Oct 23, 2015, 3:05 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
AAnytime Awards (restricted to AA marketed and operated flights)
NOTE: There will likely be further changes. See Dynamic Award Pricing to be Expanded - AA announces 30 May 2019 link
Link to American Airlines award chart
Link to one world and other airline partner award chart
Link to HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance, discussion thread.
See this post (post #122) for more on the Level 3 increases introduced August 2016.
Link to The Points Guy article on the hidden Level 3.
If a seat is available for sale on an American Airlines marketed and operated flight, you can acquire it as an AAnytime award seat. AAnytime awards require more miles than the restricted MileSAver awards (for AA and required for partners); there are three tiers for the miles required for AAnytime awards seats; it can "cost" even more miles during high demand periods or on certain aspirational flights.
What you need to know
Awards cost $150 to redeposit ($25 for multiple / other travelers' awards taken from the same account); the fee is waived for awards taken from and returned to the account of an Executive Platinum member, when one wishes to pay more miles for a higher class of service or when significant flight or schedule disruption occurs).
Fees for redepositing a MileSAAver award are generally waived if they are "upgraded" to an AAnytime award. “Downgrading” from AAnytime to !ileSAAver requires redeposited and a new award ticket issue.
AAnytime awards do not earn miles, but are more flexible than MileSAAver awards, allowing easier changes and more perquisites (baggage, Same Day Flight Change, Main Cabin Extra and premium seat selection, two courtesy bags to 23 kg / 50 lbs, etc.)
NOTE: There will likely be further changes. See Dynamic Award Pricing to be Expanded - AA announces 30 May 2019 link
Link to American Airlines award chart
Link to one world and other airline partner award chart
Link to HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance, discussion thread.
AAnytime awards
With no blackout dates, you can use AAnytime awards for any seat on an American Airlines or American Eagle® flight for as low as 20,000 miles each way, plus any applicable taxes and carrier-imposed fees.
AAnytime award levels vary by date (including time of day) and region. There are select dates that require a higher number of miles (in addition to Level 1 and 2 awards, there is a hidden level 3 based on aspirational value and premium product and even some hidden level 4 award space released on Flagship transcontinental flights). When you search for awards while booking, you’ll see the applicable available award level.
With no blackout dates, you can use AAnytime awards for any seat on an American Airlines or American Eagle® flight for as low as 20,000 miles each way, plus any applicable taxes and carrier-imposed fees.
AAnytime award levels vary by date (including time of day) and region. There are select dates that require a higher number of miles (in addition to Level 1 and 2 awards, there is a hidden level 3 based on aspirational value and premium product and even some hidden level 4 award space released on Flagship transcontinental flights). When you search for awards while booking, you’ll see the applicable available award level.
Link to The Points Guy article on the hidden Level 3.
If a seat is available for sale on an American Airlines marketed and operated flight, you can acquire it as an AAnytime award seat. AAnytime awards require more miles than the restricted MileSAver awards (for AA and required for partners); there are three tiers for the miles required for AAnytime awards seats; it can "cost" even more miles during high demand periods or on certain aspirational flights.
What you need to know
- AAnytime awards are only offered on AA marketed and operated flights
- Miles shown are for one-way travel
- Book a one-way trip or combine awards for round-trip or multi-city travel
- AAnytime awards mean as long as there is a seat available for sale, an AAnytime award can take it (but miles cost can be very high)
- Each award is subject to taxes and carrier-imposed fees starting from $5.60 per person, per award. These taxes and fees vary by itinerary and are based on trip origin and destination. The exact amount of taxes and carrier-imposed fees that will apply will appear when searching for a particular itinerary.
- For flights offering only two classes of service, the Economy and Business / First Class awards apply. For flights offering three classes of service Economy, Business / First and First Class awards apply.
- NOTE: AAnytime miles "cost" can vary in accord with flight demand, even on the same day
- For flights offering only two classes of service, the Economy and Business / First Class awards apply. For flights offering three classes of service Economy, Business / First and First Class awards apply.
- Each award is subject to taxes and carrier-imposed fees starting from $5.60 per person, per award. These taxes and fees vary by itinerary and are based on trip origin and destination. The exact amount of taxes and carrier-imposed fees that will apply will appear when searching for a particular itinerary.
- AAnytime awards mean as long as there is a seat available for sale, an AAnytime award can take it (but miles cost can be very high)
- Book a one-way trip or combine awards for round-trip or multi-city travel
- Miles shown are for one-way travel
Awards cost $150 to redeposit ($25 for multiple / other travelers' awards taken from the same account); the fee is waived for awards taken from and returned to the account of an Executive Platinum member, when one wishes to pay more miles for a higher class of service or when significant flight or schedule disruption occurs).
Fees for redepositing a MileSAAver award are generally waived if they are "upgraded" to an AAnytime award. “Downgrading” from AAnytime to !ileSAAver requires redeposited and a new award ticket issue.
AAnytime awards do not earn miles, but are more flexible than MileSAAver awards, allowing easier changes and more perquisites (baggage, Same Day Flight Change, Main Cabin Extra and premium seat selection, two courtesy bags to 23 kg / 50 lbs, etc.)
AA Anytime / AAnytime award / awards [master thread]
Jun 2, 2017, 9:44 am
#166
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Texas
Programs: American Airlines British Airways
Posts: 1,752
Codeshare Awards for BA Flights
The search terms I used did not turn anything on this question. When I last flew TATL - been a while - when searching for award flights on the AA site it would show AA and BA flights that could be secured using AA miles. Usually all of the flights were BA. Now all the flights are AA. Nothing on BA shows. Am I not searching for award flights correctly or has AA moved away from offering BA flights?
Jun 2, 2017, 10:39 am
#167
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,588
The search terms I used did not turn anything on this question. When I last flew TATL - been a while - when searching for award flights on the AA site it would show AA and BA flights that could be secured using AA miles. Usually all of the flights were BA. Now all the flights are AA. Nothing on BA shows. Am I not searching for award flights correctly or has AA moved away from offering BA flights?
Be aware that very high cash surcharges will be assessed when redeeming AA miles for TATL travel on BA.
Jun 2, 2017, 11:39 am
#169
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
I just logged in and started a dummy booking. It appears that the setting is defaulted to search "all airlines" (look in lower right hand area under the "options" heading).
Jun 2, 2017, 11:43 am
#170
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Texas
Programs: American Airlines British Airways
Posts: 1,752
Maybe I am already using the right one with the correct boxes checked. My question arose as no matter what city combination I use the only awards I see are for AA flights. When I last did this sort of search months back, the only TATL flights offered where BA. Now I do not see any BA flights, just AA in all cases.
Jun 2, 2017, 11:44 am
#171
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 336
Hi,
I have a related question. I put a TATL BA flight on hold earlier (AAdvantage Business MileSAAver). The final leg of my trip home through AA did not have a MileSAAver, so I was advised to hold an AAnytime Award.
I will do the 5 day hold and see if any SAAvers open up, but am ok with the AAnytime if need be.
I tried to book them all as a multi-part journey to have 1 record locator, but the system would not allow me to do it (I tried 3 times to no avail. I was actually on the line with an AA agent at the time I was booking online and she said just to do the two and get it merged later).
If I do not find any MileSAAvers, am I correct that I can just call in and have the agents merge the 2 record locators (I know that is oversimplifying). There is a 6 hour gap between landing into the US and my next departure from JFK back home (so the agent said I shouldn't have any problems with the system cancelling out one or the other even though they're on the same day). I just wanted to double-check that info!
Thanks!
I have a related question. I put a TATL BA flight on hold earlier (AAdvantage Business MileSAAver). The final leg of my trip home through AA did not have a MileSAAver, so I was advised to hold an AAnytime Award.
I will do the 5 day hold and see if any SAAvers open up, but am ok with the AAnytime if need be.
I tried to book them all as a multi-part journey to have 1 record locator, but the system would not allow me to do it (I tried 3 times to no avail. I was actually on the line with an AA agent at the time I was booking online and she said just to do the two and get it merged later).
If I do not find any MileSAAvers, am I correct that I can just call in and have the agents merge the 2 record locators (I know that is oversimplifying). There is a 6 hour gap between landing into the US and my next departure from JFK back home (so the agent said I shouldn't have any problems with the system cancelling out one or the other even though they're on the same day). I just wanted to double-check that info!
Thanks!
Jun 2, 2017, 12:54 pm
#172
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,588
One way to see if you are searching for partner flights is to search for a route like LHR-MAN, and see if the search engine is returning any BA flights.
Another thing to keep in mind is that BA had had very serious IT problems over the past week that caused numerous flight cancellations. Not sure if that also affected the ability to search for BA award flights.
Jun 2, 2017, 12:55 pm
#173
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Maybe I am already using the right one with the correct boxes checked. My question arose as no matter what city combination I use the only awards I see are for AA flights. When I last did this sort of search months back, the only TATL flights offered where BA. Now I do not see any BA flights, just AA in all cases.
If you want help you're going to need to be specific on origin and destination airports, dates of travel, and class of service.
Jun 2, 2017, 1:54 pm
#175
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Jun 2, 2017, 6:12 pm
#177
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
AAnytime awards are only offered for American Airlines marketed and operated flights.
AAdvantage awards are not offered on any codeshare flights, e.g. AA marketed and operated by BA, or vice versa, etc.
AAdvantage awards are not offered on any codeshare flights, e.g. AA marketed and operated by BA, or vice versa, etc.
Jun 14, 2017, 11:05 pm
#178
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Alerts for tiered coach aanytime (domestic) awards
In addition to the effective elimination of saaver awards, I have noticed a tiered structure to aanytime awards, ranging from 20k to 50k miles. In some cases, I would be willing to pay 20k for the aanytime award. I checked today with EF, was told that since they are all in the Y fare bucket, it is not possible to set alerts to differentiate between the redemption values.
Are there any other options?
Are there any other options?
Jun 15, 2017, 5:24 am
#180
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
In addition to the effective elimination of saaver awards, I have noticed a tiered structure to aanytime awards, ranging from 20k to 50k miles. In some cases, I would be willing to pay 20k for the aanytime award. I checked today with EF, was told that since they are all in the Y fare bucket, it is not possible to set alerts to differentiate between the redemption values.
Are there any other options?
Are there any other options?