ARCHIVE: 2018 HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
May 13, 2018, 9:09 pm
#241
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,461
I just discovered that I can put on hold an award reservation for the two of us even if all the miles are not in one account. Can I do that and then call CS to ask that the miles be deducted for each ticket from each of our own AA accounts? ( we each have just enough miles in each account for a ow ticket). Thanks
May 14, 2018, 7:01 am
#242
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 176
I booked saavers flights Lax-HI 12,500 each leg- booking code T used Avios to book (thru BA site) what does this mean for baggage allowance? I can't find info anywhere- I suspect it might mean no carryon in overhead allowance?-thanks
May 14, 2018, 7:09 am
#243
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,461
Awards on AA are still treated as normal economy, so no problem to bring a carry on bag plus personal item with overhead bin use. Its only the paid Basic Economy fares that do not have a carry on allowance outside of an underseat personal item.
May 14, 2018, 8:20 am
#244
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 176
What? This is way better than I expected! So I can safely expect to bring my carryon and stow it with these fares!?! (I don't check bags unless I absolutely have no other choice)
May 14, 2018, 8:38 am
#245
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: New York
Programs: AA, CX, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,484
May 15, 2018, 2:51 pm
#246
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 542
I have the following options for returning from an international trip in business. I need to end up in AUS (or SAT worst case). I can't find a single domestic flight that I think will work from those cities to AUS/SAT. Am I missing something or is AA award space just garbage? If I understand everything correctly, I can't search segment by segment (ex: ORD-DFW then DFW-AUS) due to married segment rules and I can't have a connection longer than 4 hours... is that all correct? Thanks
JFK 7/3 18:10
SFO 7/28 13:30
LAX 7/8 11:40
ORD 6/25 8:50
JFK 7/3 18:10
SFO 7/28 13:30
LAX 7/8 11:40
ORD 6/25 8:50
May 15, 2018, 3:22 pm
#247
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
I have the following options for returning from an international trip in business. I need to end up in AUS (or SAT worst case). I can't find a single domestic flight that I think will work from those cities to AUS/SAT. Am I missing something or is AA award space just garbage? If I understand everything correctly, I can't search segment by segment (ex: ORD-DFW then DFW-AUS) due to married segment rules and I can't have a connection longer than 4 hours... is that all correct? Thanks
JFK 7/3 18:10
SFO 7/28 13:30
LAX 7/8 11:40
ORD 6/25 8:50
JFK 7/3 18:10
SFO 7/28 13:30
LAX 7/8 11:40
ORD 6/25 8:50
May 15, 2018, 5:00 pm
#249
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Yes, you can. If you see availability separately for X-Y and Y-AUS, you can put X-Y on hold then call AA to have them tack on Y-AUS. As long as Y is in the US, it should be the same award miles. Assuming the 24-hr constraint as noted, of course.
May 16, 2018, 12:38 am
#250
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Yes, you can. AA.com will only show you results with 4-hour connections if you search X-AUS, but you can actually spend up to 24 hours at any connection point on an international award, so searching individual segments may be fruitful.
May 16, 2018, 7:52 am
#251
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,963
I may not be completely understanding your answer but I have been watching AA awards from ATH -SEA on BA and the connection options through LHR have been offered online with as much as 22 hours in between flights giving us a whole day in London to play.
May 16, 2018, 7:53 am
#252
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Biz/First seats not available one leg of saaver award
I have noticed an increasing trend for 1-stop domestic/Mexico Biz/First saaver awards, where the premium cabin is immediately available from the hub to/from the ultimate destination, but not the origin to/from the hub - despite the fact that all/most of the premium cabin seats show as available on the seat map.
Example: SAN-CUN in July 2018, January 2019. For CUN-CLT-SAN, Saaver award offered CUN-CLT in biz/first, but CLT-SAN in coach; SAN-DFW-CUN offered SAN-DFW in coach, DFW-CUN in biz first (787-9 !?!). Similar situation SAN-EYW in October 2018.
This has been quite common for connections through LUS hubs, first time I have noticed for DFW, not yet seen for other LAA hubs.
From a practical perspective, this makes Expert Flyer much less effective, as it does not send alerts for such mixed itineraries - and at the same time more important, for notification when origin to/from hub seats are released.
Safe to assume the premium cabin seats will ultimately become available?
Example: SAN-CUN in July 2018, January 2019. For CUN-CLT-SAN, Saaver award offered CUN-CLT in biz/first, but CLT-SAN in coach; SAN-DFW-CUN offered SAN-DFW in coach, DFW-CUN in biz first (787-9 !?!). Similar situation SAN-EYW in October 2018.
This has been quite common for connections through LUS hubs, first time I have noticed for DFW, not yet seen for other LAA hubs.
From a practical perspective, this makes Expert Flyer much less effective, as it does not send alerts for such mixed itineraries - and at the same time more important, for notification when origin to/from hub seats are released.
Safe to assume the premium cabin seats will ultimately become available?
May 16, 2018, 8:46 am
#253
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Safe, as in 95% probability? I wouldn't assume that. See the 'more availability/married segments' thread that notes availability to/from hubs can be reserved for longer itins. If saver coach is available on one segment and business/first the other, risk a booking and set an EF alert on the coach segment.
May 16, 2018, 12:15 pm
#254
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
I was responding specifically to the OP's situation of trying to find a domestic leg as part of a larger international award. My understanding is that OP was trying to find X-AUS, where X = one of AA's gateways, in which case any search of X-AUS on AA.com will reveal only itineraries with 4-hour connections, even though when part of an international award, up to 24 hours is permitted. When searching for something like ATH-SEA, AA will show itineraries with connections of up to 24 hours. Hope that clarifies.
May 16, 2018, 12:20 pm
#255
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,963
I was responding specifically to the OP's situation of trying to find a domestic leg as part of a larger international award. My understanding is that OP was trying to find X-AUS, where X = one of AA's gateways, in which case any search of X-AUS on AA.com will reveal only itineraries with 4-hour connections, even though when part of an international award, up to 24 hours is permitted. When searching for something like ATH-SEA, AA will show itineraries with connections of up to 24 hours. Hope that clarifies.