Help with Spain Reward Flights
 

Hello, I want to fly from LAX-NYC (prefer LGA/JFK) and have a layover for a night then continue on to MAD, and fly back BCN-LAX.

I could book a OW on AA/UA/US from LAX-NYC for 12.5k, but thought about a layover enroute to MAD if it's available since I will only need to stay a night.
Can you help me with the best use of miles and shortest routing for the NYC flight, MAD and BCN flight. I have the following:

100k AA
100k UA
100k US
100k UR
100k MR

Thanks!

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What time of year?

Beginning of December.

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AA would be cheapest: 20K miles one way in Coach, if you can find "SAAver" award seats. You get up to 24 hours to connect on an international award.

Note that award space on IB will not be displayed on aa.com. If you need to check IB award space, call AA.

Thanks. Any recommendations on return flight BCN-LAX. So far not any good options. AA goes through LHR with high taxes, UA routes BCN-FRA-SFO-LAX.

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AA flies BCN-JFK/MIA. But if those flights don't show up on an award search, then they (and/or the connecting flight to LAX) are unavailable.

IB flies BCN-MAD-(various U.S. gateways). Call AA and ask about availability on IB. (If you can find MAD-XXX-LAX availability on aa.com, then all you need is the IB BCN-MAD segment.)

Should be able to get the MAD-ORD flight if you're marginally flexible. IB also runs flights to JFK and MIA as guv mentioned. But ORD-LAX awards look pretty easy to find in early December. The BCN-MAD should be no problem at all. Yeah, it's 2 stops, but at 20K miles, it's tough to beat.

AA does not have any Saver Award economy seats on the dates I want to fly to LAX NYC-MAD and back from BCN-LAX, only Biz saver which goes through LHR. May just book with UA unless there are other options...

Not true. UK deparures only have the APD. Transits do not have APD
AA awards on BA flights have surcharges, but that is not a tax.

Air & rail travel in Eu can be cheap. Look for an other destaination in Eu that had had good transport links

Have you phoned AA to ask about award availability on IB flights? As others have noted, award flights on IB are not listed on the AA website.

I did call AA, they did not have flights for my dates.
I went ahead and book with UA, it costs a total of 60k for all three segments, LAX-JFK and EWR-MAD are both nonstop, so I am happy, the downside is the return flight is BCN-FRA-DEN-LAX, that was the only option given. Thanks everyone.