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
Oct 4, 2017, 9:38 am
#1501
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Yes, their big move will to be open up a bunch of Y seats-maybe 2 on occasion, like on overnights on medium hauls, and little if no F/J seats. They will pride themselves on greater award availability out of hubs, but making no J availability out of smaller cities, such as SMF, forcing us to purchase AAnytime awards. It's a scam. I'll be hopeful that what they say is true and that we can get 2 seats in domestic F (J) 330 days out and a good amount of F and J available internationally at 330 days out also. We'll see how sincere their their intentions are. Don't hold your breath !
Oct 5, 2017, 8:41 am
#1502
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
I am a bit more cynical - see aa releasing 1 saaver seat each in Y, F and J, forcing customers to pay aanytime rates for the rest of their party. I have seen this in the past, successful waiting a few days for the release of a second saaver seat on the same flights, then combining the records.
Oct 5, 2017, 4:38 pm
#1503
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Isn't it the partners who decide that?And didn't US Airways have a whole different set of partners (it was in Star Alliance, not oneWorld, until not long before it ceased to exist as such)?
Those are now UA's partners!
Oct 5, 2017, 7:38 pm
#1504
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: QDF
Programs: AA EXP (2MM), Marriott Tit
Posts: 1,034
But does AA have any control over partner availability? Isn't it the partners who decide that?
And didn't US Airways have a whole different set of partners (it was in Star Alliance, not oneWorld, until not long before it ceased to exist as such)? Those are now UA's partners!
Isn't it the partners who decide that?And didn't US Airways have a whole different set of partners (it was in Star Alliance, not oneWorld, until not long before it ceased to exist as such)?
Those are now UA's partners!
Oct 5, 2017, 9:54 pm
#1505
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,158
Oct 5, 2017, 10:44 pm
#1506
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP/4MM, DL GM/1MM, HH ♦, Bonvoy LT PLT, Hyatt Globalist, AMEX Bus Plt
Posts: 620
But does AA have any control over partner availability? Isn't it the partners who decide that?
And didn't US Airways have a whole different set of partners (it was in Star Alliance, not oneWorld, until not long before it ceased to exist as such)? Those are now UA's partners!
Isn't it the partners who decide that?And didn't US Airways have a whole different set of partners (it was in Star Alliance, not oneWorld, until not long before it ceased to exist as such)?
Those are now UA's partners!Regarding US Airways the same management with the same philosophy in making low redemption availability scarce has changed what used to be good here at AA. The partner scarcity is recent. My point was that good partner redemption availability makes the SAAver scarcity more palatable.
Oct 6, 2017, 7:11 am
#1507
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: QDF
Programs: AA EXP (2MM), Marriott Tit
Posts: 1,034
Oct 9, 2017, 10:49 am
#1508
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors LTDia, Marriott Plat
Posts: 639
My kid is a senior now so I am expert at flying out of Roa at Thanksgiving.
The irony is Delta is actually the better connection with Roa-Atl-Stl all jet service and the return on that Sunday is a 9:40 am departure. AA has more flights out of Roa so the supply issue is more or less the same and if we assume that Delta isn't giving anybody anything then the difference of 32.5k miles to 75k makes a pretty big statement about the two programs.
The irony is Delta is actually the better connection with Roa-Atl-Stl all jet service and the return on that Sunday is a 9:40 am departure. AA has more flights out of Roa so the supply issue is more or less the same and if we assume that Delta isn't giving anybody anything then the difference of 32.5k miles to 75k makes a pretty big statement about the two programs.
Oct 9, 2017, 6:12 pm
#1509
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: stl
Programs: AA LT Plat/8.1mm now with 1350 miles left in my account and proud of it.. SPG LT Titanium.
Posts: 3,079
It won't work for Thanksgiving but Charlottesville isn't as bad as Roa
Oct 12, 2017, 3:14 pm
#1510
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: AZ
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 18
Hi. I'm trying to book my wife a Business MileSAAver award from TUS/PHX to Europe (exactly where may depend on availability) and then back from LHR to TUS/PHX in July (targeting July 9-16 but might be able to move a bit if needed). Obviously trying to avoid BA to eliminate the absurd taxes/fees.
Right now, there is some availability on AA metal from ORD to DUB/MAN/etc on July 9 but nothing from TUS/PHX to ORD. So my question is, should/could I book that segment now and then add TUS/PHX to ORD later when/if it becomes available?
I know that would incur a change fee because of the new origin but I should be EXP in December so hopefully that takes care of that. Just want to make sure its possible to add without releasing the Europe segment back to inventory and then losing it. Main concern is obviously that availability disappearing before any domestic ever opens up.
I have seen some related questions/answers but nothing that was all that current and answered this definitively. Thanks
Right now, there is some availability on AA metal from ORD to DUB/MAN/etc on July 9 but nothing from TUS/PHX to ORD. So my question is, should/could I book that segment now and then add TUS/PHX to ORD later when/if it becomes available?
I know that would incur a change fee because of the new origin but I should be EXP in December so hopefully that takes care of that. Just want to make sure its possible to add without releasing the Europe segment back to inventory and then losing it. Main concern is obviously that availability disappearing before any domestic ever opens up.
I have seen some related questions/answers but nothing that was all that current and answered this definitively. Thanks
Oct 12, 2017, 3:27 pm
#1511
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 623
Hi. I'm trying to book my wife a Business MileSAAver award from TUS/PHX to Europe (exactly where may depend on availability) and then back from LHR to TUS/PHX in July (targeting July 9-16 but might be able to move a bit if needed). Obviously trying to avoid BA to eliminate the absurd taxes/fees.
Right now, there is some availability on AA metal from ORD to DUB/MAN/etc on July 9 but nothing from TUS/PHX to ORD. So my question is, should/could I book that segment now and then add TUS/PHX to ORD later when/if it becomes available?
I know that would incur a change fee because of the new origin but I should be EXP in December so hopefully that takes care of that. Just want to make sure its possible to add without releasing the Europe segment back to inventory and then losing it. Main concern is obviously that availability disappearing before any domestic ever opens up.
I have seen some related questions/answers but nothing that was all that current and answered this definitively. Thanks
Right now, there is some availability on AA metal from ORD to DUB/MAN/etc on July 9 but nothing from TUS/PHX to ORD. So my question is, should/could I book that segment now and then add TUS/PHX to ORD later when/if it becomes available?
I know that would incur a change fee because of the new origin but I should be EXP in December so hopefully that takes care of that. Just want to make sure its possible to add without releasing the Europe segment back to inventory and then losing it. Main concern is obviously that availability disappearing before any domestic ever opens up.
I have seen some related questions/answers but nothing that was all that current and answered this definitively. Thanks
Plenty of others more experienced than me, but I'm pretty confident you would be able to modify an existing ORD-DUB/MAN reservation to include additional legs without releasing the seats back into inventory. Whether or not you pay the change fee would definitely depend on your status, unless there's a schedule change, etc.
Oct 12, 2017, 4:17 pm
#1512
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: AZ
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 18
Looking at it there's a late departure TUS-PHX-ORD on 7/9 that gets you into ORD at 11:59. Can you take a long layover in Chicago then hope something better opens up? I would do my best to get something now, although it appears AA is doing a lot more close-in award releases lately.
Plenty of others more experienced than me, but I'm pretty confident you would be able to modify an existing ORD-DUB/MAN reservation to include additional legs without releasing the seats back into inventory. Whether or not you pay the change fee would definitely depend on your status, unless there's a schedule change, etc.
Plenty of others more experienced than me, but I'm pretty confident you would be able to modify an existing ORD-DUB/MAN reservation to include additional legs without releasing the seats back into inventory. Whether or not you pay the change fee would definitely depend on your status, unless there's a schedule change, etc.
I guess my question still stands though, if I go ahead and book the above will AA change me to a direct PHX-ORD if it becomes available without otherwise messing with ORD-DUB/MAN?
Oct 12, 2017, 4:57 pm
#1513
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
Oct 12, 2017, 5:47 pm
#1514
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: LGB
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 241
Thanks! Upon further searching after your response I see that AA must have opened up a little domestic space because I can now book PHX-SAN-ORD-DUB/MAN. While the SAN-ORD leg is currently economy, at least its a start.
I guess my question still stands though, if I go ahead and book the above will AA change me to a direct PHX-ORD if it becomes available without otherwise messing with ORD-DUB/MAN?
I guess my question still stands though, if I go ahead and book the above will AA change me to a direct PHX-ORD if it becomes available without otherwise messing with ORD-DUB/MAN?
Oct 12, 2017, 5:49 pm
#1515
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: Once a somebody now a nobody
Posts: 514
Thanks! Upon further searching after your response I see that AA must have opened up a little domestic space because I can now book PHX-SAN-ORD-DUB/MAN. While the SAN-ORD leg is currently economy, at least its a start.
I guess my question still stands though, if I go ahead and book the above will AA change me to a direct PHX-ORD if it becomes available without otherwise messing with ORD-DUB/MAN?
I guess my question still stands though, if I go ahead and book the above will AA change me to a direct PHX-ORD if it becomes available without otherwise messing with ORD-DUB/MAN?
Last edited by chicago747; Oct 12, 2017 at 6:40 pm