American Airlines usually offers terrible — meaning absolutely no — premium cabin saver award space on its own planes.
Their pattern though is to occasionally dump award space that remains open for a day or two. So you need to pounce when it’s there.
The nice thing is that American AAdvantage allows you to hold award space for up to 5 days without having the requisite miles in your account, so if you need to transfer or buy some miles you can lock in your award first. (For instance, Starwood transfers generally take 2-3 days.)
Right now there are a handful of American Airlines routes with saver business class award seats for two passengers right now for spring travel. It’s sad this is notable.
This actually comes from Nick Reyes at Frequent Miler, but since he doesn’t set the award calendar display to show non-stops only some of the routes he highlights don’t actually have award space available (it’s just showing connections to other routes that are actually available).
Los Angeles – Tokyo Haneda between January 16 and Feb 28 and Apr 10-30. (There’s also a smattering of space this fall as well.)
Miami – Santiago, Chile between March 21 and April 27 and June 1-23.
Chicago – Beijing between March 13 and May 1.
Nick also finds space to Madrid in the fall which turns out to be decent New York JFK and Boston availability on Iberia, check it out. There’s a smattering of Chicago and Miami – Paris availability in the spring as well.
And there are a handful of dates with business class awards Raleigh – London in March and April. There are rumors by the way of American starting a couple of new London Heathrow routes.
Nothing to Argentina in January or February.
What a sad state of affairs
Their pattern though is to occasionally dump award space that remains open for a day or two. So you need to pounce when it’s there.
Just like the Soviet Union where people would mob the store on the rare occasion they had products anyone wanted.
Big deal. FU American.
too bad nothing flows over to oneworld redemptions, AA saver Biz isn’t showing on BA site for any of the dates that AA shows space.
Thanks!! Got round trip business class airfare to Santiago and returning from Lima for 87,500, fantastic deal!!
None to Paris in June 2018
Shame on AA! What a bait and switch they continue to be! I am sitting on way to many miles that are so difficult to use. Not going out of my way to earn any more. I have shifted to Southwest despite AA lifetime platinum status.
Thanks for sharing Nick’s post.I got right on it yesterday. I got two direct Miami to Paris in business on saver points and a few hundred bucks! As you know it is a big deal these day. Thanks!! Tulips in Amsterdam here I come next spring!
Looks like phantom availability to me..12+ different dates: “The flight you selected is no longer available. Please modify your request.”
Do these award availability ever flow through to oneworld or BA booking capability? I can now find the AA routes I’m looking for, but only have Avios