Jan 6, 2019, 2:14 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
ARCHIVE: 2017 HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability - Help, Assistance & Discussion
The current thread can be read here.
The current thread can be read here.
Some of you might have found your thread merged into this "consolidated" thread. If your desire is to become thoroughly familiar with the knowledge that has been accumulated about the process for acquiring MileSAAver awards feel free to read this entire thread. If you only want the assistance from those who have the knowledge your request has been merged at the end. Feel free to wait for a forthcoming answer.
If you have reached this thread by using the search process you have the same choices as above. Read the thread and become knowledgeable or post at the end and wait for a forthcoming answer.
thanks
~magic111
If you have reached this thread by using the search process you have the same choices as above. Read the thread and become knowledgeable or post at the end and wait for a forthcoming answer.
thanks
~magic111
NOTE: for more detailed fare rules, see AA oneworld & Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (master thd)
Awards can generally be held for five days; five day extensions require continued availability of your flights and generating a new award booking and five day hold.
Though AA can start releasing awards 331 days from the desired flight date (even though some other airlines might make award seats available to their members 355 days out), it’s very likely award seats may be released a few days after that. If seats aren’t sold and Revenue Management algorithms signify slow sales, more seats might be released going forward.
Airlines that can be booked for award travel on aa.com
oneworld alliance airline partners other airline partners
oneworld alliance airline partners
- AA - American Airlines
- BA - British Airways (awards incur significant YQ surcharge)
- AY - Finnair
- IB - Iberia
- QF - Qantas
- QR - Qatar Airways
- RJ - Royal Jordanian Airlines
- S7 - S7 Airlines
- UL - Sri Lankan Airlines
- 9K - Cape Air (but only certain cities)
- TN - Air Tahiti Nui
- AS - Alaska Airlines
- EY - Etihad
- HA - Hawaiian Airlines
All others must be requested by telephone; see Note below.
NOTE: To search for partner awards, go to advanced search from the awards search or home page and select all airlines.
Full list of oneworld airline partners (and their affiliates)
- AA - American Airlines
- BA - British Airways (Cityflyer, Comair, OpenSkies, Sun-Air of Scandinavia)
- CX - Cathay Pacific (Dragonair)
- AY -Finnair (Flybe)
- IB - Iberia (Air Nostrum, Iberia Express)
- JL - Japan Airlines (JAL Express, J-Air, Japan Transocean Air)
- LA- LAN Airlines (LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador, LAN Express, LAN Colombia, LAN Peru only, merging with JJ to LATAM)
- MH - Malaysia Airlines
- QF - Qantas Airways (QantasLink, Jetconnect)
- QR - Qatar Airways
- RJ - Royal Jordanian Airlines
- S7 - S7 Airlines (Globus) (excludes Siberia / far eastern Russia awards)
- UL - SriLankan Airlines
- JJ - TAM Airlines (merging with LA to LATAM)
When you do call, you might want to search for award space on the flights you want and tell the agent about those flights; sometimes AA agents won't find award seats unless they search by segment.
When using other airline web sites or tools to search for award availability, it’s best to do so by segment rather than by trip. E. g. BA May show availability SAN-LHR and LHR-AMS, but not SAN-AMS. And in some instances (EY, FJ, etc.) AA US may not see availability that AA Australia or New Zealand might see.
Full list of additional airline partners offering award redemptions
- TN - Air Tahiti Nui
- AS - Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air
- 9K - Cape Air
- EY - Etihad Airways
- FJ - Fiji Airways
- GF - Gulf Air
- HA - Hawaiian Airlines
NOTE: Ticketing charge
Effective February 16, 2015, a Reservations Ticketing Service Charge of $30.00 for domestic itineraries and $40.00 for international itineraries will be applied by AA Reservations when ticketing award reservations that can be booked on aa.com. The charge is waived for award reservations that cannot be booked on aa.com including reduced mileage awards, and for Executive Platinums. N.B. Executive Platinums booking award for non-EP will pay the service charges.
Code:
oneworld Partners Award Fare Codes First-Business-Economy -------------------------------------------------------- AA - American Airlines Z U T -------------------------------------------------------- AY – Finnair U X -------------------------------------------------------- BA – British Airways Z U X -------------------------------------------------------- CX – Cathay Pacific Z U T KA - DragonAir -------------------------------------------------------- IB – Iberia U X -------------------------------------------------------- JL – Japan Airlines (Intl) Z U T JL – Japan Airlines (Dom) Z D S -------------------------------------------------------- LATAM Group JJ - TAM Airlines O I X LA – LAN Chile Z U T XL - LAN Ecuador LP - LAN Peru 4M - LAN Argentina -------------------------------------------------------- MH - Malaysia Airlines P U X -------------------------------------------------------- QF - QANTAS Airways P U X -------------------------------------------------------- QR - Qatar Airways Z U X -------------------------------------------------------- RJ – Royal Jordanian U X -------------------------------------------------------- S7 – S7 Airlines U E -------------------------------------------------------- UL - SriLankan Airlines -------------------------------------------------------- Other Partners First Business Economy -------------------------------------------------------- FJ – Fiji Airways U X -------------------------------------------------------- TN – Air Tahiti Nui F for Business U for Economy -------------------------------------------------------- AS – Alaska Airlines A W -------------------------------------------------------- LY – El Al Israel P X E -------------------------------------------------------- EY - Etihad O I N -------------------------------------------------------- HA – Hawaiian Airlines D T --------------------------------------------------------
Other rules that may affect your awards:
Award Rules
American Airlines Awards are valid for travel on flights that are marketed and operated by AA (no codeshares). These awards can be booked online at AA.com.
oneworld and Other Airline awards are valid for travel on AA and any of its partner airlines, and can include travel on multiple partners. Many of these awards must be booked over the phone, and will not incur a Ticketing Service Charge (waived for EXPs in any case) if they cannot be booked online.
Up to four one-way awards can be booked on a single PNR. Codeshares are not bookable as Awards.
MPM or Maximum Permitted Miles: A Fare or award may not exceed the most direct routing by more than 25% (unless the fare routing includes a ticketed point deduction (essentially a miles allowance that extends MPM). See MPM / Maximum Permitted Mileage & Ticketed Point Deductions (merged threads).
Stopovers and Connections
Stopovers are no longer allowed on AA awards. Stopovers will require multiple awards.
Connections are limited to two connections / three flight segments for domestic awards, and three connections / four flight segments for international awards as of Aug 2017. Link
Domestic Connections must be under 4 hours for domestic flights, with some exceptions: "LIFO" (Last In - First Out connections are generally allowed.
Hawaii itinerary: Effective on 14 Jul 2014 on an all-AA-metal award itinerary, you now have up to 18 hours to connect when traveling to/from Hawaii. NOTE: Hawaii interisland connections must be separate awards and can not be included as part of a mainland-island award.
International Connections must generally not exceed 23:59 hours. Some leeway has occasionally been granted when connecting flights are not daily. If the itinerary includes an international flight, the rules for international connections apply. Link to these courtesy of JonNYC.
If there is a non-stop flight that departs after the 4h / 23h59m windows and arrives at the destination earlier than a connecting flight within the 4h / 23h59m window, the passenger may be booked on the non-stop flight. It may be difficult getting some agents to book this.
"Most Significant Carrier" rule: To price as a single award, AAdvantage requires the most significant carrier to publish a cash fare (non-constructed) between the origin and destination. Airline MSC (e.g. DFW-SFO-HKG-BKK, CX SFO-HKG is the prevailing or most significant carrier) would have to have a published fare from XXX to YYY that allows travel on all included airlines, and routing that you want. If the MSC only offers constructed fares between your desired origin and destination, AA will price this as two awards.
Constructed fares: Another rule disallows awards where the fare must be constructed (also referred to as "YY"): Using a partner, the trip will require two awards if the governing carrier (e,g. airline operating on the major route, such as transpacific carrier) doesn't publish a through fare that includes the award's proposed origin and destination that allows the carriers proposed.
See this thread about examples using TN.
Married Segment Logic - a prospective trip may be available when searching segment by segment, yet not be bookable through from origin to destination. When selling seats for through flights and the desired inventory is not available, you cannot opt to sell the flight point-to-point. If sold point-to-point, the error response MULTIPLE SEGMENTS FOR SAME FLIGHT - SELL AS ONE SEGMENT will be received, indicating this booking is not allowed. Overriding the error check by ending the PNR twice is not acceptable.
See Award with available segments not bookable? (Married Segment issues)
Award Rules
American Airlines Awards are valid for travel on flights that are marketed and operated by AA (no codeshares). These awards can be booked online at AA.com.
oneworld and Other Airline awards are valid for travel on AA and any of its partner airlines, and can include travel on multiple partners. Many of these awards must be booked over the phone, and will not incur a Ticketing Service Charge (waived for EXPs in any case) if they cannot be booked online.
Up to four one-way awards can be booked on a single PNR. Codeshares are not bookable as Awards.
MPM or Maximum Permitted Miles: A Fare or award may not exceed the most direct routing by more than 25% (unless the fare routing includes a ticketed point deduction (essentially a miles allowance that extends MPM). See MPM / Maximum Permitted Mileage & Ticketed Point Deductions (merged threads).
Stopovers and Connections
Stopovers are no longer allowed on AA awards. Stopovers will require multiple awards.
Connections are limited to two connections / three flight segments for domestic awards, and three connections / four flight segments for international awards as of Aug 2017. Link
Domestic Connections must be under 4 hours for domestic flights, with some exceptions: "LIFO" (Last In - First Out connections are generally allowed.
Hawaii itinerary: Effective on 14 Jul 2014 on an all-AA-metal award itinerary, you now have up to 18 hours to connect when traveling to/from Hawaii. NOTE: Hawaii interisland connections must be separate awards and can not be included as part of a mainland-island award.
International Connections must generally not exceed 23:59 hours. Some leeway has occasionally been granted when connecting flights are not daily. If the itinerary includes an international flight, the rules for international connections apply. Link to these courtesy of JonNYC.
If there is a non-stop flight that departs after the 4h / 23h59m windows and arrives at the destination earlier than a connecting flight within the 4h / 23h59m window, the passenger may be booked on the non-stop flight. It may be difficult getting some agents to book this.
"Most Significant Carrier" rule: To price as a single award, AAdvantage requires the most significant carrier to publish a cash fare (non-constructed) between the origin and destination. Airline MSC (e.g. DFW-SFO-HKG-BKK, CX SFO-HKG is the prevailing or most significant carrier) would have to have a published fare from XXX to YYY that allows travel on all included airlines, and routing that you want. If the MSC only offers constructed fares between your desired origin and destination, AA will price this as two awards.
Constructed fares: Another rule disallows awards where the fare must be constructed (also referred to as "YY"): Using a partner, the trip will require two awards if the governing carrier (e,g. airline operating on the major route, such as transpacific carrier) doesn't publish a through fare that includes the award's proposed origin and destination that allows the carriers proposed.
See this thread about examples using TN.
Married Segment Logic - a prospective trip may be available when searching segment by segment, yet not be bookable through from origin to destination. When selling seats for through flights and the desired inventory is not available, you cannot opt to sell the flight point-to-point. If sold point-to-point, the error response MULTIPLE SEGMENTS FOR SAME FLIGHT - SELL AS ONE SEGMENT will be received, indicating this booking is not allowed. Overriding the error check by ending the PNR twice is not acceptable.
See Award with available segments not bookable? (Married Segment issues)
Resources
Some airlines or areas have different, extra or special characteristics for securing awards. See
aa.com Basic (front page) vs Advanced Award Search Results (abbreviated results for front page search vs. Advanced award search)
AAdvantage awards to / from Australia, New Zealand link
AAdvantage awards to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador link
AAdvantage awards on Air Tahiti Nui link
AAdvantage awards using British Airways incurring (avoiding) high fees link
AAdvantage award on Cathay Pacific (and Cathay Dragon) link
AAdvantage awards using Etihad Airways link
AAdvantage awards using Fiji Airways link
AAdvantage awards using Japan Airlines link
AAdvantage awards using Qantas Airways link
AAdvantage awards on S7 (Siberian) Airlines link
aa.com Basic (front page) vs Advanced Award Search Results (abbreviated results for front page search vs. Advanced award search)
AAdvantage awards to / from Australia, New Zealand link
AAdvantage awards to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador link
AAdvantage awards on Air Tahiti Nui link
AAdvantage awards using British Airways incurring (avoiding) high fees link
AAdvantage award on Cathay Pacific (and Cathay Dragon) link
AAdvantage awards using Etihad Airways link
AAdvantage awards using Fiji Airways link
AAdvantage awards using Japan Airlines link
AAdvantage awards using Qantas Airways link
AAdvantage awards on S7 (Siberian) Airlines link
Awards assistance tools: Use at your own risk; may not be up to date. These are not recommendations.
- Check this oneworld interactive map and timetable by Innosked to see potential routes.
- British Airways Executive Club: You can sign up for British Airways Executive Club, Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank or Qantas Frequent Flyer to use their sites to find awards (look for the lowest level awards) you can't see on aa.com. BA in particular is prone to show "phantom" availability.
- Award booking services - list and reviews (FT thread)
- Award Nexus: It's easy to do your experiments for some free browsing (click "more signup options" under the green Purchase button to sign up with your FlyerTalk login info). You might want to run each segment rather than origin to destination.
...Award Nexus is free (up to a point) for FlyerTalk users. Click "more signup options" under the green Purchase button to sign up for free as a FlyerTalk member.
What I like about Award Nexus is it has a much nicer user interface than BA and lets you choose whether to search through BA and/or QF, and as you can see each of those may give somewhat different results.
The "cost" to do all these searches once was a total of 12 points, and you get 200 points free when you signup, and then every 90 days you can reload 100 more points for free (once you're below 10 points). So that gives an idea of how many searches could do free...
- AwardAce: Compare Award Redemptions Across Airlines In Seconds
- AwardHacker: "a tool we build to tell you how to travel with the least miles"
- Award Nexus: which can search availability but can't determine cost, with FT member free limited use
- Economical Excursionist's Tools: compare Frequent Flyer Mile Redemptions
- ExpertFlyer is a common tool used on FT. There is a $99.99 annual fee, monthly fee and five day trial
- Great Circle Mapper is useful for calculating distance and MPM (Maximum Permitted Mileage)
- You can try PEX+ (currently in beta), which will even tell you how many miles you'll need, though it draws data from aa.com and S7 so it can't reveal awards that can not be seen on those sites.
- Travel Codex Award Maximiser commercial blog
Also see:
aa.com Basic (front page) vs Advanced Award Search Results
Phantom / false AA award availability with AA partners (consolidated)
oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
Help with British Airways / BA surcharge / YQ (AA award on BA, consolidated) (Awards using BA incur significant "YQ" surcharges.)
UK APD / Air Passenger Duty charged for UK departures[/quote] (Flights originating in the UK other than INV or BFS - or connections 24:00 or over - incur UK Air Passenger Duty excise taxes.)
MileSAAver / SAAver award reduction / scarcity >= Aug 2011 onward (consolidated)
Older posts from 2017 have been archived to: this archive thread
Older posts from 2016 have been archived to: this archive thread
Older posts through 2015 have been archived to: this archive thread
ARCHIVE: 2017 HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
Jan 18, 2017, 8:29 pm
#91
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 62
Need Suggestions DFW-LHR AA Miles
I need some suggestions on how to get to LHR from DFW on 8/30/17 using my AA miles. It seems that all of the flights are using BA metal which adds about $400 in taxes which I don't' want to pay. Is there a way to fly from DFW to say CDG and then catch a flight to LHR? I am up to almost anything as I don't want to pay these crazy fees!! I really want to try to fly business class to LHR but will do coach if I have to (lol).
Jan 19, 2017, 2:16 am
#92
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 359
Can you go a day later? Take a look at flying into Manchester.
Jan 19, 2017, 2:34 am
#93
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Charlotte
Programs: AA EX PLAT
Posts: 89
I booked that and paid the fees, IMHO $400 is cheap for transatlantic Biz. Other alternative is using 135k miles for an Anytime Biz award on AA metal. But I also didnt check Manchester.
Jan 19, 2017, 3:41 am
#94
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: UK
Programs: AA
Posts: 209
How about flying outbound in economy and return biz, assuming you want to return. As an example 30/8 DFW-LHR via RDU then example return 6/9 LHR-MIA-DFW all on AA metal. Total 87.5k miles and approx. $250 fees.
The suggestion to go to Man is a good option although requires some additional expense and inconvenience once in the UK as would the CDG option.
The suggestion to go to Man is a good option although requires some additional expense and inconvenience once in the UK as would the CDG option.
Jan 19, 2017, 6:41 am
#95
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: TPA/DFW/K15
Programs: AA EXP, Mar AMB, HH LT DIA
Posts: 1,652
IMO, Dallas to Austin on I35 is a terrible stretch of interstate. Even when there is no construction (rare), people are afraid of traveling in the right hand lane for fear of being passed. If you decide to go that route, make sure you pack valium.
Jan 19, 2017, 8:48 am
#96
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AA PP 1.8MM, PC Spire, Hertz 5*, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,030
Does it have to be through DFW? How about connecting through a different city for the transatlantic portion like ORD, LAX, or JFK?
Jan 20, 2017, 12:59 pm
#97
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: EK Platinum, Iberia Plata, SPG Gold
Posts: 55
Domestic Leg of International Award First Class Booking in Coach
Hi, I have booked a US to Europe First Class award using my AA miles (MilesAAver for 85k) with the following routing (LGA-BOS-LHR-GIB).
The BOS-LHR and the LHR-GIB are with BA and I have grabbed First and CE successfully.
However, the LGA-BOS on AA was booked in Coach (T class) as it seems they have not released the Business Saaver inventory (domestic first class) yet. Both from a search on EF and on their website, the flight in question (11am on Feb 8th) is completely empty in the First class cabin and full of Anytime availability.
Would appreciate help with the following please (have tried to search but not getting a complete answer):
1. When does AA release domestic First Saaver award inventory (in a 2-class config)?
2. As I would be taking, in essence, an involuntary downgrade on one of the segments, is there any way to get them to open up that inventory so I can complete the itinerary on the "paid" class?
3. If not, can i waitlist for the "re-upgrade"? Or should I just set up an EF alert and hope I can grab a seat if they open up?
4. Would they typically open before the "upgrade" window opens for Elites?
5. If nothing has opened up by the the day of travel, and if there is space at the airport, is there any hope of grabbing that? Or would i be at the back of the line at that point?
6. And finally, can I expect to have First Class treatment in the airport even though I am on coach on that segment? So at the LGA check in counter, security, boarding etc? As my ticket, and the longer segment, are all First Class International?
Many thanks for all your help!
The BOS-LHR and the LHR-GIB are with BA and I have grabbed First and CE successfully.
However, the LGA-BOS on AA was booked in Coach (T class) as it seems they have not released the Business Saaver inventory (domestic first class) yet. Both from a search on EF and on their website, the flight in question (11am on Feb 8th) is completely empty in the First class cabin and full of Anytime availability.
Would appreciate help with the following please (have tried to search but not getting a complete answer):
1. When does AA release domestic First Saaver award inventory (in a 2-class config)?
2. As I would be taking, in essence, an involuntary downgrade on one of the segments, is there any way to get them to open up that inventory so I can complete the itinerary on the "paid" class?
3. If not, can i waitlist for the "re-upgrade"? Or should I just set up an EF alert and hope I can grab a seat if they open up?
4. Would they typically open before the "upgrade" window opens for Elites?
5. If nothing has opened up by the the day of travel, and if there is space at the airport, is there any hope of grabbing that? Or would i be at the back of the line at that point?
6. And finally, can I expect to have First Class treatment in the airport even though I am on coach on that segment? So at the LGA check in counter, security, boarding etc? As my ticket, and the longer segment, are all First Class International?
Many thanks for all your help!
Jan 20, 2017, 1:24 pm
#98
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,466
Hi, I have booked a US to Europe First Class award using my AA miles (MilesAAver for 85k) with the following routing (LGA-BOS-LHR-GIB).
The BOS-LHR and the LHR-GIB are with BA and I have grabbed First and CE successfully.
However, the LGA-BOS on AA was booked in Coach (T class) as it seems they have not released the Business Saaver inventory (domestic first class) yet. Both from a search on EF and on their website, the flight in question (11am on Feb 8th) is completely empty in the First class cabin and full of Anytime availability....
1. When does AA release domestic First Saaver award inventory (in a 2-class config)?
2. As I would be taking, in essence, an involuntary downgrade on one of the segments, is there any way to get them to open up that inventory so I can complete the itinerary on the "paid" class?
3. If not, can i waitlist for the "re-upgrade"? Or should I just set up an EF alert and hope I can grab a seat if they open up?
4. Would they typically open before the "upgrade" window opens for Elites?
5. If nothing has opened up by the the day of travel, and if there is space at the airport, is there any hope of grabbing that? Or would i be at the back of the line at that point?
6. And finally, can I expect to have First Class treatment in the airport even though I am on coach on that segment? So at the LGA check in counter, security, boarding etc? As my ticket, and the longer segment, are all First Class International?
The BOS-LHR and the LHR-GIB are with BA and I have grabbed First and CE successfully.
However, the LGA-BOS on AA was booked in Coach (T class) as it seems they have not released the Business Saaver inventory (domestic first class) yet. Both from a search on EF and on their website, the flight in question (11am on Feb 8th) is completely empty in the First class cabin and full of Anytime availability....
1. When does AA release domestic First Saaver award inventory (in a 2-class config)?
2. As I would be taking, in essence, an involuntary downgrade on one of the segments, is there any way to get them to open up that inventory so I can complete the itinerary on the "paid" class?
3. If not, can i waitlist for the "re-upgrade"? Or should I just set up an EF alert and hope I can grab a seat if they open up?
4. Would they typically open before the "upgrade" window opens for Elites?
5. If nothing has opened up by the the day of travel, and if there is space at the airport, is there any hope of grabbing that? Or would i be at the back of the line at that point?
6. And finally, can I expect to have First Class treatment in the airport even though I am on coach on that segment? So at the LGA check in counter, security, boarding etc? As my ticket, and the longer segment, are all First Class International?
.To answer your questions, AA could release additional sAAver F space for your LGA-BOS flight at any point up until the flight, there's really not a pattern. The only thing you can do is monitor EF (or aa.com), and if/when the space opens up, give AA a call to switch. There's no automatic waitlist for this, nor is there any type of airport waitlist or anything else you can do there.
However, you can still use the priority check-in at LGA as well as the Admirals Clubs, but boarding will based on your coach seat for that segment.
Is your award already ticketed? If you book JFK-BOS-LHR-GIB instead, and later space were to open up on one of the many BA JFK-LHR nonstops (highly likely), you could switch for no fee. And if you're really worried about not getting F on that first segment, there's also availability now all in F for LGA-ATL-LHR-GIB.
Jan 20, 2017, 3:26 pm
#99
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 19
I have around 200K AA miles and should have 50-100k more within the next month (thank you citi platinum no 24 month language offer!) I am planning a trip to Europe with my daughter this summer (primarily visiting France, Spain, Italy and a few days in London). We want to fly business class and have a great deal of flexibility regarding dates in july/aug. Closest airport is PDX, though I have a SW CP so can get wherever we need to go for departure airport. I have figured out how to use the award booking tools (EF, AN, etc) to find flights and have found some availability but have a couple of questions.
1. Is there a master list for identifying hubs for direct flights? I feel as though I randomly enter cities without having a sense of which airlines have direct flights "across the pond" between which cities.
2. Having read reviews of the various aircrafts, I am finding that I am becoming somewhat picky about which business class flight we take depending on the particular aircraft. I would like to try to find the most comfortable business class flight, but again, my searching seems random. Is there a way to identify which routes use which planes so that I can check for availability with this in mind?
Thanks for any comments, and if I am asking stupid questions, please be kind about telling me- I am always nervous posting on FF!
Linda
1. Is there a master list for identifying hubs for direct flights? I feel as though I randomly enter cities without having a sense of which airlines have direct flights "across the pond" between which cities.
2. Having read reviews of the various aircrafts, I am finding that I am becoming somewhat picky about which business class flight we take depending on the particular aircraft. I would like to try to find the most comfortable business class flight, but again, my searching seems random. Is there a way to identify which routes use which planes so that I can check for availability with this in mind?
Thanks for any comments, and if I am asking stupid questions, please be kind about telling me- I am always nervous posting on FF!
Linda
Jan 20, 2017, 4:49 pm
#100
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 17
1. Is there a master list for identifying hubs for direct flights? I feel as though I randomly enter cities without having a sense of which airlines have direct flights "across the pond" between which cities.
2. Having read reviews of the various aircrafts, I am finding that I am becoming somewhat picky about which business class flight we take depending on the particular aircraft. I would like to try to find the most comfortable business class flight, but again, my searching seems random. Is there a way to identify which routes use which planes so that I can check for availability with this in mind?
Thanks for any comments, and if I am asking stupid questions, please be kind about telling me- I am always nervous posting on FF!
Linda
2. Having read reviews of the various aircrafts, I am finding that I am becoming somewhat picky about which business class flight we take depending on the particular aircraft. I would like to try to find the most comfortable business class flight, but again, my searching seems random. Is there a way to identify which routes use which planes so that I can check for availability with this in mind?
Thanks for any comments, and if I am asking stupid questions, please be kind about telling me- I am always nervous posting on FF!
Linda
The easiest way to know what plane a certain route is using is to search on aa.com or ExpertFlyer. On aa.com, you can click on 'flight details' of any flight that comes up and see the aircraft.
All of that being said, saaver availability in business class for 2 is really really sparse all year, but especially during the summer months. Looking on ExpertFlyer, there are just a handful of summer dates in which I'm seeing routes with 2 business class seats available. The TATL routes on which you'll find seats are JFK-LHR (763), JFK-MAN (763), ORD-MAN (763). The refurbished 763s are totally fine, though not as nice as 777-300ER or 789. Unfortunately, your odds of finding saaver availability on those planes is virtually nil. You can also find availability on some dates with Iberia, particularly on the JFK-MAD and ORD-MAD routes. You have to use ba.com, ExpertFlyer, or Qantas to find those seats, and then call in to AA to ticket. You're unlikely to find any availability from West Coast hubs on any OneWorld partners, and business/first domestic availability is basically nonexistent, but you may be able to find economy class availability on AA or Alaska, both of which can be included in your ticket.
Alternately, you could blow through 110k miles per person, one way, to fly anywhere in Europe in any AA business class product you want, with domestic positioning flight included. It's a steep price to pay, but that's about how things stand.
If I were you, I would book SAAver seats on available AA and/or Iberia flights (even if they aren't the exact plane/routing you'd like), plan a fun trip, buy a subscription to ExpertFlyer and set some alerts for the planes you'd really like to be on, and see what happens. If nothing opens up, you'll still have a great flight in lie-flat seats, and if something opens up at the last minute, you can change your itinerary.
Jan 21, 2017, 9:42 am
#101
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: American United
Posts: 5
BDL-BKK 12/23/17 planning assistance
I have over 230k AA miles and need to fly business or first (2 people) to Bangkok from Hartford on Dec 23, 2017. I will be returning from Yangon in January and will either buy my ticket or use United miles for that later on.
When I started my research today in advance of purchasing next week when seats will open up I could not find any availability at all in November on AA.
United has plenty. Am I doing something wrong? I have never had a problem finding biz class to Europe.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
When I started my research today in advance of purchasing next week when seats will open up I could not find any availability at all in November on AA.
United has plenty. Am I doing something wrong? I have never had a problem finding biz class to Europe.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Jan 21, 2017, 9:45 am
#102
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
Where are you doing your research? You won't be able to search availability or book tickets to BKK on AA.com.
Jan 21, 2017, 9:56 am
#103
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: American United
Posts: 5
Aha! That is probably why I am having such a hard time. I have only booked tickets to Europe with AA miles. I am sorry to sound so ignorant.
Could you please point me in the right direction?
Jan 21, 2017, 9:56 am
#104
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: American United
Posts: 5
I did look on AA to see what flights they offered from BDL-BKK
Jan 21, 2017, 9:57 am
#105
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,514
To expand on rjw242's point, awards for many partners do not appear on AA.com. You have to call.