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
May 2, 2019, 9:58 pm
#1756
formerly smoaky
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 300
This is incorrect.
When searching award space at aa.com, and filtering flights to AA only, aa.com will never display a Business sAAver flight where the domestic flight is business but the longhaul segment is in economy*. This awful phenomenon only occurs when partners are involved. So every single blue box in the screenshots above would be business for the TATL segment.
(*the one exception to this is when a 3 class transcon is included, aa.com will show business sAAver available whereby say LAX-JFK is in J but JFK-LHR is Y, for example)
Trust me, I think award availability on AA stinks and I despise some of the games they play, and sure, some of the routings are less than ideal, but it's far from the "nothing is available ever from anywhere!" nonsense that gets repeated on here over and over.
I just looked at the Oct 30 space above from AMS-LAX, a one stop AMS-PHL-LAX routing all in business.
When searching award space at aa.com, and filtering flights to AA only, aa.com will never display a Business sAAver flight where the domestic flight is business but the longhaul segment is in economy*. This awful phenomenon only occurs when partners are involved. So every single blue box in the screenshots above would be business for the TATL segment.
(*the one exception to this is when a 3 class transcon is included, aa.com will show business sAAver available whereby say LAX-JFK is in J but JFK-LHR is Y, for example)
Trust me, I think award availability on AA stinks and I despise some of the games they play, and sure, some of the routings are less than ideal, but it's far from the "nothing is available ever from anywhere!" nonsense that gets repeated on here over and over.
I just looked at the Oct 30 space above from AMS-LAX, a one stop AMS-PHL-LAX routing all in business.
Last edited by nycflyer17; May 2, 2019 at 10:08 pm
May 2, 2019, 10:03 pm
#1757
formerly smoaky
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 300
Actually, this is an even better example. NYC-Tokyo. Everything that shows up for 60k saver on the calendar is like this. Here they treat you to TWO domestic legs in First (NYC BOS lol) and Business before dumping you on economy for the main pacific leg. Oh, and the first flight leaves at 11pm, arrives in Boston at 12.29AM, where you have to wait overnight until 6.30AM. What is the point of evening offering this? Just for metrics or something? It might as well not exist. (And this is what shows for multiple days I checked, same hilarious overnight routing through BOS).
You can just fly direct to DFW the onward immediately, all in economy. For 32.5K miles.
You can just fly direct to DFW the onward immediately, all in economy. For 32.5K miles.
May 2, 2019, 10:14 pm
#1758
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
At least now it looks like there is a red notification that "First or Business is not available on all flights." I believe that's relatively new, so now in theory you don't have to click and view all the details to see whether an option is actually all business/first class.
Of course, I'd rather AA not provide such silly options at all...
Of course, I'd rather AA not provide such silly options at all...
May 2, 2019, 11:10 pm
#1759
formerly smoaky
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 300
At least now it looks like there is a red notification that "First or Business is not available on all flights." I believe that's relatively new, so now in theory you don't have to click and view all the details to see whether an option is actually all business/first class.
Of course, I'd rather AA not provide such silly options at all...
Of course, I'd rather AA not provide such silly options at all...
May 3, 2019, 5:54 am
#1760
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,462
, We're talking about an AA metal only search from Europe to the US. Once again, if you set the aa.com award search to AA only, then it will not display this crap where the longhaul is economy but shorter connecting flights are in business (with the one exception below)
Emphasis mine:
When searching award space at aa.com, and filtering flights to AA only, aa.com will never display a Business sAAver flight where the domestic flight is business but the longhaul segment is in economy*. This awful phenomenon only occurs when partners are involved. So every single blue box in the screenshots above would be business for the TATL segment.
May 3, 2019, 6:32 am
#1761
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
The mixed cabin alerts have been up for a long time, as have the change airport (LGA>>JFK) alerts and different destination airports alerts (search for LAX, get shown SNA).
May 3, 2019, 7:49 am
#1762
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
My memory is probably letting me down, but I could have sworn the notification used to say more generally, "The class of service you searched may not be available one 1 or more flights," or something like that.
May 3, 2019, 9:03 pm
#1763
formerly smoaky
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 300
Yes, this will happen all the time when doing a partner search to Australia, but we're not talking about a partner search to Australia , We're talking about an AA metal only search from Europe to the US.
Once again, if you set the aa.com award search to AA only, then it will not display this crap where the longhaul is economy but shorter connecting flights are in business (with the one exception below)
Emphasis mine:
Yep, they're putting you into U on 3-class BOS-LAX, the one exception to the rule I mentioned above:
, We're talking about an AA metal only search from Europe to the US.Once again, if you set the aa.com award search to AA only, then it will not display this crap where the longhaul is economy but shorter connecting flights are in business (with the one exception below)
Emphasis mine:
Yep, they're putting you into U on 3-class BOS-LAX, the one exception to the rule I mentioned above:
Jun 3, 2019, 10:41 am
#1764
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
There seems to have been some big drops of MileSaaver availability in F and J from west coast to LHR via JFK. In particular when SFO-JFK and JFK-LHR are married together, i found a number of days when A5 and U7 can be found for both flights. And since it seems like adding an AS flight in doesnt mess married segments up, there are lots of originating airports where you can make this work.
I had us booked 5 in F with SEA-SFO(as)-JFK-LHR for July 27 w a long stopover in JFK but then today noticed July 26 had a later SFO departure w a perfect connection that allowed enough time for dinner in JFK flagship dining before the late flight to London. I think July 25 also had lots of F and if i recall U7. This all seems recent, i stumbled on July 27 w the 9 hour stopover a couple weeks ago and booked it, the July 25 and 26 availability for 5 was definitely not there then.
It’s only one way, but we found the TAP exEU biz fares for our return for about $900 each, so free F one way and new TP flatbeds seemed like a good deal for $900 out of pocket. And it seems like an opportune time to burn 420k AA miles.
I had us booked 5 in F with SEA-SFO(as)-JFK-LHR for July 27 w a long stopover in JFK but then today noticed July 26 had a later SFO departure w a perfect connection that allowed enough time for dinner in JFK flagship dining before the late flight to London. I think July 25 also had lots of F and if i recall U7. This all seems recent, i stumbled on July 27 w the 9 hour stopover a couple weeks ago and booked it, the July 25 and 26 availability for 5 was definitely not there then.
It’s only one way, but we found the TAP exEU biz fares for our return for about $900 each, so free F one way and new TP flatbeds seemed like a good deal for $900 out of pocket. And it seems like an opportune time to burn 420k AA miles.
Jun 7, 2019, 1:15 pm
#1765
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,545
Air Tahiti Nui LAX-CDG is widely available for 2 seats (sometimes 4) at end of schedule for 115K AA miles plus ~$125 roundtrip in TN J
flat beds on new 787 planes, side-by-side so better for a couple than solo travelers for privacy
AA.com is largely not showing this inventory (try looking at the France/English version of AA.com for self-service booking or just call)
TN award J is booking code F, visible on ExpertFlyer
flat beds on new 787 planes, side-by-side so better for a couple than solo travelers for privacy
AA.com is largely not showing this inventory (try looking at the France/English version of AA.com for self-service booking or just call)
TN award J is booking code F, visible on ExpertFlyer
Jun 8, 2019, 4:36 pm
#1766
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Total Wine & More Reserve
Posts: 4,497
This is still used. For example, it will say this if you're searching for sAAver J and in addition to the finding the longhaul segment in Business, it also finds availability on the domestic leg in First.
Jun 17, 2019, 2:03 pm
#1767
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Jun 17, 2019, 2:24 pm
#1768
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,039
Disappearing MileSAAver / award inventory 15 June 2019 [consolidated]
Regards
Jul 25, 2019, 9:12 pm
#1769
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
AA said in their most recent quarter, redemptions were up and so were the number of elites.
Turns out they were talking about Y awards.
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...ptions-are-up/
Turns out they were talking about Y awards.
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...ptions-are-up/
Jul 26, 2019, 6:06 am
#1770
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,039
AA said in their most recent quarter, redemptions were up and so were the number of elites.
Turns out they were talking about Y awards.
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...ptions-are-up/
Turns out they were talking about Y awards.
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...ptions-are-up/
Regards