Ouch, that deval though!
Mar 1, 2022, 11:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: KOA/PHKO
Programs: Starbucks Gold :-)
Posts: 831
Ouch, that deval though!
Ouch. I seemed to have missed this, but I guess things flipped recently to (vastly) varying award levels. It used to be that HI->EU C/J awards were 80-90k. Now almost always > 300k, unless they put me on a BA TATL with a few grand in taxes. Painful.
Mar 2, 2022, 4:40 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: Once a somebody now a nobody
Posts: 514
It's not just Hawaii to EU. ORD seeing the same for many dates I looked at. Going to ATH in May and J award rates have been north of 250k the whole time. We were pretty flexible too about dates and even flying into other cities. We were lucky and were able to get saver levels both ways on UA/AC. But right now with AAs inability to run a full EU summer schedule coupled with their seemingly ever changing schedule changes that have tended to condense flight, I think these high, Delta-like J awards are here to stay for awhile.
Mar 2, 2022, 5:35 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10,967
Not taxes. Those are BA's fuel surcharges on award tickets. Carrier-imposed, not government-imposed.
Mar 2, 2022, 7:50 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Choice Hotels
Posts: 762
With dynamic pricing, I have a feeling that we are going to see some of the highest award redemption rates in history if the world completely opens back up for travel. There is so much pent-up demand. Supply and demand will take over, and there are going to be some horrendously expensive mileage redemptions this summer.
Mar 2, 2022, 8:09 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: EWN-RDU
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, HH Diamond
Posts: 67
With dynamic pricing, I have a feeling that we are going to see some of the highest award redemption rates in history if the world completely opens back up for travel. There is so much pent-up demand. Supply and demand will take over, and there are going to be some horrendously expensive mileage redemptions this summer.
Mar 2, 2022, 2:58 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: AA Plat Pro
Posts: 909
It's not just Hawaii to EU. ORD seeing the same for many dates I looked at. Going to ATH in May and J award rates have been north of 250k the whole time. We were pretty flexible too about dates and even flying into other cities. We were lucky and were able to get saver levels both ways on UA/AC. But right now with AAs inability to run a full EU summer schedule coupled with their seemingly ever changing schedule changes that have tended to condense flight, I think these high, Delta-like J awards are here to stay for awhile.
Here is link to AA miles and copay upgrade info: https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...with-miles.jsp
Good luck!
Mar 4, 2022, 11:31 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: Once a somebody now a nobody
Posts: 514
As I have mentioned in another post recently, look into miles and copay. Book economy tickets on flights that have C space availability and upgrade with much fewer miles (and potential copay depending on ticket/cabin type) to J. You will need to search EF by individual leg to see true C availability. then book those flights and call in to upgrade.
Here is link to AA miles and copay upgrade info: https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...with-miles.jsp
Good luck!
Here is link to AA miles and copay upgrade info: https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...with-miles.jsp
Good luck!
Mar 9, 2022, 4:15 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: AA Plat Pro
Posts: 909
Convincing me this is a good idea is the easy part. Finding confirmable C space is the hard part. I would be 100% open to booking coach and then upgrade with miles and copay. Most years recently though I've been able to get saver J levels with Star Alliance or AF before any C space ever opened up (if any ever did).
Playing around the other day, RT economy prices for ORD-LHR then AMS to PHL (to ORD) on dates that had C space availability was $530 all-in. A flight from LHR to AMS was $58USD or Eurostar for more.
I went to London just after Christmas 2019 for 8 days and the weather was spectacular for London in January. High 40's/low 50's, a few sunny days very little rain. And 4 SWU's cleared immediately!
YMMV!
Mar 9, 2022, 4:55 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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AAdvantage redemption rates on partners are fixed. If you can find award space for HNL-HND and HND-LHR/CDG on JL, it will cost you 127.5K miles for the two awards in Business -- no carrier surcharges. But until the situation in Ukraine is resolved, you could be looking at a longer than usual flight from Tokyo to Europe.
Mar 12, 2022, 4:30 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: KOA/PHKO
Programs: Starbucks Gold :-)
Posts: 831
AAdvantage redemption rates on partners are fixed. If you can find award space for HNL-HND and HND-LHR/CDG on JL, it will cost you 127.5K miles for the two awards in Business -- no carrier surcharges. But until the situation in Ukraine is resolved, you could be looking at a longer than usual flight from Tokyo to Europe.
Mar 12, 2022, 4:40 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,536
They will be separate tickets, but it's important to get both tickets on the same PNR. If you can find the necessary award seats, try the multi-city award-booking engine; if that does not work, put each award on a complimentary five-day hold, and then call AA to make sure that both tickets are put on the same PNR.