uxb

Jason Tsongas

In your neighbors pool.

jrpallante

I have miles on all the major alliances, and I routinely make travel plans for 20+ family members and friends. IMHO, I find AA miles the most difficult to use, at least for international travel, which is the only time I use miles. They have clearly designed algorithms to ensure that you will not get a decent itinerary on a Saver award. For example, I recently searched for a Business Class award flight from DEN to LHR. The routing they offered at Saver levels was DEN-MIA-DFW-LHR. Aside from the ridiculous backtracking from MIA-DFW, the total travel time was 35+ hours. So I thought maybe I would just buy a cash ticket to DFW, and then take the direct leg from DFW-LHR. Unfortunately, if I start in DFW, that direct flight is not available. Instead, my best option becomes DFW-MIA-PHL-LHR, totaling 30+ hours. Once again, I tried for just the PHL-LHR direct flight, but that is not available. I understand the concept of capacity controls, and I do not expect Saver awards to be available on every flight; however, if I want to fly 5,000 miles, I really do not understand why AA prefers to put me on 3-4 flights totaling 12,000 miles. They are utilizing a far greater capacity, and they are not making the customer particularly happy. The greater irony is that I am a regular volunteer on oversold flights. In many cases, I will book the crappy itineraries, but invariably at least one flight is oversold, and they will re-book me on a better itinerary, along with a few bucks in my pocket.

FWIW, I find Star Alliance the best for finding award travel, largely because they have the broadest geographic coverage. From the United site, you can access almost all Star Alliance partners, and there is some reasonable predictability regarding the mileage requirements (unlike Sky Team). It used to be that if you could find Star Alliance award availability on individual legs, you could call them up and they would piece it together into a single itinerary for the one-way price. Unfortunately, they seem to be chasing AA into the abyss, to the extent that it is virtually impossible to find first class seats for the domestic portion of an international itinerary. If you do not live in a coastal gateway city, you can expect your domestic legs to be priced separately.

beyond

AA doesn't have any predictable pattern I've seen about when they'll open up inventory, except perhaps within a couple of days of departure for international [it's the opposite on domestic]. They also have the most partners not viewable at aa.com, a shameful, ridiculous scenario all these years later.

In addition, they claim for EP's to have improved availability - but I've never seen it, and EP agents say that's not so even when you call in. Unlike UA, which gives better inventory on nearly all UA flights for status/credit card holders. As well as having more of a chance of opening up inventory closer to departure. And partner airlines like LH/OS/LX have a lot of space turn up a few days before departure.

If you don't get saver on AA, then the "anytime" varies wildly, and even by time of day, and especially from captive hubs like CLT. Miles on all airlines are more a PR tease than a real reward for having earned them - an endless "Sale!" sign in the window luring us in under the guise we'll find something of value. For those that have the "I'll go anywhere, I don't care!" of course you'll find the occasional oddity that strikes a value cord. But those are very few and very far between.

travelinmanS

jlsw7

I find that there is often TATL availability using AA miles, but the flights are on BA metal. That generally means an inferior product and a cash component. The cash component is often about the same as buying a coach ticket. I think, if you want to avoid feeling frustrated and miserable, that is how one needs to look at TATL J redemptions these days - you pay a coach fare, but use the miles to travel in business. Sometimes there will be a better way to achieve the same result. That is basically the same approach many people happily take towards the BA avios scheme.

Of course it isn't as good as it was 10 years ago when AA was losing millions and couldn't fill the premium cabins with paying customers. But, there is still value to be had from AA miles, especially if they have been acquired for free by doing what you would have been doing anyway. Even more so if you have been doing what you would have been doing anyway at someone else's expense.

CALlegacy

[QUOTE=jrpallante;30151527. They have clearly designed algorithms to ensure that you will not get a decent itinerary on a Saver award. For example, I recently searched for a Business Class award flight from DEN to LHR. The routing they offered at Saver levels was DEN-MIA-DFW-LHR. Aside from the ridiculous backtracking from MIA-DFW, the total travel time was 35+ hours. So I thought maybe I would just buy a cash ticket to DFW, and then take the direct leg from DFW-LHR. Unfortunately, if I start in DFW, that direct flight is not available. Instead, my best option becomes DFW-MIA-PHL-LHR, totaling 30+ hours. Once again, I tried for just the PHL-LHR direct flight, but that is not available. I understand the concept of capacity controls, and I do not expect Saver awards to be available on every flight; however, if I want to fly 5,000 miles, I really do not understand why AA prefers to put me on 3-4 flights totaling 12,000 miles. They are utilizing a far greater capacity, and they are not making the customer particularly happy. The greater irony is that I am a regular volunteer on oversold flights. In many cases, I will book the crappy itineraries, but invariably at least one flight is oversold, and they will re-book me on a better itinerary, along with a few bucks in my pocket.
[/QUOTE]

I don't understand this either other than an almost silly way to discourage redemption of miles. But if they don't want to make the flights to LHR available why not just take them out of award inventory period. I quoted earlier similar shenanigans with routings from SFO or LAX to SYD. No matter which city you start in they route you through the other one to get there. So what purpose does that really serve? Of course if you use an AAnytime award you can get the good routing, but again, if they don't want to sell the flight as a saver, why not just pull the inventory.

xliioper

Well, low-level awards for D1 on Delta between SEA and HKG are currently 50K each-way until the route ends on Oct 2 and are pretty readily available (perhaps that's why the route is ending ). More seriously, low-level D1 awards between Asia and States on DL metal are currently 100K each way (partners are actually cheaper at 85K). Not saying they are easy to find, but there is some availability out there.

kapooncha

I can confirm that the above is true. Have seen it all the damn time!

enviroian

Absolutely. With Parker's former side kick running things over there now they are headed on the same dismal path.

fotographer

actually in my own pool, and currently am fishing for all the leaves

no1cub17

Uh ... United? They're a crap airline but their miles are literally 1 million times easier to use. Even at 90k miles for SE Asia as opposed to 70k AA. I'd rather be able to use 90k miles than not use 70k. Not that AA miles aren't ever useful - they can be - but it's just so much harder. Not that I didn't apply for another citi card because why not! I guess I'm a glutton for punishment.

kapooncha

Singapore Airlines is even easier to use and with a much, much, much, much better product than United. Plus it's less than 90k miles to get to SE Asia.

rabbott

QFT. My experience as well!

no1cub17

Great point. Plus Chase and SPG (RIP) transfer partner!