Jan 25, 14, 3:56 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
Feb 2, 17, 7:12 am
#151
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Austin
Posts: 4,628
Do you think the lack and devaluation of saver award space on AA metal will eventually have an effect on it's bottom line IE losing customers?
Essentially no. Yes they will lose some customers and other customers will be less loyal but it will not likely have a material effect on profit which is the only thing the executive suite cares about.
Does AA realize or care that their redemption chances are well below Delta and United?
Of course they realize but, no, they don't care.
What will it take, if anything to get AA to start opening up the saver seats more?
Unless something changes in the industry, nothing.
Essentially no. Yes they will lose some customers and other customers will be less loyal but it will not likely have a material effect on profit which is the only thing the executive suite cares about.
Does AA realize or care that their redemption chances are well below Delta and United?
Of course they realize but, no, they don't care.
What will it take, if anything to get AA to start opening up the saver seats more?
Unless something changes in the industry, nothing.
Feb 2, 17, 7:30 am
#152
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: BOS/MHT/PVD/BDL
Programs: Belong to Many but No Longer Loyal to Any
Posts: 868
Frankly, from my personal experience, this is not a new development. For the past 2-3 years Saver Awards with sane routings have been next to impossible to find unless you enjoy getting from BOS to MIA on a 16 hour trip via ORD and DFW. Only real value is on partner awards such as CX, QR etc.
Feb 2, 17, 8:05 am
#153
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,732
Feb 2, 17, 8:21 am
#154
Join Date: May 2014
Location: SoCal
Posts: 2,164
I'm so frustrated with AA Business Saaver options under the new system. It's total BS, been saving hundreds of thousands of miles for years now, very flexible on dates to go to just about any major city in Western Europe in Sept/Oct of this year. Started checking at the 330 day window and checking back again now. All flights that have ZERO seats booked don't have a single Saaver Award or even C inventory upgrade available. JFK Madrid end of September? Don't care which days of the week, all have zero flights booked. Not an option.
Feb 2, 17, 8:21 am
#155
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 29,042
Feb 2, 17, 9:05 am
#156
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...pr-2014-a.html
Feb 2, 17, 11:16 am
#157
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,319
I suggest when frustrated finding mile saver awards, on your next paid flight, book another carrier and inform aa customer relations why. Maybe a few thousand emails " I didn't buy AA because" might get noticed. Request AA customer relations call you back for a complete list of complaints. Even if AA is non responsive, complaints will be fully documented and no robo "sorry" responses.
I encourage others to do so. Citibank after all might have some leverage!
Feb 2, 17, 11:48 am
#158
Join Date: May 2004
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,849
Except it gets harder to use those every day as well.
Honestly, one more year and there will be nothing left.
Just look at what is happening with Etihad (it will be probably gone soon anyway,
no way they are close with Lufthansa and stay an AA partner), CX is almost
impossible to book, airberlin, Qantas, Finnair - zero awards.
Booking BA is not only stupid, that airline is simply garbage (including
the worst airport in the world to connect).
JL and QR are the only options left.
But if you don't want to fly to Doha or Tokyo, you're out of luck...
Honestly, one more year and there will be nothing left.
Just look at what is happening with Etihad (it will be probably gone soon anyway,
no way they are close with Lufthansa and stay an AA partner), CX is almost
impossible to book, airberlin, Qantas, Finnair - zero awards.
Booking BA is not only stupid, that airline is simply garbage (including
the worst airport in the world to connect).
JL and QR are the only options left.
But if you don't want to fly to Doha or Tokyo, you're out of luck...
Feb 2, 17, 12:27 pm
#160
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,623
Not that I don't agree with the sentiment here but I did not have too much trouble getting 2 J seats to and from Europe for October to match up with a cruise.
At 330 days I was able to book AA 36 DFW-MAD to IB 2708 MAD-BCN for outbound, then IB 3249 VCE-MAD to IB 6275 MAD-ORD return for the exact dates I wanted. I was also able to get the AA flights to and from MCI that connect with the TATL flights. Maybe because of the time of year the availability was there. I used BA web site to check IB award space, called it i not AA and fed them the flight numbers I wanted.
I still plan to try to use up all remaining AA miles as soon as possible and then I'm done with Aadvantage after over 25+ years. I have already moved all credit cards to Chase and am amassing UR points. Only problem is I have 300K SPG points that I was transferring into AA for awards. I have to find another airline to use those up.
At 330 days I was able to book AA 36 DFW-MAD to IB 2708 MAD-BCN for outbound, then IB 3249 VCE-MAD to IB 6275 MAD-ORD return for the exact dates I wanted. I was also able to get the AA flights to and from MCI that connect with the TATL flights. Maybe because of the time of year the availability was there. I used BA web site to check IB award space, called it i not AA and fed them the flight numbers I wanted.
I still plan to try to use up all remaining AA miles as soon as possible and then I'm done with Aadvantage after over 25+ years. I have already moved all credit cards to Chase and am amassing UR points. Only problem is I have 300K SPG points that I was transferring into AA for awards. I have to find another airline to use those up.
Feb 2, 17, 6:05 pm
#161
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,420
Do you think the lack and devaluation of saver award space on AA metal will eventually have an effect on it's bottom line IE losing customers? Does AA realize or care that their redemption chances are well below Delta and United?
What will it take, if anything to get AA to start opening up the saver seats more?
What will it take, if anything to get AA to start opening up the saver seats more?
That is true, but they overlook the inconvenience of having to go 2 or 3 extra layovers.
Feb 2, 17, 6:12 pm
#162
Suspended
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Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,732
Feb 3, 17, 2:44 pm
#163
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,891
If it takes waiting for the next big economic downturn, will you not lose more money somewhere else in such a downturn than you'll save if saver seats only pop up during an economic downturn?
If it's done by renaming "AAnytime" to "SAAver", will it matter?
Feb 3, 17, 3:31 pm
#164
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Atlanta Metro
Programs: DL , AC, BA, Hhonors Diamond, IH Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,291
Feb 3, 17, 3:33 pm
#165
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,868
-FlyerBeek
