and later may be found in thd archived thread ARCHIVE: MileSAAver / SAAver award reduction discussion post 2015 AAdvantage merger
Older posts may dating from Aug 2011 through the AAdvantage program merger January 2015 be found in the archived thread here.
MileSAAver / SAAver award reduction / scarcity discussion
Jan 18, 2018, 2:35 pm
#1561
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,643
Not sure if it is an isolated situation, but I received notifications from several EF alerts for domestic (and Mexico) Saaver F/J seats for early July over the past few days. They are unfortunately insufficient to replace the less than optimal connections currently booked, wondering if this is part of a broader trend.
Jan 18, 2018, 3:03 pm
#1562
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 629
Not sure if it is an isolated situation, but I received notifications from several EF alerts for domestic (and Mexico) Saaver F/J seats for early July over the past few days. They are unfortunately insufficient to replace the less than optimal connections currently booked, wondering if this is part of a broader trend.
Been working equally hard for DL metal with VS miles on the outbound and best I can tell there's only a single DL route to mainland Europe with 2 Saver J seats within +/- 3 days of my desired travel date. That's looking across DL's website, FlyingBlue's website, and ExpertFlyer.
Jan 25, 2018, 7:07 am
#1563
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 629
AA released (1) Saaver F seat on my existing TATL flight on Tuesday so I called in and bumped up Mrs. FlyerTalkUserName from J to F. They promptly released another one yesterday so we're both in F LHR-MIA. Surprised to snag (2) seats in Saaver F 9 months out, but I'll take it.
Jan 25, 2018, 2:36 pm
#1564
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Managed to find a Saver F seat on JFK-SFO on June 13 which was really exciting. However, I can't find any Saver Y or Saver F on any RDU-JFK flight that day or any Saver F on any CLT-JFK flights. Two CLT-JFK flights have Saver Y that day, I guess I should say that you that I can drive 150 miles to fly Saver Y on a "First Class" award ticket?
Jan 27, 2018, 1:29 pm
#1565
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 92
We are returning to LA from a three-month cruise on December 21, 2018 and will be flying home to TPA. Knowing that was a prime season, I started looking on January 24th for any MS seats to TPA . None. No business class; no economy class. Just economy anytime at 65k or business anytime at 90k. Can we expect to see milesaver seats eventually released, or are we relegated to spending 130k for economy or shelving out $700 for a ticket or that date? I'm thinking that it is back to EF time.
Jan 27, 2018, 2:33 pm
#1566
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: Once a somebody now a nobody
Posts: 525
We are returning to LA from a three-month cruise on December 21, 2018 and will be flying home to TPA. Knowing that was a prime season, I started looking on January 24th for any MS seats to TPA . None. No business class; no economy class. Just economy anytime at 65k or business anytime at 90k. Can we expect to see milesaver seats eventually released, or are we relegated to spending 130k for economy or shelving out $700 for a ticket or that date? I'm thinking that it is back to EF time.
Is flying into MCO an option? AS has 6 seats available for 12.5k on the non-stop LAX-MCO on 12/21. I can't imagine a one way car rental would be too bad. It departs at 11am so might be too early depending on cruise disembarkation. But if not it's a decent option.
Last edited by chicago747; Jan 28, 2018 at 3:36 pm
Jan 27, 2018, 3:40 pm
#1567
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 92
Being the Friday before xmas I think saver inventory will be tough to come by. My folks live in Tampa and I flew ORD-TPA the Friday before. I set an EF alerts and it became available in early February during a schedule change when they open the award floodgates for about 4 hours. Unless you catch one of those releases I think it will be tough....especially since there is no non-stop. I had set another Ef alert for my flight for my brother and it never opened up the rest of the year.
Is flying into MCO an option? AS has 6 seats available for 12.5k on the non-stop LAX-MCO on 12/21. I can't imagine a one way car rental would be too bad. It departs at 11am so might be too early depending on cruise disembarkation. But if not it's a decent option.
Is flying into MCO an option? AS has 6 seats available for 12.5k on the non-stop LAX-MCO on 12/21. I can't imagine a one way car rental would be too bad. It departs at 11am so might be too early depending on cruise disembarkation. But if not it's a decent option.
BTW, do we have to book AS through AA or can we do it directly with AS with miles?
Jan 27, 2018, 4:33 pm
#1568
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,593
That is a possibility. It is an easy run from MCO to Tampa. The 11:00 might work since I think LAX is about a half an hour from the port, and we have unlimited luggage which the cruise line will ship, leaving only carryon's for us. Thanks for the suggestion.
BTW, do we have to book AS through AA or can we do it directly with AS with miles?
BTW, do we have to book AS through AA or can we do it directly with AS with miles?
Jan 28, 2018, 7:13 am
#1569
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: Once a somebody now a nobody
Posts: 525
Jan 28, 2018, 12:22 pm
#1570
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 92
Chicago747 - thanks to you we now have a hold on that 11:00 a.m. AS flight to MCO. Now I am waiting on the opinions of my fellow cruisers as to the likelihood of making that flight. General consensus: Can be done, but risky. I'm trying other options but so far none have emerged. And we aren't driving back to Tampa from LA! Anyway, your suggestion bore fruit. Thanks.
Jan 28, 2018, 12:25 pm
#1571
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,593
Chicago747 - thanks to you we now have a hold on that 11:00 a.m. AS flight to MCO. Now I am waiting on the opinions of my fellow cruisers as to the likelihood of making that flight. General consensus: Can be done, but risky. I'm trying other options but so far none have emerged. And we aren't driving back to Tampa from LA! Anyway, your suggestion bore fruit. Thanks.
Jan 28, 2018, 12:27 pm
#1572
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,586
wouldn’t lose any sleep with the 11am
san pedro to lax via 110 express lanes to 105 is very easy
most ubers have express lane transponders, all uber blacks do
30 minutes tops, add 15 for LAX slowness on the U
friday before christmas is not a busy rush hour at all in LA
the last two weeks of December are a joy getting around town
all cruises allow walk-offs first, in an uber at 8am
i’ve made 945am flights at MIA post cruise with time to visit AMEX Centurion lounge
san pedro to lax via 110 express lanes to 105 is very easy
most ubers have express lane transponders, all uber blacks do
30 minutes tops, add 15 for LAX slowness on the U
friday before christmas is not a busy rush hour at all in LA
the last two weeks of December are a joy getting around town
all cruises allow walk-offs first, in an uber at 8am
i’ve made 945am flights at MIA post cruise with time to visit AMEX Centurion lounge
Last edited by Colin; Jan 28, 2018 at 12:32 pm
Jan 28, 2018, 3:50 pm
#1573
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 92
wouldn’t lose any sleep with the 11am
san pedro to lax via 110 express lanes to 105 is very easy
most ubers have express lane transponders, all uber blacks do
30 minutes tops, add 15 for LAX slowness on the U
friday before christmas is not a busy rush hour at all in LA
the last two weeks of December are a joy getting around town
all cruises allow walk-offs first, in an uber at 8am
i’ve made 945am flights at MIA post cruise with time to visit AMEX Centurion lounge
san pedro to lax via 110 express lanes to 105 is very easy
most ubers have express lane transponders, all uber blacks do
30 minutes tops, add 15 for LAX slowness on the U
friday before christmas is not a busy rush hour at all in LA
the last two weeks of December are a joy getting around town
all cruises allow walk-offs first, in an uber at 8am
i’ve made 945am flights at MIA post cruise with time to visit AMEX Centurion lounge
Thank you! That settles it. We will have no luggage, all of it being shipped by the cruise line; customs and immigration having been completed in a prior port; and we can walk off with carry on. No luggage to check and we have the GEC. We can go right to the gate. So . . . unless the ship is unforeseeably detained getting into port or an earthquake on the way, we should make it.
Mar 5, 2018, 9:02 pm
#1574
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 397
When did AAdvantage get so bad?
Been busy so haven't booked tickets recently, now the program is a total joke. Quasi-revenue based (as soon as tickets reach certain price point, remove all seats from inventory), hide available seats from partners (12.5k savers unavailable on BA), no inventory on flights where there is inventory to use same exact flight as a connection, etc. When was all this changed?