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
Feb 19, 2017 | 7:39 pm
#421
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SNA
Posts: 67
I just had a look at ExpertFlyer for the LAX-LHR trip I had booked earlier today and it appears almost all inventory is now gone for anywhere close to the period I had booked. Looks like AA yanked it back rather than show it on their website. Appears to be business as usual now in terms of U availability.
Feb 19, 2017 | 7:56 pm
#422
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,773
I just had a look at ExpertFlyer for the LAX-LHR trip I had booked earlier today and it appears almost all inventory is now gone for anywhere close to the period I had booked. Looks like AA yanked it back rather than show it on their website. Appears to be business as usual now in terms of U availability.
Feb 19, 2017 | 8:10 pm
#424
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
Interesting thing to say, given that she wouldn't have been in the loop at all on inventory decisions.
Feb 19, 2017 | 8:11 pm
#425
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: SYD
Programs: QF Platinum, VA Gold, HH Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 82
Feb 19, 2017 | 8:20 pm
#426
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
And there 'aint to "PLT phone agents" neither-- but wouldn't be worth listening to them on such a subject even if there was.
Feb 19, 2017 | 8:33 pm
#427
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NYC/PSP
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold
Posts: 4,135
A big thank you to everyone posting about this glitch. Was able to book a BCN-JFK flight that I've been needing. Was amazed to see expertflyer showing U4 for all days. And sure enough, it's now back to U0 as far as the eye can see.
Feb 19, 2017 | 8:43 pm
#428
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: AA LT PLT 3 MM+, BA (very) Blue, CO nobody
Posts: 2,640
All of this is a very nice bonus to the lucky few who were able to book these awards before they were pulled. I believe things like this happen from time to time but not very often.
In any case, it's hardly a solid strategy that I would rely on in the future to snag awards with AA miles.
As far as I am concerned, this aberration does not change my mind of collecting miles with other programs rather than AA.
In fact, just today I was able to get 2 J awards with CX Asia Miles from SFO to SYD and once I booked them they were gone on that flight. In 3 weeks time when these flights can be bookable with AA miles, there will be nothing left. It is for a cruise so I would have very little flexibility for dates.
In any case, it's hardly a solid strategy that I would rely on in the future to snag awards with AA miles.
As far as I am concerned, this aberration does not change my mind of collecting miles with other programs rather than AA.
In fact, just today I was able to get 2 J awards with CX Asia Miles from SFO to SYD and once I booked them they were gone on that flight. In 3 weeks time when these flights can be bookable with AA miles, there will be nothing left. It is for a cruise so I would have very little flexibility for dates.
Feb 19, 2017 | 8:46 pm
#429
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Feb 19, 2017 | 8:48 pm
#430
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: Once a somebody now a nobody
Posts: 530
agreed! The person who came up with the award inventory dump probably got a raise. Instead of actively managing inventory and having corrolating award prices (like delta) AA just puts everything at standard levels and releases excess 4 times a year. It's great if you catch it....I blew 200k avois today...but if not, you have to wait til the next release...or take 2 stop itineries that make no sense.
Feb 19, 2017 | 9:13 pm
#432
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA- EXP UA - Silver SPG- PLT Marriott- PLT
Posts: 801
Thank god for expert flyer - woke up today to several alerts, and was able to get tickets booked. Went back later this afternoon, and everything was J0 again. Pretty pathetic if you ask me, that AA doesn't make any award space available, and you have to count on glitches like this to get award tickets.
Feb 20, 2017 | 5:34 am
#435
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 630
I've been watching SYD/AKL-LAX for weeks and AA's search tool has shown phantom availability on AA metal at the last day of the schedule but I could never get it to click through to book. Also showed on QF and AS search tools. Called AA US, AA Australia, and QF and no agents could see the space. With that said none of the space was showing on ExpertFlyer.
This is also the second Sunday in a row where space has opened up so it will be interesting to see what happens next Sunday. On the surface it seems AA's award release process and search tools are just jacked up and dysfunctional right now.