Not a single AA transcon First saver (Z) through the end of schedule?
May 17, 2019, 4:10 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
Yes, all AA metal and all at Saaver level. Just called and added the SEA-SFO segment on Alaska (slumming in Coach for that) and it didn't cause a break, so 5x80k or 400k for all 5 tickets. I think on Delta that is a one way for one person these days. We do this every year, find some flight or another in April or May where the last week of July or first week of August is light up front and usually score 5 biz seats. A special treat to get F this year.
And no, getting this in RT is probably not possible, it never is easy to find westbound awards in early August. Aug 10-14 is usually zerod out for awards on the westbound until the last minute, so we just buy one way revenue tickets (last year did CAI-LHR-LAX).
And no, getting this in RT is probably not possible, it never is easy to find westbound awards in early August. Aug 10-14 is usually zerod out for awards on the westbound until the last minute, so we just buy one way revenue tickets (last year did CAI-LHR-LAX).
May 17, 2019, 4:13 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,986
The bottom line at this point is that it's becoming tougher to book multi-segment award itineraries on AA without considering married segment logic.
It's clear that the optimal method of finding/booking these awards has changed somewhat, but it may actually produce better deals/availability on certain routes (I'm certainly finding better domestic sAAver availability on certain multi-segment trips, and layover time is quite reasonable on these) -- it's just harder to search for them "the old way" for many people.
It's clear that the optimal method of finding/booking these awards has changed somewhat, but it may actually produce better deals/availability on certain routes (I'm certainly finding better domestic sAAver availability on certain multi-segment trips, and layover time is quite reasonable on these) -- it's just harder to search for them "the old way" for many people.
May 17, 2019, 4:50 pm
#18
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Manhattan NV
Programs: Hilton LTD, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LTTE, AA LTP, Avis PC, National EE, Seabourn DE
Posts: 3,027
Regardless of route, it's hard to book using miles. Don't know how flight attendants can recite the garbage that comes out of their mouth when tying to sell AA credit cards during a flight. Do they still do that? It's been six months since flying US Air.
May 17, 2019, 6:10 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,210
You can also wait until JFK-HKG opens up on CX and forget about the segment nonsense.
AA miles are good for economy domestic tickets at 12.5k. A reasonable value with tons of availability. Parter awards overseas are also valuable. AA metal in biz or first overseas at saver level is almost nonexistent. This is a strategy (unsurprisingly) that all 3 US majors seem to be implementing.
AA miles are good for economy domestic tickets at 12.5k. A reasonable value with tons of availability. Parter awards overseas are also valuable. AA metal in biz or first overseas at saver level is almost nonexistent. This is a strategy (unsurprisingly) that all 3 US majors seem to be implementing.
May 18, 2019, 8:02 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP; Avis PC; Hertz PC; Marriott LT Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,133
The bottom line at this point is that it's becoming tougher to book multi-segment award itineraries on AA without considering married segment logic.
It's clear that the optimal method of finding/booking these awards has changed somewhat, but it may actually produce better deals/availability on certain routes (I'm certainly finding better domestic sAAver availability on certain multi-segment trips, and layover time is quite reasonable on these) -- it's just harder to search for them "the old way" for many people.
It's clear that the optimal method of finding/booking these awards has changed somewhat, but it may actually produce better deals/availability on certain routes (I'm certainly finding better domestic sAAver availability on certain multi-segment trips, and layover time is quite reasonable on these) -- it's just harder to search for them "the old way" for many people.
Same search on AA shows the early MIA-JFK and the JFK-LHR with U on both.
Frustrating to say the least, but I got it booked.
May 18, 2019, 9:59 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 58
Yeah, the days of the frequent flier program being of value to accumulate miles and use them for first/business seats from USA to Europe are dwindling. Ah, well, was nice while it lasted. Just a big lie these days. Oh, sure, you want to do some airport haunting on the 23hr layover or fly on some other “Partner” that doesn’t really have business class seating, just cattle car with middle seat empty, sure, you’ll find some great “value.” But for the most part, it’s just a bogus proposition. Give the miles away to some grand kid, let them wing off to some event on the cheap in the back of the airborne slave ship.
My days of loyalty to companies that do everything they can to lie to me about “value” have ended.
The best service in the industry is on the regional jets where crews are friendly and helpful. I’d rather hop, skip and jump across the country and enjoy it, thereby avoiding the aforementioned airborne slave ships and their surly whip master.
My days of loyalty to companies that do everything they can to lie to me about “value” have ended.
The best service in the industry is on the regional jets where crews are friendly and helpful. I’d rather hop, skip and jump across the country and enjoy it, thereby avoiding the aforementioned airborne slave ships and their surly whip master.
May 18, 2019, 10:53 am
#22
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,306
EF certainly seems to have trouble with the married segment logic. Looking for J saver MIA-LHR. EF shows an early MIA-JFK U with no availability JFK-LHR but then shows a later MIA-JFK with a 50 minute connection to a JFK-LHR which has U.
Same search on AA shows the early MIA-JFK and the JFK-LHR with U on both.
Frustrating to say the least, but I got it booked.
Same search on AA shows the early MIA-JFK and the JFK-LHR with U on both.
Frustrating to say the least, but I got it booked.
May 18, 2019, 1:18 pm
#24
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP; Avis PC; Hertz PC; Marriott LT Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,133
married segment are married by route, not route and time, right? If you observe what you did on EF, doesn’t that mean the combination you found on AA.com is always there? EF didn’t show that specific connection as opposed to showing that connection without availability.
I don't know the answer to your first question, but to your second: it shows the early combo MIA-JFK U3 and the JFK-LHR flight as Z0 with U not showing as a category.
The later MIA-JFK/JFK-LHR combo shows U1/Z0U1.
But the AA website shows both options as available when searching.
May 18, 2019, 1:22 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP; Avis PC; Hertz PC; Marriott LT Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,133
Which is weird as you would think they would rather get miles off the books instead of granting SWUs as flight date approaches for long hauls which, aside from business, usually aren't last minute purchases, but I guess they're hoping for either a walk up purchase or a miles+copay. Been on all sides of this, so I'm agnostic on the answer.
May 18, 2019, 2:25 pm
#26
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
Which is weird as you would think they would rather get miles off the books instead of granting SWUs as flight date approaches for long hauls which, aside from business, usually aren't last minute purchases, but I guess they're hoping for either a walk up purchase or a miles+copay. Been on all sides of this, so I'm agnostic on the answer.
May 18, 2019, 3:26 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: DCA/RIC
Programs: HH LTD, AA LTG
Posts: 1,015
Corrected your quote.
Regardless of route, it's hard to book using miles. Don't know how flight attendants can recite the garbage that comes out of their mouth when tying to sell AA credit cards during a flight. Do they still do that? It's been six months since flying US Air the discount carrier America West.
Jul 11, 2019, 9:35 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Mileage Plus, AAdvantage
Posts: 424
Resurrecting this older thread as I'm seeing neither F nor J saver availability JFK-SFO or LAX for the next few months. Literally 0.
I'm booking an international F ticket with domestic leg as JFK-SFO (and can do JKF-LAX too if needed) and only Y is available on this leg. Actually that itself is lucky as even Y availability is not so great otherwise.
But I'm not thrilled about having to spend 6+ hrs in Y after 12+hrs in F and that is holding me back from booking the reward.
What do folks think, what chance is there that at least a J saver award will open before the flight. Travel is on a Wednesday in mid-November. Is it common that no F or J saver awards are made available for these premium transcon flights at all?
I'm booking an international F ticket with domestic leg as JFK-SFO (and can do JKF-LAX too if needed) and only Y is available on this leg. Actually that itself is lucky as even Y availability is not so great otherwise.
But I'm not thrilled about having to spend 6+ hrs in Y after 12+hrs in F and that is holding me back from booking the reward.
What do folks think, what chance is there that at least a J saver award will open before the flight. Travel is on a Wednesday in mid-November. Is it common that no F or J saver awards are made available for these premium transcon flights at all?
Jul 11, 2019, 11:30 pm
#29
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
Resurrecting this older thread as I'm seeing neither F nor J saver availability JFK-SFO or LAX for the next few months. Literally 0.
I'm booking an international F ticket with domestic leg as JFK-SFO (and can do JKF-LAX too if needed) and only Y is available on this leg. Actually that itself is lucky as even Y availability is not so great otherwise.
But I'm not thrilled about having to spend 6+ hrs in Y after 12+hrs in F and that is holding me back from booking the reward.
What do folks think, what chance is there that at least a J saver award will open before the flight. Travel is on a Wednesday in mid-November. Is it common that no F or J saver awards are made available for these premium transcon flights at all?
I'm booking an international F ticket with domestic leg as JFK-SFO (and can do JKF-LAX too if needed) and only Y is available on this leg. Actually that itself is lucky as even Y availability is not so great otherwise.
But I'm not thrilled about having to spend 6+ hrs in Y after 12+hrs in F and that is holding me back from booking the reward.
What do folks think, what chance is there that at least a J saver award will open before the flight. Travel is on a Wednesday in mid-November. Is it common that no F or J saver awards are made available for these premium transcon flights at all?
Jul 12, 2019, 10:44 am
#30
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Mileage Plus, AAdvantage
Posts: 424
Yes, it's common to see virtually zero F/J saver awards on the premium transcons. Since you're not flying for another four months, your best bet to end up on one of those flights up front is to book a connecting itinerary in F (via, say, ORD or DFW) and hope for a schedule change that you can leverage to get yourself rebooked onto the nonstop. In some ways, the riskier/shorter the connection, the more likely a schedule change will have a material impact on the connection that will result in you getting rebooked, but beware that if the schedule change does not materialize in the way you want it, you'll have left yourself with a risky connection!