HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
Oct 25, 18, 2:23 pm - Wikipost
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HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability - Help, Assistance & Discussion 
Some of you might have found your thread merged into this "consolidated" thread. If your desire is to become thoroughly familiar with the knowledge that has been accumulated about the process for acquiring MileSAAver awards feel free to read this entire thread. If you only want the assistance from those who have the knowledge your request has been merged at the end. Feel free to wait for a forthcoming answer.
If you have reached this thread by using the search process you have the same choices as above. Read the thread and become knowledgeable or post at the end and wait for a forthcoming answer. thanks ~magic111 NOTE: for more detailed fare rules, see AA oneworld & Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (master thd) Awards can generally be held for five days; five day extensions require continued availability of your flights and generating a new award booking and five day hold. Though AA can start releasing awards 331 days from the desired flight date (even though some other airlines might make award seats available to their members 355 days out), it’s very likely award seats may be released a few days after that. If seats aren’t sold and Revenue Management algorithms signify slow sales, more seats might be released going forward.
Airlines that can be booked for award travel on aa.com
oneworld alliance airline partners other airline partners
All others must be requested by telephone; see Note below. NOTE: To search for partner awards, go to advanced search from the awards search or home page and select all airlines.
Full list of oneworld airline partners (and their affiliates)
When you do call, you might want to search for award space on the flights you want and tell the agent about those flights; sometimes AA agents won't find award seats unless they search by segment. When using other airline web sites or tools to search for award availability, it’s best to do so by segment rather than by trip. E. g. BA May show availability SAN-LHR and LHR-AMS, but not SAN-AMS. And in some instances (EY, FJ, etc.) AA US may not see availability that AA Australia or New Zealand might see. Full list of additional airline partners offering award redemptions
NOTE: Ticketing charge
Code:
oneworld Partners Award Fare Codes First-Business-Economy -------------------------------------------------------- AA - American Airlines Z U T -------------------------------------------------------- AY – Finnair U X -------------------------------------------------------- BA – British Airways Z U X -------------------------------------------------------- CX – Cathay Pacific Z U T KA - DragonAir -------------------------------------------------------- IB – Iberia U X -------------------------------------------------------- JL – Japan Airlines (Intl) Z U T JL – Japan Airlines (Dom) Z D S -------------------------------------------------------- LATAM Group JJ - TAM Airlines O I X LA – LAN Chile Z U T XL - LAN Ecuador LP - LAN Peru 4M - LAN Argentina -------------------------------------------------------- MH - Malaysia Airlines P U X -------------------------------------------------------- QF - QANTAS Airways P U X -------------------------------------------------------- QR - Qatar Airways Z U X -------------------------------------------------------- RJ – Royal Jordanian U X -------------------------------------------------------- S7 – S7 Airlines U E -------------------------------------------------------- UL - SriLankan Airlines -------------------------------------------------------- Other Partners First Business Economy -------------------------------------------------------- FJ – Fiji Airways U X -------------------------------------------------------- TN – Air Tahiti Nui F for Business U for Economy -------------------------------------------------------- AS – Alaska Airlines A W -------------------------------------------------------- LY – El Al Israel P X E -------------------------------------------------------- EY - Etihad O I N -------------------------------------------------------- HA – Hawaiian Airlines D T --------------------------------------------------------
Other rules that may affect your awards:
Award Rules American Airlines Awards are valid for travel on flights that are marketed and operated by AA (no codeshares). These awards can be booked online at AA.com. oneworld and Other Airline awards are valid for travel on AA and any of its partner airlines, and can include travel on multiple partners. Many of these awards must be booked over the phone, and will not incur a Ticketing Service Charge (waived for EXPs in any case) if they cannot be booked online. Up to four one-way awards can be booked on a single PNR. Codeshares are not bookable as Awards. MPM or Maximum Permitted Miles: A Fare or award may not exceed the most direct routing by more than 25% (unless the fare routing includes a ticketed point deduction (essentially a miles allowance that extends MPM). See MPM / Maximum Permitted Mileage & Ticketed Point Deductions (merged threads). Stopovers and Connections Stopovers are no longer allowed on AA awards. Stopovers will require multiple awards. Connections are limited to two connections / three flight segments for domestic awards, and three connections / four flight segments for international awards as of Aug 2017. Link Domestic Connections must be under 4 hours for domestic flights, with some exceptions: "LIFO" (Last In - First Out connections are generally allowed. Hawaii itinerary: Effective on 14 Jul 2014 on an all-AA-metal award itinerary, you now have up to 18 hours to connect when traveling to/from Hawaii. NOTE: Hawaii interisland connections must be separate awards and can not be included as part of a mainland-island award. International Connections must generally not exceed 23:59 hours. Some leeway has occasionally been granted when connecting flights are not daily. If the itinerary includes an international flight, the rules for international connections apply. Link to these courtesy of JonNYC. If there is a non-stop flight that departs after the 4h / 23h59m windows and arrives at the destination earlier than a connecting flight within the 4h / 23h59m window, the passenger may be booked on the non-stop flight. It may be difficult getting some agents to book this. "Most Significant Carrier" rule: To price as a single award, AAdvantage requires the most significant carrier to publish a cash fare (non-constructed) between the origin and destination. Airline MSC (e.g. DFW-SFO-HKG-BKK, CX SFO-HKG is the prevailing or most significant carrier) would have to have a published fare from XXX to YYY that allows travel on all included airlines, and routing that you want. If the MSC only offers constructed fares between your desired origin and destination, AA will price this as two awards. Constructed fares: Another rule disallows awards where the fare must be constructed (also referred to as "YY"): Using a partner, the trip will require two awards if the governing carrier (e,g. airline operating on the major route, such as transpacific carrier) doesn't publish a through fare that includes the award's proposed origin and destination that allows the carriers proposed. See this thread about examples using TN. Married Segment Logic - a prospective trip may be available when searching segment by segment, yet not be bookable through from origin to destination. When selling seats for through flights and the desired inventory is not available, you cannot opt to sell the flight point-to-point. If sold point-to-point, the error response MULTIPLE SEGMENTS FOR SAME FLIGHT - SELL AS ONE SEGMENT will be received, indicating this booking is not allowed. Overriding the error check by ending the PNR twice is not acceptable. See Award with available segments not bookable? (Married Segment issues)
Resources
Some airlines or areas have different, extra or special characteristics for securing awards. See
aa.com Basic (front page) vs Advanced Award Search Results (abbreviated results for front page search vs. Advanced award search) AAdvantage awards to / from Australia, New Zealand link AAdvantage awards to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador link AAdvantage awards on Air Tahiti Nui link AAdvantage awards using British Airways incurring (avoiding) high fees link AAdvantage award on Cathay Pacific (and Cathay Dragon) link AAdvantage awards using Etihad Airways link AAdvantage awards using Fiji Airways link AAdvantage awards using Japan Airlines link AAdvantage awards using Qantas Airways link AAdvantage awards on S7 (Siberian) Airlines link
Awards assistance tools: Use at your own risk; may not be up to date. These are not recommendations.
Also see: aa.com Basic (front page) vs Advanced Award Search Results Phantom / false AA award availability with AA partners (consolidated) oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on Help with British Airways / BA surcharge / YQ (AA award on BA, consolidated) (Awards using BA incur significant "YQ" surcharges.) UK APD / Air Passenger Duty charged for UK departures[/quote] (Flights originating in the UK other than INV or BFS - or connections 24:00 or over - incur UK Air Passenger Duty excise taxes.) MileSAAver / SAAver award reduction / scarcity >= Aug 2011 onward (consolidated) Older posts from 2016 have been archived to: this archive thread Older posts through 2015 have been archived to: this archive thread 
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Sep 30, 16, 6:19 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Buf
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott PP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 46
I am hoping to find some insight from some of you experts… In short, the wife and I turn 40 next year and I want to surprise her with an int'l trip she won't forget. I would like for us to see Europe (would be first time for both) and I want to use AA mile and at least have a flatbed seat- F or J.
Some parameters:
-Depart next summer after/on 7/15/17 for 7-10 days
-600-700k AA miles to burn
-Out of BUF, but JFK/YYZ/ORD are also easy departure points for us
-Italy/Paris/London would be nice
I just cant seem to find awards without a massive surcharge. i.e., $2200 on BA, + 230k miles. Anyhow, if you were looking to book this, are there any itineraries that stick out? Thank you.
I am hoping to find some insight from some of you experts… In short, the wife and I turn 40 next year and I want to surprise her with an int'l trip she won't forget. I would like for us to see Europe (would be first time for both) and I want to use AA mile and at least have a flatbed seat- F or J.
Some parameters:
-Depart next summer after/on 7/15/17 for 7-10 days
-600-700k AA miles to burn
-Out of BUF, but JFK/YYZ/ORD are also easy departure points for us
-Italy/Paris/London would be nice
I just cant seem to find awards without a massive surcharge. i.e., $2200 on BA, + 230k miles. Anyhow, if you were looking to book this, are there any itineraries that stick out? Thank you.
I am hoping to find some insight from some of you experts… In short, the wife and I turn 40 next year and I want to surprise her with an int'l trip she won't forget. I would like for us to see Europe (would be first time for both) and I want to use AA mile and at least have a flatbed seat- F or J.
Last edited by JDiver; Jun 1, 18 at 11:26 pm Reason: Remove original post title
Sep 30, 16, 6:22 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Buf
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott PP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 46
Also- I would like to preserve some miles if I can. I know that I can get F on AA 773 for 175k each way, pp, but if there are better options, I would like some help.
Sep 30, 16, 6:26 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Hertz #1 Club Gold Five Star, IHG Spire Elite, Marriott Rewards Silver
Posts: 1,321
First off, avoid using BA under any circumstances if you are redeeming mileage. That's how you'll avoid those ridiculous fees.
Secondly, my suggestion is first, determine exactly what you want to do (i.e. which airport you want to fly into and out of)...then work from there to find the best mileage deals, realizing that mileage availability is constantly changing (for better or worse).
Secondly, my suggestion is first, determine exactly what you want to do (i.e. which airport you want to fly into and out of)...then work from there to find the best mileage deals, realizing that mileage availability is constantly changing (for better or worse).
Sep 30, 16, 6:36 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Buf
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott PP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 46
Thank you Matt. The best option I am seeing is JFK-FCO in J, 772 for 230k and $70 in taxes. I don't think Ive seen much better options. Im sure its fine for us but I guess what would be helpful, is this a good value? J on a 772 for that price? I fly 200+ segments a yr but its domestic regionals and all so I have no basis for long haul.
Sep 30, 16, 6:48 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,172
Originally Posted by Daisymonster
Thank you Matt. The best option I am seeing is JFK-FCO in J, 772 for 230k and $70 in taxes. I don't think Ive seen much better options. Im sure its fine for us but I guess what would be helpful, is this a good value? J on a 772 for that price? I fly 200+ segments a yr but its domestic regionals and all so I have no basis for long haul.
Are you EXP? Cause then you can have those booked for now and if saver come up for the flight, then you can rebook into saver awards.
Also, F v J on AA 77W is not worth the price difference since the seats aren't very different and the old 777 should be completely out of rotation for TATL flights by your trip.
The 77W J is easily the best J seat in AA fleet.
Sep 30, 16, 6:57 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Buf
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott PP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 46
Thank you hiima. Yes, EXP, however, not sure I will retain EXP for next year, so that may hinder things. Either way, i am totally fine w 230k mi and almost zero fees so I am glad to hear its a good product. I get the whole, AA int'l svc blows…, but how is service on a flight like this? will i have to bug FAs for drinks/snacks or are they on point? is the svc infrequent/impersonal? sorry for the naive ?s.
Sep 30, 16, 7:11 pm
#7
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Mexico, Technical Support and Feedback, The Suggestion Box and Talkboard Topics
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA EXP; HH Life <>; SPG Gold; Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 59,341
Originally Posted by Daisymonster
I am hoping to find some insight from some of you experts… In short, the wife and I turn 40 next year and I want to surprise her with an int'l trip she won't forget. I would like for us to see Europe (would be first time for both) and I want to use AA mile and at least have a flatbed seat- F or J.
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Now: please read these threads for assistance, guidance and links to useful resources - particularly the Wikiposts at the top of the threads in question. Many members have already generously shared their knowledge and experiences there.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ssistance.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...es-2015-a.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...s-ife-etc.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Service can range from slightly less than mediocre to very good. There is no predictability or pattern generally. There is an international menu thread, as well.
Last edited by JDiver; Sep 30, 16 at 7:22 pm
Sep 30, 16, 7:17 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,172
That's the thing. Depending in the crew you get, the FA can be absolutely on point, my CDG-ORD had an FA truly worthy of a appreciation slip and there's my LAX-LHR crew who did the absolute minimum, barely even acknowledged me.
Sep 30, 16, 7:37 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1
One of the things I've done in the past is to go into one city and out of another one. Then you don't have to backtrack. For example, into LHR and out of FCO. Have fun!
Last edited by BOStoLIH; Sep 30, 16 at 7:48 pm
Sep 30, 16, 10:18 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP 1.6MM, PC Spire, Hertz 5*
Posts: 873
Originally Posted by BOStoLIH
One of the things I've done in the past is to go into one city and out of another one. Then you don't have to backtrack. For example, into LHR and out of FCO. Have fun!
Oct 1, 16, 3:43 am
#11
Join Date: May 2013
Location: LHR
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM, SPG Plat
Posts: 786
Are you OK with cheap intra-Europe coach flights? If so, you could look to some of the routes that have had more plentiful award availability recently (PHL/ORD/JFK/MIA-LHR, PHL/ORD/JFK-MAN/DUB come to mind) and build outward once you have the all-important overwater segment. For example, there are 2+ seats on PHL-LHR and MIA-LHR on July 17, on AA metal so you won't have to pay any of BA's scamcharges.
There's also Iberia space on JFK-MAD on 7/15 and ORD-MAD on 7/17. You'll have to call about Iberia though since this doesn't show up on aa.com.
Another potential option: what about Jet Airways' YYZ-AMS flight? You won't find this on AA.com, but availability is pretty decent, especially this far in advance. It's been awhile since I booked an award ticket on Jet Airways, but IIRC there's no YQ?
There's also Iberia space on JFK-MAD on 7/15 and ORD-MAD on 7/17. You'll have to call about Iberia though since this doesn't show up on aa.com.
Another potential option: what about Jet Airways' YYZ-AMS flight? You won't find this on AA.com, but availability is pretty decent, especially this far in advance. It's been awhile since I booked an award ticket on Jet Airways, but IIRC there's no YQ?
Last edited by taxicabnumber; Oct 1, 16 at 3:51 am
Oct 1, 16, 6:14 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Stuck on this planet - mainly in STR and LAX
Posts: 4,356
Also look at Air Berlin (if they still exist by then), Iberia and Finnair. They have a good product in business class. You need to sign up for an account on British Airways and can search there for availability even if you have no miles/avios with them.
Inside Europe look for trains instead of flights. Often cheaper, more convenient and as fast as flying door to door.
Inside Europe look for trains instead of flights. Often cheaper, more convenient and as fast as flying door to door.
Oct 1, 16, 7:50 am
#13
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 166
Another thing to consider is traveling to an airport that isn't usually used by tourists, if it's close enough to where you want to visit. For example, my wife and I recently visited north-central Italy and central Switzerland, and used Zurich (ZRH) as our airport because getting flights in J was easy.
Oct 1, 16, 8:19 am
#14
Moderator, Delta SkyMiles & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, UA Silver, HH lapsed Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 26,966
Originally Posted by Unterwegs
Also look at Air Berlin (if they still exist by then), Iberia and Finnair. They have a good product in business class. You need to sign up for an account on British Airways and can search there for availability even if you have no miles/avios with them.
Oct 1, 16, 3:01 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 435
Originally Posted by Daisymonster
...the wife and I turn 40 next year and I want to surprise her with an int'l trip she won't forget. I would like for us to see Europe (would be first time for both) and I want to use AA mile and at least have a flatbed seat- F or J.
Some parameters:
-Depart next summer after/on 7/15/17 for 7-10 days...
Some parameters:
-Depart next summer after/on 7/15/17 for 7-10 days...
Originally Posted by Daisymonster
...The best option I am seeing is JFK-FCO in J, 772 for 230k and $70 in taxes...
If your desire is for a fantastic European trip which has to be in July, I would not recommend Rome be on your itinerary. While it is by far my favorite city in the world, I steadfastly avoid visiting there in July and August. (The heat is a major factor since you'll no doubt be outside a large part of the day, and more annoying is the fact that you'll be cheek to jowl with tourists - more so than other times of the year).
If you have to take this European trip in mid July, I would choose cities whose climate won't be unbearable, and that aren't chock-a-block with visiting families. There are many incredible European cities that your typical American tourist never thinks to travel to and can make for that unforgettable trip - I'd choose those cities for your July trip and save Rome for when you can visit in the fall or spring.
