Jan 1, 2015, 8:43 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
MODERATOR GUIDEPOST
This is the ARCHIVE through 2015 for older posts from the MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability - Help, Assistance & Discussion (consolidated) thread.
This wikipost can be edited by members with 90 days' tenure and 90 posts; wiki contents may be printed by using the
(lower right wiki corner).
Other useful resources include:
MileSAAver / SAAver award reduction / scarcity >= Aug 2011 onward (consolidated)
oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
Help with British Airways / BA surcharge / YQ (AA award on BA, consolidated)
UK APD / Air Passenger Duty charged for UK departures
This is the ARCHIVE through 2015 for older posts from the MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability - Help, Assistance & Discussion (consolidated) thread.
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
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
This wikipost can be edited by members with 90 days' tenure and 90 posts; wiki contents may be printed by using the
(lower right wiki corner).Other useful resources include:
MileSAAver / SAAver award reduction / scarcity >= Aug 2011 onward (consolidated)
oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
Help with British Airways / BA surcharge / YQ (AA award on BA, consolidated)
UK APD / Air Passenger Duty charged for UK departures
ARCHIVE: 2009-2015 MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability Help etc.
Feb 24, 2010, 2:04 pm
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: STL
Programs: AA 2MM, AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,966
You are way too late to be booking spring break tickets. You can get AAnytime awards or paid tickets, but no MileSAAvers. You could wait and see if MileSAAvers open up a day or two before flight, but you could get stranded in London that way.
Feb 24, 2010, 2:07 pm
#77
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: AA 1MM Gold, AS MVP Gold. Happily ex-1K, ex-Exec Plat, ex-DL Diamond for 5 years each
Posts: 628
I agree that this is tough because it's a school month. April is a surprisingly rough time to score SAAver availability. SFO is also a rough airport to score it from...
Is the hangup getting across the pond or getting to a gateway? I've recently found that F SAAver ability is often much better than J for longhaul. And yeah, BA might deserve a look-see.
Another option would be to book in Y now (if you can find MileSAAver) and then upgrade to J if availability comes through later on. Might be tough with 4 seats, but if TATL J loads stay as low as they've been, you should have a halfway decent shot of changing cabins when you get closer to flight time. AA typically waives the fee for this, though YMMV.
Is the hangup getting across the pond or getting to a gateway? I've recently found that F SAAver ability is often much better than J for longhaul. And yeah, BA might deserve a look-see.
Another option would be to book in Y now (if you can find MileSAAver) and then upgrade to J if availability comes through later on. Might be tough with 4 seats, but if TATL J loads stay as low as they've been, you should have a halfway decent shot of changing cabins when you get closer to flight time. AA typically waives the fee for this, though YMMV.
Feb 24, 2010, 2:09 pm
#78
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: AA 1MM Gold, AS MVP Gold. Happily ex-1K, ex-Exec Plat, ex-DL Diamond for 5 years each
Posts: 628
Not necessarily true. The SAAver award game is a strange one. And typical spring break season is March, not April. I just booked my spring break tickets last week. Premium classes, SAAver inventory.
(admittedly, not to LHR, but LHR availability usually quite good)
(admittedly, not to LHR, but LHR availability usually quite good)
Last edited by ldpeters; Feb 24, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Feb 24, 2010, 2:19 pm
#79
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Austin
Posts: 4,629
J class award seats to Europe have always been difficult. With the decrease in flights to London they are now very hard to get. The fact that you want 4 makes it impossible I'm afraid.
My suggestion is to look for coach class (which you may still not find this close), look to fly BA through Canada or give up.
Feb 24, 2010, 3:01 pm
#80
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Worth, TX; AA EXP, Starwood Gold, Hertz Five Star, Hilton Gold
Posts: 147
You could also try checking the availability of 1st class on those flights. It's only 25K more round trip and maybe you can find 2 Biz and 2 First. I have always found tickets in first easier to find.
Feb 24, 2010, 3:10 pm
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: STL
Programs: AA 2MM, AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,966
Spring break can vary in different parts of the country. When spring break occurs where the OP lives is more relevant to his ability to get SAAver tickets than when spring break occurs where you live.
Feb 24, 2010, 3:24 pm
#82
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 92
Due to a change in work plans, my family and I hope to travel to the UK for a week in April.
I have ~360k AA miles and could transfer another 125k from Starwood. Ideally, we would like to book 4 business class tickets from the Bay Area to London, departing 10April and returning 18April. The sAAver award is 100k round trip, but this award is harder to find than the proverbial unicorn. There is virtually no availability in either direction during the entire month of April, from any Bay Area airport to either LHR or LGW. The only option seems to be spending 80k/person for coach (60k out + 20k return) which seems on the high side.
Are there alternatives such as the All-Airline or OneWorld awards which might reasonably fit the bill? Note that none of the European OneWorld partners (except for BA, which sadly can't be used) fly non-stop from the Bay Area to Europe, so I think these would require multiple connections . . . but perhaps I am missing an option.
I have ~360k AA miles and could transfer another 125k from Starwood. Ideally, we would like to book 4 business class tickets from the Bay Area to London, departing 10April and returning 18April. The sAAver award is 100k round trip, but this award is harder to find than the proverbial unicorn. There is virtually no availability in either direction during the entire month of April, from any Bay Area airport to either LHR or LGW. The only option seems to be spending 80k/person for coach (60k out + 20k return) which seems on the high side.
Are there alternatives such as the All-Airline or OneWorld awards which might reasonably fit the bill? Note that none of the European OneWorld partners (except for BA, which sadly can't be used) fly non-stop from the Bay Area to Europe, so I think these would require multiple connections . . . but perhaps I am missing an option.
Feb 24, 2010, 3:40 pm
#83
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Premier Executive, Continental Platinum, SPG Gold, IHG Platinum, Velocity Gold, Alaskan MPV Gold.
Posts: 461
I just booked two 1st class tickets from DCA to EZE through MIA on Monday for the end of March. Lots of saver awards open. Might be because it's the end of summer down there. Not sure.
Feb 24, 2010, 11:19 pm
#84
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: AA 1MM Gold, AS MVP Gold. Happily ex-1K, ex-Exec Plat, ex-DL Diamond for 5 years each
Posts: 628
Looking now at actual inventory across the pond, J SAAver is worse than I've seen in since the Great Recession began. Either business travel is picking up, or AA schedule cuts have increased loads. I looked at very, very similar routes around this time last year for travel in April/May -- wide open. This year, not so much.
I'd jump on the BA tix noted in another post. Try to get yourself to YYZ, YVR, or YUL.
Feb 25, 2010, 1:20 am
#85
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SJC
Programs: AAdvantage 2MM+ Lifetime PLT; BA, CO, UA, US; SPG; HHonors Gold
Posts: 757
These dates fall within the UK school holidays, a peak period for family travel. As in the USA, each district sets its own dates, but checking one in London I see that Spring Term ends on 1 April, and Summer Term begins 19 April.
http://www.halftermdates.co.uk/index.html
http://www.halftermdates.co.uk/index.html
Feb 25, 2010, 2:59 am
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
That might be true, but for below college level students, spring break is normally the week before or the week after Easter. College spring breaks are often in March, but for younger students, it usually happens the week before or the week after Easter.
Mar 4, 2010, 9:26 am
#87
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SAT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton and Wyndham Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Delta Plat, United Silver, Hertz PC
Posts: 724
Additional MileSAAver Ever Open Up?
I was wondering if AA ever reopens MileSAAver awards for flights? The flight I am looking at has no MileSAAver even for EXP, however right now the flight is about 1/3 full (1185 DFW-PDX on 5/15). Is there ever a chance more MileSAAvers will open if this flight stays fairly empty?
On a side note, is there anyway to get EF to check expanded EXP award availability?
On a side note, is there anyway to get EF to check expanded EXP award availability?
Mar 4, 2010, 9:27 am
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,535
1. Yes it can happen.
2. No
Cheers.
2. No
Cheers.
Mar 4, 2010, 9:31 am
#89
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Oakland Park, FL
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM
Posts: 480
I was wondering if AA ever reopens MileSAAver awards for flights? The flight I am looking at has no MileSAAver even for EXP, however right now the flight is about 1/3 full (1185 DFW-PDX on 5/15). Is there ever a chance more MileSAAvers will open if this flight stays fairly empty?
On a side note, is there anyway to get EF to check expanded EXP award availability?
On a side note, is there anyway to get EF to check expanded EXP award availability?
Mar 4, 2010, 9:35 am
#90
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AA EXP, 1 MM, AC, HH Diamond, Marriott Silver, Hertz 5*
Posts: 4,010
brp has indeed provided the correct answers.
Also, a quick search (without the need for creating a new thread on topics that have already been covered many times) would have found:
MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability (consolidated)
Expanded MileSAAver award availability for EXP (merged)
Also, a quick search (without the need for creating a new thread on topics that have already been covered many times) would have found:
MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability (consolidated)
Expanded MileSAAver award availability for EXP (merged)