Cost of AAwards in cash - an indicative guide

[kempvet]

US also have a mastercard offer with a 40K bonus with some usage, not sure how I will go with getting this in time though.

 

[Paddy55]

Thanks Anat01 - been buying and burning AA Miles for Mrs Paddy and I the past 4 years after reading various posts on AFF - what a find this has been . For somewhere between Y & PE cost you get J return to Europe, and for about PE you get First! Where can you go wrong?

Mainly used for SYD - Europe Bus & First for Mrs Paddy while I ride DONE4s (another gem from AFF )

Latest use has been a LHR-SYD F seat in Dec picked up just 2 months ago :shock:

 

[drron]

By stopover you mean you got > 24 hours in SYD?

If so, ah well. As the old process goes, if it works and it tickets, shut up and be happy!

Yes 3 days.A definite stopover not a transit.

 

[Grooba]

Wonderful thread anat0l thanks a bunch for going to the trouble to post. As a relative newcomer to AA (have been crediting for a while but haven't looked at redemptions yet) this information is awesome.

 

[grussellt]

And stopovers can be booked online. A good example is HNL-JFK-NRT.

I know you can book HNL-LAX-NRT as a single award but are you sure HNL-JFK-NRT doesn't exceed MPM?

 

[serfty]

Do AAwards have MPM parameters?

I thought it was more to do with specific routing options based on the O/D.

 

[grussellt]

I don't know if it's correct but here is a quote:
[h=2]American Airlines Awards[/h] [h=3]Routing[/h]

• Routing allowed is the same as per AA fares. If the routing is based on Maximum Permitted Mileage (MPM), a 25% overage is allowed.
• from Flyerguide

 

[serfty]

"If the routing ..." ... in any case - I guess at 25% overage, if there are any it is unlikely to come into play.

Below are the MPM rules for a one way business far HNL-NRT on AA - it has an MPM of 4597.

HNL-JFK-NRT is nearly 12000 miles, so I am sure if that fare can be booked as an AAward, MPM does not come into it. FWIW, HNL-LAX-NRT is 8000 miles.

Results from ExpertFlyer.com

Fare Routing Search:
Departing HNL on 12/02/14 for NRT
Fare basis code J1XOWJ
Flying AA
Routing via Pacific

    V FARE BASIS     BK    FARE   TRAVEL-TICKET AP  MINMAX  RTG
  1   J1XOWJ         J‡X  7077.00     ----      -    -/  - PA01
PASSENGER TYPE-ADT                 AUTO PRICE-YES              
FROM-HNL TO-TYO    CXR-AA    TVL-12FEB14  RULE-PA01 IPRP/3
FARE BASIS-J1XOWJ            NORMAL FARE  DIS-N   VENDOR-ATP
FARE TYPE-BU      OW-BUSINESS CLASS UNRESTRICTED
USD  7077.00   MPM  E01AUG13 D-INFINITY   FC-J1XOWJ  FN-     
SYSTEM DATES - CREATED 31JUL13/1832  EXPIRES INFINITY
 
PUBLISHED RTG HNL-TYO/AA      EF-01AUG13 DIS-INDEF
 
/VIA THE PACIFIC/ MPM 4597
MILEAGE SYSTEM APPLIES BETWEEN ORIGIN AND DESTINATION
 MILEAGE SYSTEM APPLIES ORIGIN TO DESTINATION
.

 

[auriga]

Are there any OW carriers that are as generous as TG and OZ in terms of releasing award seats?

 

[Kangol]

Are there any OW carriers that are as generous as TG and OZ in terms of releasing award seats?

CX? Do you mean in J/F cabins?

For those looking for more info on AA stopovers, here are some links:

The dark side of American's award ticket rules... - One Mile at a Time - One Mile at a Time
Reader Questions about Free Stopovers on American Airlines Awards | milevalue.com

 

[dfcatch]

CNS-SYD-LAX-YYZ is only just within MPM.

Same itinerary that goes ....LAX-ORD-YKF is over.

 

[anat0l]

Food for thought: when considering AA awards, don't forget to consider both the more plain AA all-airline awards, as well as the oneworld awards.

Here's one for the sandgropers

PER (South Pacific) to Europe in J is 120,000 AA miles return (USD 2,412 before taxes if you take my table above).

An alternative, although more expensive, is to consider the oneworld Explorer award, say the zone 6 (14,001 to 20,000 trip miles). In J, this costs 130,000 AA miles (which is USD 2,613 before taxes). The advantages of opting for this award, however, over a standard all-airline award, are:

• The "transit via third region" restrictions disappear.
• You can have stopovers - in fact, you can have as many as you like (but stopovers are limited to once per city per itinerary; and Explorer awards are limited to 16 segments).
• You generally have a lot more routing freedom on Explorer awards. This makes it rather easier to check for award options.

The example given is about USD 200 more expensive for the Explorer award, plus some more if you have stopovers or segments than a normal award, but depending on what you're after, it might be great value for you.

Here's a sample routing: PER [QF] SIN (stop) [CX] HKG (stop) [CX] CDG (stop) [BA] LHR [QF] DXB (stop) [QR] DOH [QR] PER. I believe that conforms to all rules. Just under 20,000 trip miles.

This cool trick doesn't quite work for eastern seaboarders, because the extra distance we need to fly onto Asia pushes one into zone 7 even on a basic return itinerary. However, if you're prepared to pay the difference, you have about another 2,000 - 4,000 trip miles to play with before you hit the next Explorer award zone. For example, the following itinerary for a zone 7 Explorer in J, which costs 150,000 AA miles (USD 3,015 before taxes):

BNE [QF] MEL [QF] LHR [AY] HEL [AY] FRA [CX] HKG [CX] SIN [QF] BNE; with a stopover on each of the intermediates.

Explorer awards definitely still doesn't replace US DM awards as far as flexibility and cost is concerned, but with movement to the new system, it's worth knowing your options.

 

[whole-lotta-moxie]

Food for thought: when considering AA awards, don't forget to consider both the more plain AA all-airline awards, as well as the oneworld awards.

Here's one for the sandgropers

PER (South Pacific) to Europe in J is 120,000 AA miles return (USD 2,412 before taxes if you take my table above).

An alternative, although more expensive, is to consider the oneworld Explorer award, say the zone 6 (14,001 to 20,000 trip miles). In J, this costs 130,000 AA miles (which is USD 2,613 before taxes). The advantages of opting for this award, however, over a standard all-airline award, are:

• The "transit via third region" restrictions disappear.
• You can have stopovers - in fact, you can have as many as you like (but stopovers are limited to once per city per itinerary; and Explorer awards are limited to 16 segments).
• You generally have a lot more routing freedom on Explorer awards. This makes it rather easier to check for award options.

The example given is about USD 200 more expensive for the Explorer award, plus some more if you have stopovers or segments than a normal award, but depending on what you're after, it might be great value for you.

Here's a sample routing: PER [QF] SIN (stop) [CX] HKG (stop) [CX] CDG (stop) [BA] LHR [QF] DXB (stop) [QR] DOH [QR] PER. I believe that conforms to all rules. Just under 20,000 trip miles.

This cool trick doesn't quite work for eastern seaboarders, because the extra distance we need to fly onto Asia pushes one into zone 7 even on a basic return itinerary. However, if you're prepared to pay the difference, you have about another 2,000 - 4,000 trip miles to play with before you hit the next Explorer award zone. For example, the following itinerary for a zone 7 Explorer in J, which costs 150,000 AA miles (USD 3,015 before taxes):

BNE [QF] MEL [QF] LHR [AY] HEL [AY] FRA [CX] HKG [CX] SIN [QF] BNE; with a stopover on each of the intermediates.

Explorer awards definitely still doesn't replace US DM awards as far as flexibility and cost is concerned, but with movement to the new system, it's worth knowing your options.

Thanks anat01 - it is all a bit confusing and all your posts are certainly making it clearer. I understood the US DM redemptions this just seems like a whole world of confusion to me but at least there are people out there like you to help to make it all a bit clearer

 

[miztadave]

Sorry, this is a complete newbie question! I've just started investigating the AAdvantage program, prompted by a post on OzBargain, referencing the AFF site. The post mentions the current promotion going on with US airlines (AA and Alaska) for bonus miles with mileage purchases.

This prompted me to start looking at the "cost" of a trip to Europe. One date I searched showed availability of a one-way, First Class ticket for 80k AA points. Using the current promotion, this would cost US$1705 (62k purchase + 18k bonus). Even at full-price (no bonus), it would only cost US$2200!

How can this be? Is it in fact possible to get a ticket that would retail for many 1000s dollars for this price? Or am I missing something? It seems Too Good To Be True - TGTBT to use acronyms as this site appears to favour ;-)

 

[alieninperth]

welcome miztadave, I think you have a lot of reading to do if you want a satisfactory answer to that question. I certainly did when I first came across it.

 

[NM]

Sorry, this is a complete newbie question! I've just started investigating the AAdvantage program, prompted by a post on OzBargain, referencing the AFF site. The post mentions the current promotion going on with US airlines (AA and Alaska) for bonus miles with mileage purchases.

This prompted me to start looking at the "cost" of a trip to Europe. One date I searched showed availability of a one-way, First Class ticket for 80k AA points. Using the current promotion, this would cost US$1705 (62k purchase + 18k bonus). Even at full-price (no bonus), it would only cost US$2200!

How can this be? Is it in fact possible to get a ticket that would retail for many 1000s dollars for this price? Or am I missing something? It seems Too Good To Be True - TGTBT to use acronyms as this site appears to favour ;-)

The "issue" or downside is the limited availability for award seats in premium cabins, especially ex-Australia. If paying for a regular commercial ticket, you can travel almost any day you like, via whatever routing you like, and with companions on the same flights. but when using award tickets, you can be very limited around dates, routing and it can be almost impossible to find multiple premium cabin award seats available on the same flights much of the time. If you can find the availability, then its great value. If not, then its of no value at all.

 

[miztadave]

The "issue" or downside is the limited availability for award seats in premium cabins, especially ex-Australia.

Yes, I have encountered these kind of issues when booking award flights using my QFF points. Although, I've managed to achieve a reasonable amount of success over the years

Apart from that, the value is actually there if obtainable? If so, it surprises me that it would be possible to find any award flights! No wonder QFF members searching for Classic Awards have very little chance of picking up something.

 

[miztadave]

welcome miztadave, I think you have a lot of reading to do if you want a satisfactory answer to that question.

Thanks alien Care to pass on some pointers as to where to start reading?

 

[Mwenenzi]

miztadave Welcome to forum

...Care to pass on some pointers as to where to start reading?

http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/
Recommended AFF Reading

One of the issues is that with QF you can book awards at 353 days out where as with AA (and some other airlines) is at 330 days. Awards are more or less the same for QF, AA, BA etc

 

[alieninperth]

what (s)he said ^^^