This year especially has been difficult to find award seats in both Oneworld and Star Alliance. I reckon people are travelling again after a couple of years of recession.
I know BA awards are being snapped up left right and centre on the S American routes due to the USA Chase BA mile bonanza.I've managed to concoct a right odd routing for our annual holiday to the UK and back.
EZE-GRU-LHR-YVR-SEA-ORD-GRU-EZE using both Oneworld and Star carriers.

For me its simple..... airlines are putting less and less award seats up for grabs.... ff programs are becoming more and more mainstream so more and more folks are fighting over less and less award seats.

Im now a retired frequent flyer so perhaps Im missing something very relevant... but I think that miles are worth almost nothing today unless you have a HUGE pile and can pay crazy amounts of miles for free premium cabin seats and/or have status in a program, buy a business class seat and can upgrade to F... this latter option seems to be the only perk that still works on some 3 class carriers because they can still sell a premium cabin (and premium price) ticket....

thanks for the help. I forgot about going to AA first to check the milesaaver dates. I see them now, and they are brilliantly good deal. Theres still a lot available for august, only 1.5 months out.

I have just started my FF career and I am a recent graduate. I must say the ability to get 5 R/T to EZE for a third of the cost is cool with me. haha

Any updates on the nice fares from the hunting experts...? If you guys have something, please post here and also cross post on the Cow Do Master Thread... folks interested in coming down for the event may jump on nice fares that come up last minute...

Link to Cow Do VIII Master Thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...05-2011-a.html