Award reduction? No AA LHR SAAver award flights less than 13 days out?
 

For the last week I've noticed that AA SAAver award seats from TUL to LHR are only available more than 13 days out. For example, today (10/1) the first seats are 10/14. Yesterday 10/13 was available, and the day before that 10/12 was available. I've seen this pattern for the last 8 days.

This appears to be an undocumented reduction in international award travel to UK (at least). In past years I've had no problem in the fall getting AA SAAver award flights through LHR even the same day as departure.

I discovered this because I first search for TUL-KBP which shows if the BA flight to KBP is available. Since BA TATL travel has taxes and fees of about $250 per OW ticket rather than $50 for AA, I then search for AA only TUL-LHR.

Has any one noticed this? Or for anyone have an explanation? I've got GOLD status. Do PLAT or EXP have better availability?

I'm shocked you found any Saver availability at all :)

No

Very weird and good observation. In spite of the constant moaning on here, sAAver economy to Europe is typically wide open from Sep to May, especially if you book short notice. I checked a few destinations from RDU and see the same thing, nothing in sAAver Y within 2 weeks, then wide open.

Ironically sAAver J has availability within 2 weeks, which leads me to (hopefully) believe this is some sort of glitch.

Is it any different if you don't select TUL as the starting point?
I would simply select Milesaver Business as that IS AVAILABLE :)

Very odd indeed. I've got alerts set on EF for a LHR-LAX mile saver return in J or F in late October and I was shocked to see that there wasn't even Y inventory until Oct. 23rd when I ran a scan for dates between Oct. 18th and Oct. 24th. Let's hope it's a glitch because if this is a change in availability it's a pretty radical one.

That patterns makes it seem like a plan, not a glitch. Do you ask an AAgent?

Saver Award availability is a joke!

It's not a general rule. Saver seats are available for travel in less than 14 days from ORD, MIA (Business), JFK...

Um, yes, EXP's do.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...s-benefits.jsp

Nope. Total BS benefit. I’ve called before to “access this benefit” and it’s nothing.

I've literally never seen an EXP ever claim to have found any extra award availability through this "benefit". (Some people do say they've seen expanded upgrade availability in the past, but haven't even seen positive reports of this for years.) It's a complete lie as far as I can tell.

Saver is AA's version of the original FFP, E.g., AA gave away "free tickets" which it would not likely sell.

Needless to say, that is not the program today. But, it is the essence of Saver. If there is no Saver availability, it is because AA believes that it can sell the space for more (cash or redemption). No different than cash prices.

However, with the economy on screech, look to less Saver avail. as a general matter going forward. May mean you need more flexibility as to dates, destinations, and schedules.