Jun 10, 2015, 4:39 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
Phantom Award Availability Issues with AA Partners
A number of members report "phantom" award availability using partners' websites to search for AAdvantage awards. BA may have the most reports, but that could be because it's used more than JL or QF. Try using other partner web sites, or one of the travel tools, ExpertFlyer (offers five day trial periods) or KVS.
See:
[b]oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
and
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance, discussion
A number of members report "phantom" award availability using partners' websites to search for AAdvantage awards. BA may have the most reports, but that could be because it's used more than JL or QF. Try using other partner web sites, or one of the travel tools, ExpertFlyer (offers five day trial periods) or KVS.
See:
[b]oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
and
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance, discussion
Phantom / false AA award availability with AA partners (master thd)
Oct 11, 2017, 6:28 pm
#182
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Chicago / Hong Kong
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador; Hyatt Globalist; AA EXP; UA 1K
Posts: 133
Another interesting thing about AY awards - when I search ORD-HEL availability it offers me ORD-SFO on AS and SFO-HEL on AY. Not to mention they are phantom, but is it even an allowed route in terms of MPM?
Oct 11, 2017, 7:52 pm
#183
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
Not QUITE true...I flew BACK from CDG via HEL and HKG with AY and QF a few weeks ago on an AA miles booking.... but sifting through the 98% of unbookable itineraries to find that ONE that worked was such a PITA....
Oct 29, 2017, 6:31 am
#184
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,745
AA.com shows different availability from AY.com. Most if not all availability that AA.com shows isn't really there.
So I'm thinking AY.com shows the right availability. I find the dates I want and then head back to the AA website to type in those dates that I saw available on AY.com. And no luck, it still doesn't work on AA.com.
So on top of the phantom availability issue, is award availability (U class) different depending on which airline's miles you want to book with?
Oct 31, 2017, 4:45 pm
#185
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, WOH Globalist
Posts: 1,160
Nov 5, 2017, 7:00 pm
#186
Original Member, Moderator: Hotel Deals and MilesBuzz
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 14,257
Nov 18, 2017, 4:31 pm
#187
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Everywhere
Programs: AA EXP - 3.7MM, Bonv LIFETIME Titan, HH Dmd, Hyatt Glob., Priority Clb Dmd, Ntnl Exec El., Sixt PLT
Posts: 1,680
2) Call AA. The agents should be able to see correct availability. At least ExecPlat desk did this for me in the past.
Dec 16, 2017, 10:40 am
#189
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 17
The problem is continuing. I have been trying to book AY biz from SFO to HEL for next August for the past month. I have called the AA help desk numerous times and have found them to be of no help. I am starting to think there is something intentional going on. For example, AA might be trying to make it look like there is more availability for booking with points when in fact there is not. I can't think of any other explanation. Otherwise, how difficult would it be for them to fix this problem which has persisted for over one year, and of which they have been informed many times? Have not tried the BA solution but I will do that. In general, I have not had much success using AA points for flights anywhere. I accumulated a large number of points a few years ago, and then relocated to Asia where I was flying SG and not trying to use AA points. Back in the U.S. now and trying to use my large bank of AA points/miles for biz class flights anywhere. Finally coughed up 220,000 points for flight to Buenos Aires, but could find no saver fares to anywhere in South America. Very disappointed that this large bank of AA points is starting to look worthless.
Feb 11, 2018, 7:07 am
#191
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AA LT PLT; HH Diamond; AS 75K
Posts: 2,878
Apr 18, 2018, 1:21 am
#192
Join Date: May 2009
Location: San Francisco area
Programs: AA Platinum, OneWorld Sapphire
Posts: 53
problem is still there
I saw WAW-HEL-SFO on AA website for last couple days, tried to book and kept getting message in green narrow bar above the flight choice:
"The flight you selected is no longer available. Please modify your request."
Called Customer Support, after half an hour pointless conversation including wild ideas ("system is being updated this is the reason") was directed to "Resolution department" to describe the problem, at that time I gave up.
Called Customer Support, after half an hour pointless conversation including wild ideas ("system is being updated this is the reason") was directed to "Resolution department" to describe the problem, at that time I gave up.
Jul 10, 2018, 9:29 am
#193
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 322
A lot of talk about phantom AY award space. I'm currently looking to book award space on Iberia - ExpertFlyer shows two awards available when searching IB, BA.com shows two seats available. AA.com and phone agents only see one. Does this have nothing to do with phantom space, but rather IB gives out more awards to its own members and BA members than it does to other OW partners like AA?
Dec 22, 2018, 3:49 pm
#194
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
I'm used to seeing phantom awards for AY on AA.com but today was the first time I saw some for BA. AA.com showed two F seats for BOS-LHR on 6/29/19 and when I went to book them they didn't exist. EF confirmed as such. Real pain and a waste of time, AA.
Jan 31, 2019, 5:56 am
#195
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,967
I see 0 seats when searching AY seats JFK-HEL, but of course AA.com shows it. I went to confirm, and it went through. Of course, there is that 24 hour for partner to process caveat, but if it goes through, that is interesting that EF didn't show it.