andyr

As long as we're speculating, I think it is just the occasional glitch. I had some award travel that I needed to shift a few days, and so I set up a bunch of flight alerts and also checked the calendar roughly daily for the block of time from 12/15 to 1/9 (my flight was on 1/10, and I wanted to move it earlier). Absolutely nothing, ever, popped up, until one evening there was a ton of availability throughout the system (TPAC and TATL U and C buckets, transcon Z and U, lots of dates, lots of flights). Then, of course, it all disappeared about 36 hours later, either grabbed by the observant or pulled back, no way to tell. But it all disappeared pretty much at the same time from what I could tell.

While I was checking daily, the 12/24 to 1/3 block was consistently AAnytime only at the 300-375K level each way in J. During the happy 36 hours, I snagged a midweek flight LAX/AKL for 80K.

"Mighty tough", absolutely. "Impossible", well, no, by definition, but the odds are long and if one decides to accumulate / buy miles hoping for another breakthrough, I've got a bridge to sell you. But (to some of the other posters) feel free to bet on hope and a prayer, your choice, your result, and hope it works out for you.

When you have months after months after months of time with absolutely zero availability from any US gateway to any EU city in J, I'd say there's effectively a blackout year, not blackout dates ...

scubadu

I agree with you, but have come to learn that this is not a popular sentiment in the AA forum.

As I mentioned in a previous post, my wife and I are in Saver J awards to MAD, in June of this year, booked in November of last year. Many in this thread seem convinced that is "impossible"

Regards

andyr

I guess each of us will have our own "facts" on this one, depending on what we have experienced.

I'm in the "somewhere between mighty tough and well nigh impossible" camp, based on endless hours trying to find ways to burn miles for 160K RT in J instead of 750K RT in J. More than a modicum of work, and I've been doing this for a long time and have a pretty good handle on how to do it. Not a lot of tricks available when there's no U inventory anywhere most of the time.

If your experience is different, great for you. Feel free to accumulate miles through all the usual channels and I wish you the best in using them. Myself, I'm definitely in free agent territory after a 20+ year run on AA.

rjw242

That's the main issue - all we have are our experiences, not data. So I'll continue to use my miles for the awards I want just as I've done for years, people will vent here that no awards are ever available just as they've done for years, and the world keeps turning.

ukinny2000

I am in the same camp as you, with saver flights from NYC to MIA or YUL on weekends almost entirely non-existent, which in and of itself would not be so bad were it not for the fact that the aanytime awards can be so punitive (i.e were straight 20K+/-, instead of going as high as 65K in Y one-way from MIA-NYC, ffs). However, at least on the few MIA flights I have been on lately, they have been full, like 100% full with standby lists into the double-digits, so I am not surprised at the dearth of awards on that route

Paulchili

I am in total agreement with you.
I have been doing this for many years and I am not a novice at searching for awards. They are so difficult to find in the last couple of years that they are almost impossible.
I am happy for those that are able to find what they want and need but I cannot 99% of the time. I must (as in need to) plan my vacations well in advance and that has become impossible with AA lately - although it was very easy in the past. I am not able or willing to hope for last minute opening of awards (or glitches) as a tool for planning my trips. I have moved on.
Anyone reading the last 50+ pages of this thread can easily determine for themselves what is the experience and opinion of the vast majority of people posting here.
As always, YMMV We all have to do what we feel is best for US.

Antarius

The bolded is the only way I have been able to find availability recently. That or partners.

In advance on AA metal, ahahahahaha.

Paulchili

If that is the case then why quote that post in your reply?
(See post #610)

scubadu

Look, to be clear, I'm not saying that its easy at all. But I also agree with another poster that it's not impossible either.

I think what has caused me frustration in threads like this is that my mind focuses on playing the game that actually exists, not the game I wish existed. For me personally, spending time comparing AAdvantage today to the way it used to be is pointless. It really doesn't help me travel where I want to travel.

So, like another poster alluded to, my wife and I are absolutely using our miles. But we are playing the game differently than many here are. So yes, I'll keep collecting them and I'll keep using them. That said, we are certainly considering "free agency," as you mention as well, it would be foolish not to.

Regards

iadisgreat

Before lecturing me on what I quoted and replied to or did not, you might want to check your facts. I replied to a post that quoted the post to which *you* say I replied. Believe me, I have checked a number of times to be sure that I am not mistaken in this statement.

+100

The inability of people to play the current game as opposed to the game they want does not invalidate the actuality of the situation.

Paulchili

As I had said above, we each "play" a different game. Your game works for you - that's great. Keep on playing the "current AA game".
My "game" is very different. As we got older, we often cruise or occasionally book a trip for just us two. When I book a cruise (or a trip with all the arrangements/reservations that go with that) that leaves from Sydney or Hong Kong (or wherever) on, say, March 3rd, I'd better get there on the 2nd (or possiblyy the 3rd). I cannot hope that I will get a last minute ticket because if I don't, I loose ALL the money I spent on the cruise. I also like to travel to where I want to travel, not where a glitch opens a few tickets. I don't want to fly to London or Stockholm in January just because there happen to be a couple awards available.
That sums up my travel pattern which obviously seems very different from yours. You play your game and I will play my game - and mine is no longer with AA (as soon as I've spent the last few miles remaining in my account),
As far as the "actuality of this situation", as you call it, this is not my opinion only. Have a read over the last 50 pages or so and see what others have to say about availability or scarcity of sAAver awards over the last couple of years. Some of these people are much more knowledgeable than me - and probably more knowledgeable than even you - including such giants of these boards as JonNYC and the Points Guy.
Somehow, I believe that the hundrers that have complained here about the scarcity of sAAver awards are hard to ignore (including my own personal experiences, which are the ONLY things that matter to ME - just like your experiences matter to you).

scubadu

You basically are saying the same over and over. I don't think anyone has said that it's easier today than it was in the past; I'm certainly not. Please read that again. You don't have to name drop anyone or point to all the posts in this thread. It's much harder today than it used. Agreed. Let us move on.

What I'm trying to say is it doesn't matter. Today is today, yesteryear is yesteryear.

So, for those people that must be to a certain place, on a certain date, yep, got it. That's harder (though likely still not impossible). I'm sorry for you, but it is what it is. My wife and I have a long, long list of wonderful places in the world that we aspire to visit and so rather than obsessing about being in one place, on a specific date we are flexible. And btw, and buckle your seatbelt, occasionally we'll even fly in economy if those are the awards that are available (gasp.... shock... horror)

But yes, for folks of the, I need 4 tickets, in Business/First, to SYD in December, yep, not gonna be a happy camper.

Regards

Paulchili

Three things -
1 No, I will not fly to Sydney in economy - enjoy your flight.
2 I only need 2 tickets - not 4. And I did get them without any trouble at all for Jan 2018. You guessed it - not with AA miles but with Asia miles on CX. Thus I am a happy camper but only because I gave up on AA - I would have NEVER landed them for AA miles. I can say with 99.9% certainty that it WOULD have been impossible. Believe me, I tried.
3 Please don't feel sorry for me. We are a bit more selective at this point as to where we want to go - our bucket list is probably a lot shorter now than yours as we have been fortunate in having visited 158 countries (out of 193 UN recognized independent countries - not territories/dependences like Tahiti, Reunion, Greenland, etc, etc - of which we have also visited a great majority but I am not including them in 158). So I am not looking for tickets wherever they happen to be available, like you, but for tickets to places I actually want to go. I hope that you and your wife are able to visit most of these wonderful places as well.
Again - if the new AA works for you and others - enjoy it. It doesn't work for me anymore.
Obviously, the same solution does not work for all of us - we each should do what works best for us individually; and that may be different for me than it is for you. It also changes from time to time; there was a time when AA miles ruled the world of FFs; Delta was Sky Pesos and UA had Star blocking; then UA & BA came up with devaluation of their FF programs and in case of BA with YQ. UA's top elites couldn't leave UA fast enough after merger with CO - now they can't wait to go back.
Many FFs now believe that AA is racing to reach the bottom of FF programs.
Happy travels.

scubadu

Clearly, I don't seem to be able to articulate my perspective on this topic in way that makes sense to you no matter how many times I say it or attempt to clarify.

1) I did NOT say I "enjoy" flying to SYD in economy

2) I did NOT say you need 4 tickets, but rather was using a broader example of the types of folks who often complain about award availability on FT. As you seem to keep pointing out, there are actually more people reading/participating in this thread than just your personal situation.

3) I never said, nor do I feel sorry for you. You seem to keep saying you are now a happy camper now. Bully for you.

4) The award tickets I utilize are to places I want to go. You know nothing about my travels or my life, so please don't imply that because I operate differently than you do, that I'm just using our miles to go "anywhere" just for the sake of it. We are not mileage runners and we travel to places we want to go, but we are not rigid about it.

I'M NOT SAYING I LOVE THIS SYSTEM AND THAT IT "WORKS" FOR ME!!!!! I AM NOT SAYING THAT!!!. I am saying it's the system that currently exists and I don't see a whole lot of value in spending time crying over spilled milk.

I don't know how to make that any clearer.

I'm glad you're happy with your new strategy and solution and utterly perplexed why you are spending so much time arguing about the program you've stated, multiple times, that you are departing. I can tell you need to have the last word, so fire away, but I'm done debating you on this topic.

Good luck on your travels and future endeavors. Peace out.

Regards

no1cub17

No idea what you guys are talking about. Anyone want to fly HKG-LAX soon? This glitch should be CNN breaking news IMO.