Dec 24, 2015, 2:08 pm
Last edit by: Mwenenzi
American Begins LAX - AKL / Auckland, New Zealand 788 Flights 23 June 2016
No flights 5 August 2017 and 5 October 2017 Refer to post 230 link.
American’s Los Angeles to Auckland flight will be suspended from August to October, and will then be upgraded from a 787-8 to a 787-9
Departs LAX at 10:45 p.m.
Arrives at AKL at 6:35 a.m., two days later
AKL-LAX
Departs AKL at 1:20 p.m.
Arrives at LAX at 6:20 a.m., same day
Enhanced service includes mattress pads, pajamas and new meals items in Business Class.
If tonight's sampling at the launch event was an accurate preview, then here's the menu they provided for LAX-AKL:
Canape:
Salmon Caviar Tartlet
Main Plates:
Grilled Beef Filet, balsamic butter, twice baked potato, baby squash
Eggplant Lasagne, pomodoro sauce
Pesto Grilled Shrimp
Dessert:
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (Cherry Garcia, Chocolate Brownie, Strawberry Cheesecake)
Mid-Flight Snack:
Angus Beef Slider
White Wine:
Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc, North Canterbury, NZ
Red Wine:
Opawa Pinot Noir, Marlborough, NZ
Canape:
Salmon Caviar Tartlet
Main Plates:
Grilled Beef Filet, balsamic butter, twice baked potato, baby squash
Eggplant Lasagne, pomodoro sauce
Pesto Grilled Shrimp
Dessert:
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (Cherry Garcia, Chocolate Brownie, Strawberry Cheesecake)
Mid-Flight Snack:
Angus Beef Slider
White Wine:
Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc, North Canterbury, NZ
Red Wine:
Opawa Pinot Noir, Marlborough, NZ
Nov. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- American Airlines will add new nonstop service between its trans-Pacific gateway hub at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Auckland Airport (AKL) in June 2016, pending regulatory approvals. The route to Auckland provides American's customers direct access to a new destination and further strengthens the airline's joint business with Qantas Airways. American has added six new trans-Pacific routes over the last three years, nearly doubling its presence in the region...
...American plans to operate its new daily service between LAX and AKL with the newest addition to its fleet, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The Dreamliner features a state-of-the-art onboard travel experience including international Wi-Fi, as well as higher humidity and pressurization closer to sea level conditions, leaving customers more refreshed after their flight. Every seat has a touchscreen monitor equipped with up to 260 movies, 240 TV shows, 13 radio channels, 350 albums and 20 games, along with universal AC power outlets and a USB connection. The aircraft is configured with 28 fully lie-flat Business Class seats, each with direct-aisle access. There are an additional 55 Main Cabin Extra seats with extra legroom, and 143 Main Cabin seats. Link
...American plans to operate its new daily service between LAX and AKL with the newest addition to its fleet, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The Dreamliner features a state-of-the-art onboard travel experience including international Wi-Fi, as well as higher humidity and pressurization closer to sea level conditions, leaving customers more refreshed after their flight. Every seat has a touchscreen monitor equipped with up to 260 movies, 240 TV shows, 13 radio channels, 350 albums and 20 games, along with universal AC power outlets and a USB connection. The aircraft is configured with 28 fully lie-flat Business Class seats, each with direct-aisle access. There are an additional 55 Main Cabin Extra seats with extra legroom, and 143 Main Cabin seats. Link
Link to Australian Business Traveller article.
AA: service to Auckland, N. Z. / LAX-AKL as of 23 Jun 2016 (master thd)
Aug 30, 2016, 7:20 am
#137
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: BOS
Posts: 101
Oysterhead demanded and I'll try to comply!
Bought O tix to Auckland for next month. Have put in for upgrade via miles for myself and my partner. There is currently no availability but there's only 6 seats filled in biz heading down and back. Will we get our upgrade? Stay tuned!
If anyone out there has info as to when AA has been releasing biz class seats for upgrade on this route I'm dying to know!
Bought O tix to Auckland for next month. Have put in for upgrade via miles for myself and my partner. There is currently no availability but there's only 6 seats filled in biz heading down and back. Will we get our upgrade? Stay tuned!
If anyone out there has info as to when AA has been releasing biz class seats for upgrade on this route I'm dying to know!
Aug 30, 2016, 4:27 pm
#138
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SFO/OAK
Programs: AA EXP 3.4MM, BAEC, UAMP, Skyteam (<10k) HH Gold, IHG Plat, Hertz Gold, GE/TSA TT
Posts: 2,723
Oysterhead demanded and I'll try to comply!
Bought O tix to Auckland for next month. Have put in for upgrade via miles for myself and my partner. There is currently no availability but there's only 6 seats filled in biz heading down and back. Will we get our upgrade? Stay tuned!
If anyone out there has info as to when AA has been releasing biz class seats for upgrade on this route I'm dying to know!
Bought O tix to Auckland for next month. Have put in for upgrade via miles for myself and my partner. There is currently no availability but there's only 6 seats filled in biz heading down and back. Will we get our upgrade? Stay tuned!
If anyone out there has info as to when AA has been releasing biz class seats for upgrade on this route I'm dying to know!
Today I saw this for AA83 for the following days:
8/31 J6 U0 C0
9/1 J7 U0 C1
9/2 J7 U0 C0
9/3 J7 U0 C0
so not many releases this week, but still, lots of J seats available for upgrades.
AA82 very similar.
Aug 30, 2016, 5:26 pm
#139
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Australia / USA
Programs: AS 100K, UA 1K, VA Platinum, HA Platinum, QF Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 414
I've been following AA83/82 for quite some time on EF, and AA had been releasing quite a bit of both U and C inventory 1-3 days before departure. But just this week, it seems to have changed ...
Today I saw this for AA83 for the following days:
8/31 J6 U0 C0
9/1 J7 U0 C1
9/2 J7 U0 C0
9/3 J7 U0 C0
so not many releases this week, but still, lots of J seats available for upgrades.
AA82 very similar.
Today I saw this for AA83 for the following days:
8/31 J6 U0 C0
9/1 J7 U0 C1
9/2 J7 U0 C0
9/3 J7 U0 C0
so not many releases this week, but still, lots of J seats available for upgrades.
AA82 very similar.
Aug 31, 2016, 9:03 pm
#141
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Australia / USA
Programs: AS 100K, UA 1K, VA Platinum, HA Platinum, QF Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 414
Fingers crossed! But I think you have great chances of clearing even with no status! When it gets closer like three days before, keep checking your ticket on the computer and if an error message shows up at the top of the flight details, it means you've cleared but your ticket hasn't been exchanged. A quick phone call can have them do it right on the phone but even if you don't call, your spot in business is confirmed and it's just a matter of time to finalize!
Sep 1, 2016, 6:31 am
#142
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,974
Sep 1, 2016, 7:58 am
#143
Moderator, Amtrak & Spirit Airlines
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: EWR :rolleyes:
Programs: AC 50K, AS MVP, AA Plat Pro, DL Plat, UA Silver, IHG Spire, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 9,630
Sep 1, 2016, 10:21 am
#144
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SFO/OAK
Programs: AA EXP 3.4MM, BAEC, UAMP, Skyteam (<10k) HH Gold, IHG Plat, Hertz Gold, GE/TSA TT
Posts: 2,723
Just because EF isn't showing a lot of inventory in the days prior to the flight doesn't mean upgrades aren't processing. I cleared the waitlist on these flights roughly 3 days before each of the flights and there was no EF alert or C inventory showing until the day before on the outbound and nothing at all on the return. Same situation happened to me on the LAX-SYD route last month where I cleared the waitlist days before. Not once did inventory show up for the flight even though there were still empty seats until the non-revs took them. Thats why I do believe waitlist clearing does work more often than not and Im glad when it works because I like to clear according to my status and timestamp than be leap frogged by someone with no status and just a EF subscription.
However, I was trying to show a recent change in short term U&C availability. I want to travel to AKL in Jan or Feb. 2017, but so far have never seen inventory that far out, and I've been looking since March. It's been encouraging that there has virtually always been inventory available 0-3 days ahead of departure, and very low econ fares, so I've been waiting to buy tickets under the assumption that the previous trend will continue. A bit risky I know.
Sep 1, 2016, 10:22 am
#145
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SFO/OAK
Programs: AA EXP 3.4MM, BAEC, UAMP, Skyteam (<10k) HH Gold, IHG Plat, Hertz Gold, GE/TSA TT
Posts: 2,723
Sep 1, 2016, 10:29 am
#146
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison WI
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT - 2.9MM, Lifetime AC, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Hertz Precs Crcl
Posts: 2,213
SWU's earned in 2016 (4, not 8) for the 2017 membership year (as many have already) do not expire until Feb 2018 (or perhaps Jan to correspond with the change in status expiration in 2018 and beyond.) Also, it has been reported that [members with] Helix ratings of 4 and 5 are able to use their SWUs for flights past their expiration date as long as booked before.
Last edited by Madison Guy; Sep 1, 2016 at 1:16 pm Reason: Changed wording per JonNYC's suggestion! :-)
Sep 1, 2016, 12:27 pm
#147
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
I think it would be more accurate to say "It has been reported that [members with] Helix ratings of 4 and 5 are able to use their SWUs for flights past their expiration date as long as booked before"
Sep 1, 2016, 1:17 pm
#148
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison WI
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT - 2.9MM, Lifetime AC, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Hertz Precs Crcl
Posts: 2,213
Sep 1, 2016, 1:18 pm
#149
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Australia / USA
Programs: AS 100K, UA 1K, VA Platinum, HA Platinum, QF Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 414
I agree with you wanderlust4life ... and most of my past SWU upgrades have been confirmed from waitlist, not at booking.
However, I was trying to show a recent change in short term U&C availability. I want to travel to AKL in Jan or Feb. 2017, but so far have never seen inventory that far out, and I've been looking since March. It's been encouraging that there has virtually always been inventory available 0-3 days ahead of departure, and very low econ fares, so I've been waiting to buy tickets under the assumption that the previous trend will continue. A bit risky I know.
However, I was trying to show a recent change in short term U&C availability. I want to travel to AKL in Jan or Feb. 2017, but so far have never seen inventory that far out, and I've been looking since March. It's been encouraging that there has virtually always been inventory available 0-3 days ahead of departure, and very low econ fares, so I've been waiting to buy tickets under the assumption that the previous trend will continue. A bit risky I know.
There ARE days with heavier loads as well as higher fares and those tend to be Friday-Saturday-Sunday with lower fares on Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday. Keep in mind those days are priced competitively with other airlines and may vary and fluctuate dynamically.
BEST DAYS
SYD-LAX departing Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday (arrival same day)
LAX-SYD departing Sunday-Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday (arrival 2 days later)
Considering those that have to work on weekdays/school days
Avoid weekends on SYD-LAX
Avoid Thursday-Friday-Saturday on LAX-SYD
It may be easier to follow the school holiday periods for the American summer than working around the Australian winter holiday periods. You can easily search and find information on when school holidays are as they vary by state in Australia and can have a considerable impact on fares and flight loads. The Australian/NZ school holidays during summer are the worst as they fall on the Xmas/New Year period and hence why its the most chaotic travel period of the year.
You are trying to book flights during the NZ summer especially towards the end of school holidays so you should definitely look up the school dates as that has a huge impact on flights going back to NZ from the USA. Flights tend to get quite light right after the NZ summer holidays end and then get busy again around Easter and American spring break periods.
Most kiwis prefer Air NZ for more flexibility and destinations as well as great connections onto United in the US. This could work to your advantage where the majority of people flying on the AA NZ flights are Americans or QF/oneworld flyers (Aussies) connecting onwards to Australia.
Last edited by wanderlust4life; Sep 1, 2016 at 1:25 pm
Sep 1, 2016, 1:59 pm
#150
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: DFW
Programs: AA CK, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Globalist
Posts: 11
Question to follow the thread on likelihood of upgrade. Purchased tickets February for travel November 16. Called and requested SWU immediately upon booking the trip so the SWU have 6 months of dust on them. Curious to know based on recent experiences probability of success
Thanks
Thanks