Using the new and old award search on AA
Jun 7, 2019, 1:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,173
Using the new and old award search on AA
I go to look for the 2 days in a year when lie flat at a reasonable rate is available from OGG to DFW....usually same dates for HNL or KOA just one or 2 a year.
Anyway the new award search on AA.com has no calendar (says coming soon), no business class, just main cabin, economy preferred, and first....is economy preferred a replacement for business class, allowing them to only charge the jacked up rates for first?....I can't find any mention of this change from aa in the forums, from the bloggers, or from AA.com...so ... is it a sneaky devaluation?
Anyway the new award search on AA.com has no calendar (says coming soon), no business class, just main cabin, economy preferred, and first....is economy preferred a replacement for business class, allowing them to only charge the jacked up rates for first?....I can't find any mention of this change from aa in the forums, from the bloggers, or from AA.com...so ... is it a sneaky devaluation?
Jun 7, 2019, 2:02 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
I go to look for the 2 days in a year when lie flat at a reasonable rate is available from OGG to DFW....usually same dates for HNL or KOA just one or 2 a year.
Anyway the new award search on AA.com has no calendar (says coming soon), no business class, just main cabin, economy preferred, and first....is economy preferred a replacement for business class, allowing them to only charge the jacked up rates for first?....I can't find any mention of this change from aa in the forums, from the bloggers, or from AA.com...so ... is it a sneaky devaluation?
Anyway the new award search on AA.com has no calendar (says coming soon), no business class, just main cabin, economy preferred, and first....is economy preferred a replacement for business class, allowing them to only charge the jacked up rates for first?....I can't find any mention of this change from aa in the forums, from the bloggers, or from AA.com...so ... is it a sneaky devaluation?
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...award-results/
Jun 7, 2019, 4:55 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,173
you are correct it is not called "economy preferred" it is called "Premium economy" on the new search. it is where the "business class" awards used to be and has a limited description that doesn't say exactly what seats you will get on a 2 or 3 class flight....it does make a difference as I just searched for the flight there and it used the old award search format that includes "business"......same browser window, 2 different flights, 2 different search engines for results....with the increased cost in points, it looks like we may take one last trip to Hawaii and call it quits....350k RT each for upfront seats from DFW an AA hub?!?.....really?, really.....blah
Jun 7, 2019, 5:05 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,173
thx
The old search presently returns result that the new one does not, for sure, instructions:
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...award-results/
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...award-results/
Jun 7, 2019, 8:09 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: USA
Programs: Chase Sapphire Reserve, WFBF
Posts: 1,573
On domestic flights, the front cabin is marketed as "first" even though it is usually the same cabin that is marketed as "business" on an international flight (this is independent of whether the seats are lie flat or recliner). This is confusing for sure, but it isn't new.
Jun 7, 2019, 8:18 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
On domestic flights, the front cabin is marketed as "first" even though it is usually the same cabin that is marketed as "business" on an international flight (this is independent of whether the seats are lie flat or recliner). This is confusing for sure, but it isn't new.
Jun 11, 2019, 11:40 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,273
There is also evidence that the new award search, in some instances, does not respect married segments. Some flights that have no availability AAA-BBB-CCC but do have availability AAA-BBB and BBB-CCC are shown in the search results for AAA-CCC, and are bookable under a single award.
Jun 20, 2019, 9:33 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP; Avis PC; Hertz PC; Marriott LT Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,133
FWIW, I am getting different results with different browsers and also different results depending on whether I am logged in or not (with fewer premium cabin results appearing when logged in as EXP). Very suspicious.
Jul 11, 2019, 1:09 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Maryland
Programs: DL Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 67
New Interface
As of about 20 minutes ago American switched to a new online interface for booking awards. I can't seem to get any int'l first class awards to show up - it only shows business, premium economy and economy.
