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]
Dec 23, 2015, 7:57 am
#106
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: USA
Programs: Chase Sapphire Reserve, WFBF
Posts: 1,573
Just curious if whatever rate AA sets the AAnytime level at ever goes up (or even down) once they're released.
Obviously the MileSAAver availability can be volatile and flights available for this redemption level can change over time.
But if say the AAnytime level I'm seeing to today is 20k, is there any risk in it going above that rate? If not, then obviously there is no advantage in booking these early (assuming both the flight and Main Cabin Extra still appear plenty, and not within X day fee windows for booking close to flight date) when you could gamble some seats may get moved over to a MileSAAver rate, correct?
Obviously the MileSAAver availability can be volatile and flights available for this redemption level can change over time.
But if say the AAnytime level I'm seeing to today is 20k, is there any risk in it going above that rate? If not, then obviously there is no advantage in booking these early (assuming both the flight and Main Cabin Extra still appear plenty, and not within X day fee windows for booking close to flight date) when you could gamble some seats may get moved over to a MileSAAver rate, correct?
Dec 23, 2015, 8:47 am
#107
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
Did anyone every find the answer to this question? I am planning to book a trip to Europe during peak season that is on one of the rare 45K AAnytime days. The only sAAver available is 30K on a terrible connection. I don't have any problem paying the 45K (in this case it's a good deal to get my preferred flight), but obviously, I would prefer to wait and see if 30K sAAver or 50K biz sAAver comes open on my preferred flight before March 26. The usual advice would be to wait to book AAnytime, but is it possible the 45K AAnytime could become a 65K AAnytime (or worse)? I have it on hold now..
Greg
Mar 29, 2016, 6:36 pm
#108
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 73
Anytime award change; post March 22
Sorry if this is answered elsewhere, but I've read the AA site and they seem to be short on details, I've I haven't used an AA award for about 20 years.
If I book an Economy Anytime ticket from say Tokyo to SFO for 80K miles, and switch to a different date for the same route that is only 62.5K miles, will they refund the 17.5K miles with no change fee? Or alternatively charge me the extra 17.5K miles if the new day costs more?
Alternatively can I really change airports and 'pay' only the mileage difference? Is it possible to do this up to the day before assuming there is still a seat available?
Thanks!
If I book an Economy Anytime ticket from say Tokyo to SFO for 80K miles, and switch to a different date for the same route that is only 62.5K miles, will they refund the 17.5K miles with no change fee? Or alternatively charge me the extra 17.5K miles if the new day costs more?
Alternatively can I really change airports and 'pay' only the mileage difference? Is it possible to do this up to the day before assuming there is still a seat available?
Thanks!
Mar 29, 2016, 8:03 pm
#109
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
Keep in mind that an AAnytime award can be booked as long as AA is offering seats for sale in the cabin you want. (That's different than whether there are open seats, because some seats are not assigned in advance.) Now, early booking can give you early seat selection, but if you're not sure of what flight you need and there's still many many many months to go, there's no huge reason in most cases to book an AAnytime award very early.
Mar 30, 2016, 4:21 am
#110
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
Sorry if this is answered elsewhere, but I've read the AA site and they seem to be short on details, I've I haven't used an AA award for about 20 years.
If I book an Economy Anytime ticket from say Tokyo to SFO for 80K miles, and switch to a different date for the same route that is only 62.5K miles, will they refund the 17.5K miles with no change fee? Or alternatively charge me the extra 17.5K miles if the new day costs more?
Alternatively can I really change airports and 'pay' only the mileage difference? Is it possible to do this up to the day before assuming there is still a seat available?
If I book an Economy Anytime ticket from say Tokyo to SFO for 80K miles, and switch to a different date for the same route that is only 62.5K miles, will they refund the 17.5K miles with no change fee? Or alternatively charge me the extra 17.5K miles if the new day costs more?
Alternatively can I really change airports and 'pay' only the mileage difference? Is it possible to do this up to the day before assuming there is still a seat available?
~Moderator
Mar 30, 2016, 10:01 am
#111
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
If I were booked on an ANYTIME BC award jfk-lhr (on AA metal, so no fuel surcharge) and the flight was cancelled (say 15 days before dep. date). If I got rebooked on a BA (metal) flt. would I now be subject to the fuel surcharge?
Same question, but substitute SAVER for ANYTIME?
Same question, but substitute SAVER for ANYTIME?
Mar 30, 2016, 4:22 pm
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
If I were booked on an ANYTIME BC award jfk-lhr (on AA metal, so no fuel surcharge) and the flight was cancelled (say 15 days before dep. date). If I got rebooked on a BA (metal) flt. would I now be subject to the fuel surcharge?
Same question, but substitute SAVER for ANYTIME?
Same question, but substitute SAVER for ANYTIME?
Meanwhile, AAnytime is not valid on partners, only on AA metal. So it would think it would have to be AA rebooking you in the case of AAnytime to end up on BA. (I don't know what would happen if it were SAAver and you picked the alternate flight yourself. Ie, sometimes when a flight is cancelled AA rebooks you first, and sometimes people call to get rebooked before AA does it, but the latter may not be possible to do on a partner airline if the award was AAnytime.)
Apr 3, 2016, 5:23 pm
#113
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
If AA itself rebooks you at the last minute, certainly not, not even on saver.
Meanwhile, AAnytime is not valid on partners, only on AA metal. So it would think it would have to be AA rebooking you in the case of AAnytime to end up on BA. (I don't know what would happen if it were SAAver and you picked the alternate flight yourself. Ie, sometimes when a flight is cancelled AA rebooks you first, and sometimes people call to get rebooked before AA does it, but the latter may not be possible to do on a partner airline if the award was AAnytime.)
Meanwhile, AAnytime is not valid on partners, only on AA metal. So it would think it would have to be AA rebooking you in the case of AAnytime to end up on BA. (I don't know what would happen if it were SAAver and you picked the alternate flight yourself. Ie, sometimes when a flight is cancelled AA rebooks you first, and sometimes people call to get rebooked before AA does it, but the latter may not be possible to do on a partner airline if the award was AAnytime.)
)?
May 3, 2016, 3:42 pm
#114
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Lower 48 States
Posts: 58
I'm booking a domestic aanytime ticket now, and seeing 4 different levels for different (holiday) dates. Because my dates are flexible but I have a limited number of miles to play with, I'm just bumping the question about whether experience shows the dates are fixed to their "level" or not. Obviously, AA's website won't tell you there are more than 2 levels. Thanks so much!
Jun 26, 2016, 1:24 pm
#116
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
I'd suggest taking a look at the master thread on this topic, here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...er-thread.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...er-thread.html
Jun 26, 2016, 1:56 pm
#117
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: FLL -> Where The Boyars Are
Programs: AA EXP 1.7 M, Hilton Gold, Hertz 5*, AARP Sophomore, 14-time Croix de Candlestick
Posts: 18,669
BA ... 57500 miles plus pay the BA profit surcharge
AA AAnytime ... 110k miles, no surcharge
On BA, you can continue on to continental Europe (Germany, France, Italy etc) for the same 57500
Using AA AAnytime, since AAnytime does not exist in BA, the trip terminates at Heathrow. If going on to Europe, you would have to claim a separate award or buy or take Eurostar, etc.
Last edited by Non-NonRev; Jun 26, 2016 at 2:11 pm
Jun 26, 2016, 2:01 pm
#118
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
Jun 26, 2016, 3:27 pm
#119
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: AAdvantage (Platinum)
Posts: 470
The display of AAnytime availability seems a bit broken after the deval, possibly due to AA now charging more for certain awards on domestic 3 class planes. Eg for SFO to ZRH via JFK (or vice versa) it now often excludes certain options via JFK or only offers econ on the TATL flight for an AAnytime 1st award.
