nocigar

Looking to fly RT IAH > LHR for 75th of D-Day (eurostar into France). All of the award flights I'm seeing are routing through BA flights across the pond. Of course this means 600-800 in "fees".

Looking at flying Business Class Saver @ 57,5K each way but can't find any AA metal to get to LHR on unless I go Anytime. Any chance these can change in the near future?

Thanks!

enviroian

Not likely, no.

Dallas49er

Until life is found on another planet, LHR is one of my least favourite airports in the universe. Rapacious faux fuel charges (on awards), terminal changes, jumped up jobsworthy's who make TSA look like the Four Seasons, etc.

Unless you absolutely, positively HAVE to be in the UK, may I gently suggest that, since you appear to be unafraid of rail, look for other European points to fly into, and train to Paris. Thalys from Brussels is just as good as Eurostar, and and TGV is quite fine anytime. On our only AA DFW-CDG-DFW of 2019 (in August for a wedding), MrsDallas49er and I are flying into BRU, Thalys to Paris and 2 weeks later, train to MAD and MAD-DFW. (Routing to use almost worthless SWU's)

As an aside, a friend and I just spent 10 days doing D-day in Normandy, in August. PM me if you would like some helpful hints on Normandy, D-Day must sees, how much time to spend where, etc.

fotographer

Isnt it amazing, that with AA have quite a lot of flights to LHR and many cities, you will never find a saver award in business , but you
will always find it on BA..
sorry its always been the problem. suggestion you try airports in Europe and take a train.

3Cforme

Given a choice between AA awards (no fees) and BA awards (fees), the 100+ million AAdvantage members will almost always take AA metal. That's the basis behind the OP seeing no AA but some (lots?) of BA.

Set ExpertFlyer alerts for AA flights to LHR if flying into Paris or Brussels doesn't appeal.

enviroian

Exactly . I don't even consider BA's availability as a reward, period. It's a miles + $$ ticket. There is nothing "reward" about it whatsoever.

pauleeepaul

Maybe it is Stockholm syndrome but I have come to view the BA fees/fines/etc as the price of near surety for premium class award availability TATL.

bchandler02

Expert Flyer is your friend. I've had decent luck getting AA saver awards to LHR the last 2 years but they come and go quick. In my last trip in October, some availability opened up the week before. My tickets were booked in January and March, so it seems like it's either WAY in advance, or last minute.

Flexibility on dates helps too. I usually set alerts from the AA hubs DFW/LAX/CLT/ORD-LHR and let that search out, and then worry about your IAH-HUB flight later.

Mwenenzi

Very unlikely. More demand than award capacity. As above consider another city. Fixed dates, departure city & destination restrict your options a lot.

BA IB.----> Help avoid YQ Surcharge: AA award on BA / British (& Iberia) (master thread)

HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance

AA oneworld & Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (master thd)

normcpa

I agree with other posters. Probably no more than a few dozen (if that many) AA Savers to LHR in a year! Last month my wife and I flew two seats AA81 Business Saver (77W LHR to DFW) and F DFW to SAN. I purchased the tickets close to a year in advance and was so surprised to find the flight that I stayed an extra two days in Malta just to be able to revel in the find. [Never saw anything close, checking very often throughout the year.}

By the way, I was born on the day after D-Day, June 7, 1944 and my name is Norman (believe it or not, just a coincidence).

mvoight

Maybe that is why they named you Norman

nocigar

I had BRU or LUX in mind but was really wanting to do a couple of days in London to sight see. LUX is attractive as it would be closer to Bastogne/Foy.

I will PM you this evening sir. Thanks!

About Expert Flyer....

1) I would theoretically watch for flights from the HUBs to LHR (all possible flight no.s) for the fare that is basically a business class saaver?

2) How do I locate this fare class? I know I had seen it somewhere but can't recall it.

Thanks for the help!

bchandler02

Yes, set up an alert for each XXX-LHR flight by flight #. It will give you the fare class in EF when you log in, just check the one for biz saver.

nocigar

Thanks a bunch!

flyerCO

Don't forget PHL/MIA/RDU-LHR.