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No int'l. AA saaver or SWU availability 11+ days out – Being resolved? (Nov 2014)

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No int'l. AA saaver or SWU availability 11+ days out – Being resolved? (Nov 2014)

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Old Nov 30, 2014, 10:40 am
  #106  
 
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Originally Posted by susiesan
Agree. This change in int'l saaver availability no more than a few months out changes my whole vacation planning strategies. No more vacations planned 11 months in advance if I want to use AA miles for airline seats.
I think this "strategy" has been pretty much non-existing for a while now
and - on every airline. A few exceptions like partners, CX or EY - although
the new trend is clear - AA agents have a lot of trouble "seeing" partners' seats.
The last existing option - book awards for tomorrow or after tomorrow
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 11:10 am
  #107  
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Originally Posted by Big_Foot
I think this "strategy" has been pretty much non-existing for a while now
and - on every airline. A few exceptions like partners, CX or EY - although
the new trend is clear - AA agents have a lot of trouble "seeing" partners' seats.
The last existing option - book awards for tomorrow or after tomorrow
Again, though-- and importantly-- this is a separate matter than just limited availability and the undeniable trend thereof.

AA went on record with the blogger linked to early in the thread (who's very credible and I feel quite confident would not post/tweet something as "direct from AA" that wasn't) that this situation was a glitch caused by huge schedule change.

Again, the trend/discussion of the general trend/issue/problem of severely limited milesAAver availability (and/or partner availability) is a separate discussion.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 11:14 am
  #108  
 
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Have Milesaver Awards Become a Thing of the Past?

I'm trying to book biz tix from NYC to Paris and back from London to NYC for June 2015 departure (7 months away). AA has a few non-stops each way on the dates I need, but won't make them available unless I get Anytime awards. Milesaver awards are available, but for connecting flights with huge layovers. I've been checking for months, and still nothing.

Any suggestions/observations?
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 11:32 am
  #109  
 
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I'm not sure there is a need for this thread. You answer your own question in the short post - milesaver awards are available but for connecting flights with huge layovers. Summer season is busy season, so why would AA give away seats on non-stop flights so far in advance when it can probably sell them? I would pick a connecting itinerary and keep checking until a seat on the non-stop becomes available and then you can change free of charge (if you're an elite). Thus, to answer your rhetorical question - NO, milesaver awards have NOT become a thing of the past.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 11:34 am
  #110  
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Originally Posted by JonNYC
Again, the trend/discussion of the general trend/issue/problem of severely limited milesAAver availability (and/or partner availability) is a separate discussion.
Exactly. Seeing one F seat on LHR-ORD for the enitre month of August was an eye opener to begin with of how bad AA metal availability is.

But seeing NOTHING for months on many routes easily accessible routes is different. Lets hope the glitch is resolved soon.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 12:24 pm
  #111  
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Nonstop to/from Paris in June-- no matter how many months in advance-- is not remotely realistic for milesAAver awards.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 3:00 pm
  #112  
 
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Originally Posted by JonNYC
AA went on record with the blogger linked to early in the thread (who's very credible and I feel quite confident would not post/tweet something as "direct from AA" that wasn't) that this situation was a glitch caused by huge schedule change.
Hasn't it now been a week since the big schedule load and subsequent "glitch"? Hasn't it been a week since AA talked to the blogger about things getting back to normal?

This is not a "glitch". It doesn't take a week to fix an oops. I'm going with the permanent change/devaluation to the aadvantage program. I will now have to start using a shorter window of time for advance vacation planning. It looks like 3 1/2 to 4 months is the new 330 days.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 3:06 pm
  #113  
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Originally Posted by susiesan
Hasn't it now been a week since the big schedule load and subsequent "glitch"? Hasn't it been a week since AA talked to the blogger about things getting back to normal?

This is not a "glitch". It doesn't take a week to fix an oops. I'm going with the permanent change/devaluation to the aadvantage program. I will now have to start using a shorter window of time for advance vacation planning. It looks like 3 1/2 to 4 months is the new 330 days.
Ok, there ya' go.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 3:10 pm
  #114  
 
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From an accounting standpoint, I don't see how a stealth devaluation on their own metal helps them. The miles still sit on their books as a liability, and if you make it impossible to redeem, they'll sit that way. Would seem to make sense to devalue them while still making it impossible to get them off the books.

On the other hand, maybe they figure everyone will still redeem and just pay up for YQ on JV partners, which benefits AA too.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 3:20 pm
  #115  
 
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Originally Posted by JonNYC
Ok, there ya' go.
Jon, since you seem to have some inside info, is this another way of saying "ding,ding, ding, we have a winner"?

I'm hoping I can still use AA points for CX awards 330 days in advance.
As long as CX and JL don't make this same timing change I can still travel to Asia, my number one destination of choice. I'll try to use up my AA miles an 2 CX or JL F trips, empty the aadvantage account, then say sayonara to AA for good. Hello UA and partners where you can book your partner awards yourself online without having to call in.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 3:20 pm
  #116  
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Originally Posted by linglingfool
From an accounting standpoint, I don't see how a stealth devaluation on their own metal helps them. The miles still sit on their books as a liability, and if you make it impossible to redeem, they'll sit that way. Would seem to make sense to devalue them while still making it impossible to get them off the books.

On the other hand, maybe they figure everyone will still redeem and just pay up for YQ on JV partners, which benefits AA too.
Not SWUs though. They expire and the more that do, the happier AA will be.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 3:48 pm
  #117  
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Originally Posted by susiesan
Jon, since you seem to have some inside info, is this another way of saying "ding,ding, ding, we have a winner"?
.
Oh my god absolutely not
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 4:42 pm
  #118  
 
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Originally Posted by JonNYC
Oh my god absolutely not
So what did you mean by OK there ya go? Confused.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 5:20 pm
  #119  
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When EXPs were asked about the AAdvantage program we all asked that they keep allowing us to use the SWUS on any fare. We weren't smart enough to ask them to keep availability for us to use them.
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Old Nov 30, 2014, 5:40 pm
  #120  
 
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Plugged in 300k on the award map to go from ORD to anywhere in Europe next September and nothing available in J on up during the week I can travel. Getting real close to pulling the trigger on a cheap J fare on EI and telling AA to go to hell on requalifying next year. May find a CX flight to blow my miles on, instead.
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