Rumor, Speculation: AAdvantage Program Devaluation 31 Jul 2019
Jun 3, 2019, 8:36 am
#106
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 10
The lack of saver availability, with decent flights/connections if frustrating.
You could call AA and have an agent search for saver availability on the dates you require, and see what comes up - tell them you don't care what cities in Europe (or have a list)
you could just keep checking yourself, or you could hire an award search service that will do this for a fee.
With a long airport (overnight) layover I would get a hotel room at the airport. Cost of doing business, unfortunately.
Perhaps someone on Flyertalk with more time than me can give you some specific help.
good luck!
You could call AA and have an agent search for saver availability on the dates you require, and see what comes up - tell them you don't care what cities in Europe (or have a list)
you could just keep checking yourself, or you could hire an award search service that will do this for a fee.
With a long airport (overnight) layover I would get a hotel room at the airport. Cost of doing business, unfortunately.
Perhaps someone on Flyertalk with more time than me can give you some specific help.
good luck!
Thank you. Yes I will wait. I remember someone once commented on making sure i dont fly through London. I think that cuts off France, Italy and England itself. Then I looked at Spain. BCN is served very cheap by Norwegian so i don't want to use my miles for a fraction of perceived value to BCN. So I looked at MAD and that required punishing layover in Dallas with 6 year old. No wife approved. I looked at even Caribbean and nothing good either.
One thing I don't know is how to use miles with another airline that is by phone only. I hate calling CSR for AA because they want exact date and City. Very annoying. They dont want to search to give advice and they rather have my miles expire worthless.
Jun 3, 2019, 9:29 am
#107
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 268
There are award search services that do this for a fee? Wow. I have been away from the Award game for a long time.
Are there any decent ones folks here would recommend? LoL. The amount of time I have spent in the past two weeks trying to a) come up to speed on AA's program, partners, and nuances specific to possible destinations I'd consider, and b) actually trying to look for awards, is actually becoming nonsensical. An absurd amount of time, even to me who loves travel and plan travel and learn about travel.
Along with this general topic, how much easier would my life be in looking for awards, if I subscribed to EF? Is it user friendly? / How big is the learning curve to use?
Are there any decent ones folks here would recommend? LoL. The amount of time I have spent in the past two weeks trying to a) come up to speed on AA's program, partners, and nuances specific to possible destinations I'd consider, and b) actually trying to look for awards, is actually becoming nonsensical. An absurd amount of time, even to me who loves travel and plan travel and learn about travel.
Along with this general topic, how much easier would my life be in looking for awards, if I subscribed to EF? Is it user friendly? / How big is the learning curve to use?
Jun 3, 2019, 9:32 am
#108
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,236
I keep asking this same question. I don’t see how AA’s program is deficient compared to the other carriers. It seems to be clearly better but everyone has a case of sour grapes because of the potential devaluation. The reality is AA seems to be giving more than its competitors. That is usually a scenario that leads to a desire to make some cuts.
So gutting the FFP to match others is only wise if the others don't offer things like on time flights and bags delivered in 20 minutes etc.
Jun 3, 2019, 9:59 am
#109
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 255
At the end of the day, AA doesn’t see as much value in its FFP providing more as it does in providing less. It is a hard sell when your competitors are providing much less than you are. Eventually, everyone will get used to it and suck it up when they realize they cannot just move to another carrier and use a feature similar to AA’s SWU and go Y to J, for example.
Last edited by rumboj; Jun 3, 2019 at 11:22 am
Jun 3, 2019, 2:38 pm
#110
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,236
Actually, gutting the FFP is wise if you expect your clientele to fall in line, which is what the others do and succeed it. So many flyers have been complaining for years but they are still flying AA. And for every flyer who is complaining and saying they are going to Delta, there’s a Delta flyer who is complaining and threatening to go to UA, while UA has a flyer planning to move to AA.
At the end of the day, AA doesn’t see as much value in its FFP providing more as it does in providing less. It is a hard sell when your competitors are providing much less than you are. Eventually, everyone will get used to it and suck it up when they realize they cannot just move to another carrier and use a feature similar to AA’s SWU and go Y to J, for example.
At the end of the day, AA doesn’t see as much value in its FFP providing more as it does in providing less. It is a hard sell when your competitors are providing much less than you are. Eventually, everyone will get used to it and suck it up when they realize they cannot just move to another carrier and use a feature similar to AA’s SWU and go Y to J, for example.
Yes, there are FTers who like histrionics and threaten to leave, but most High Value flyers aren't aviation enthusiasts. If the operations are a problem (flights canceled, bags lost), the product gets cheapened (no bag space under F seats, no legroom) and then the FF program gets gutted, then people who aren't tied into the programs or FT and the ilk will walk.
Jun 4, 2019, 7:28 am
#111
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,049
I don't understand the question - a regular passenger can get a 'better' seat at the airport for no charge ; the check in desk at, say LHR, will not charge a normal economy ticket holder a fee for a different seat
The charge made by AA online is for advance seat selection - similar to how other airlines operate in charging for seat selection
The charge made by AA online is for advance seat selection - similar to how other airlines operate in charging for seat selection
If AA choose to seat a group 9 person in MCE before boarding then that is fine of course, they just got lucky.
Last edited by Mark_T; Jun 4, 2019 at 7:42 am
Jun 7, 2019, 8:43 am
#112
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
In this case, Yes, sleep in the airport. DFW has not one but two Hyatts (a Regency and a Grand) in airport terminals, with the Grand Hyatt in/above the international D terminal. The entrance to the hotel is inside the terminal and something like 100 feet from the security checkpoint. This means not having to pad your schedule to deal with the variability of a courtesy shuttle. And, with a layover less than 12 hours, you could through-check your bags so as to not have to deal with that in the morning. You could get more or less a full night's sleep with the layover you mentioned. I've done just this at DFW several times for international AA award tickets.
Jun 8, 2019, 1:49 pm
#113
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
Actually, gutting the FFP is wise if you expect your clientele to fall in line, which is what the others do and succeed it. So many flyers have been complaining for years but they are still flying AA. And for every flyer who is complaining and saying they are going to Delta, there’s a Delta flyer who is complaining and threatening to go to UA, while UA has a flyer planning to move to AA..
Looks to me like AA already has dynamic award pricing as the anytime awards vary greatly from 2x milesaver as I see many dates at up to 80k even domestic flights.
Last edited by JDiver; Jun 9, 2019 at 10:43 am Reason: Close quote
Jun 8, 2019, 1:53 pm
#114
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Jun 8, 2019, 6:38 pm
#116
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
No, it's not.
Dynamic Pricing is different, and still coming, what you're talking about "anytime awards vary greatly from 2x milesaver") came in 5+ years ago:
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...how-they-work/
When Dynamic Pricing is fully implemented, award pricing won't look anything like what you're seeing now and won't be limited to what we currently call anytime awards.
Dynamic Pricing is different, and still coming, what you're talking about "anytime awards vary greatly from 2x milesaver") came in 5+ years ago:
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...how-they-work/
When Dynamic Pricing is fully implemented, award pricing won't look anything like what you're seeing now and won't be limited to what we currently call anytime awards.
Jun 8, 2019, 9:52 pm
#117
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
And the redemption rate on CX may be lower... but the availability is the same.
Jun 8, 2019, 10:42 pm
#118
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
If you were on a 737-900, you'd be in a 16 seat F cabin with seats like this with minimal recline, though I find the seat itself quite comfortable:
Jun 9, 2019, 6:03 am
#119
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
On the CX award availability, my experience was just one data point, but I did call AA first as I have more AA than AS miles, and AA had nothing to offer. AS had a number of options including PE at 35k one way.
Jun 9, 2019, 6:17 am
#120
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
No, it's not.
Dynamic Pricing is different, and still coming, what you're talking about "anytime awards vary greatly from 2x milesaver") came in 5+ years ago:
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...how-they-work/
When Dynamic Pricing is fully implemented, award pricing won't look anything like what you're seeing now and won't be limited to what we currently call anytime awards.
Dynamic Pricing is different, and still coming, what you're talking about "anytime awards vary greatly from 2x milesaver") came in 5+ years ago:
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...how-they-work/
When Dynamic Pricing is fully implemented, award pricing won't look anything like what you're seeing now and won't be limited to what we currently call anytime awards.
Last edited by rbAA; Jun 9, 2019 at 6:32 am