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
Aug 23, 2017, 3:16 pm
#1456
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Sacramento, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt,Marriott,BA,AS
Posts: 4,425
Yes, same from SMF. Only an occasional seat in J (or even in Y) and even then it's with a connection in PHX and a midnight arrival into ORD. Zero availability from ORD-SMF in June & July. Some say seats become available a few days before the flight, but who plans a 2 week trip to Europe just a few days ahead?
Aug 23, 2017, 5:00 pm
#1457
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 526
Yes, same from SMF. Only an occasional seat in J (or even in Y) and even then it's with a connection in PHX and a midnight arrival into ORD. Zero availability from ORD-SMF in June & July. Some say seats become available a few days before the flight, but who plans a 2 week trip to Europe just a few days ahead?
Aug 23, 2017, 5:07 pm
#1458
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: LGB
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 241
Yes, same from SMF. Only an occasional seat in J (or even in Y) and even then it's with a connection in PHX and a midnight arrival into ORD. Zero availability from ORD-SMF in June & July. Some say seats become available a few days before the flight, but who plans a 2 week trip to Europe just a few days ahead?
Nothing on the return, of course. Ended up booking a paid flight out of SFO.
SMF is a nice city, by the way.
Aug 23, 2017, 7:22 pm
#1460
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Aug 23, 2017, 7:26 pm
#1461
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Possible explanation: http://www.flyertalk.com/articles/ar...price-war.html
Aug 23, 2017, 8:07 pm
#1462
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Rather than give away deep discount TATL seats to low revenue leisure travelers, allocating some saaver J and Y inventory should help promote new service, pacify loyalists complaining about the lack of saaver award availability.
Aug 23, 2017, 8:20 pm
#1463
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Sacramento, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt,Marriott,BA,AS
Posts: 4,425
Why can't they just allocate 2 J seats and 4 Y seats on every flight on every day 330 days in advance and quell the rebellion? AA is highly dependent on income from Citibank and Barclay to fund their operation. Millions and millions of dollars. Once cardholders realize the miles they accumulate can't be used for free travel - except on a few limited routes or just a few days before departure (and maybe not be able to get a reasonable return date) they are going to drop these cards like a hot potato. BIG problem for AA financially. No way AA would have survived the financial crisis and the aftermath without Citibank.
Aug 23, 2017, 8:27 pm
#1464
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Aug 23, 2017, 8:45 pm
#1465
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Sacramento, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt,Marriott,BA,AS
Posts: 4,425
Aug 24, 2017, 5:26 am
#1466
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Austin
Posts: 4,629
It is a crisis from the point collector point of view. AA has a goal though.
Aug 24, 2017, 7:33 am
#1467
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BNA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 766
Or, maybe they wanted to some "press" on their new flights? The blogs went wild about the U availability.
Aug 24, 2017, 9:04 am
#1468
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Orange County, CA
Programs: Alaska FF
Posts: 302
Aug 24, 2017, 8:06 pm
#1469
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: NYC/WAS
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL '90s PM, now FK (Flying Kettle)
Posts: 541
Just hit another wall. I was able to find a first class award seat on an international partner carrier with a great reputation for first class, but not into New York, only Dallas. And naturally, the day I arrive back at DFW in mid November (well before Thanksgiving), and the day after (I'd be allowed up to 24 hrs to connect), there is not a single saver award seat on AA in any class from DFW to JFK, LGA, EWR, BOS, PHL, IAD, or DCA. Mid November! Any northeastern city! Any class!
Aug 25, 2017, 12:05 am
#1470
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,159
Just hit another wall. I was able to find a first class award seat on an international partner carrier with a great reputation for first class, but not into New York, only Dallas. And naturally, the day I arrive back at DFW in mid November (well before Thanksgiving), and the day after (I'd be allowed up to 24 hrs to connect), there is not a single saver award seat on AA in any class from DFW to JFK, LGA, EWR, BOS, PHL, IAD, or DCA. Mid November! Any northeastern city! Any class!