Devaluation of AA Awards

[Princess Fiona]

Just saw this on Boarding Area

American And US Airways Award Program Changes Without Notice - One Mile at a Time

 

[deejo77]

Ouch....stopover on entry to USA made that Qantas lax to JFK flight OK....hurts but expected

 

[lovestotravel]

Was bound to happen!

 

[jetpack]

No! I was saving my USDM miles hoping to transfer them to AA and get those oneworld explorer awards.

 

[Beta4Me]

Well that basically complete coughks up my overseas trip in Nov/Dec. I now can only go HND-ORD-HND instead of HND-LAX-ORD-MCO-HND on the same two AA one-way award (they have eliminated being able to have an international gateway city stopover). Now what to do I do!?! :S

Any thoughts/help please?

 

[Bundy Bear]

That is going to hurt; I would almost be crying if I was saving up for an AAward and then to have the rules changed without notice.
Buying miles is almost like a game, some times you win some times you lose.
At least Qantas give you 3 months notice, those Flyertalk threads are going to get long.

 

[Mwenenzi]

New AA chart
https://www.aa.com/i18n/disclaimers/free-ticket-award-chart.jsp
AA Oneworld explorer awards are eliminated effective immediately.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/redeemMiles/makingAwardReservations.jsp

New USDM charts
https://membership.usairways.com/en-US/Resources/_downloads/dividendmiles/partnerawardtravel.pdf
https://membership.usairways.com/en-US/Resources/_downloads/dividendmiles/oneworldawardtravel.pdf

 

[drron]

Not surprised.Over the last 12 months they have been covertly devaluing.In previous years it was never a problem getting 2 sAAver F awards Asia-US or US-Europe even a couple of months out.now it is necessary to book at the 11 month mark and even then may be a problem.

 

[mlob]

OUCH!!! That will pay me for being tardy and not holding that second first class award I was chasing for my US trip this year.

 

[quokka77]

Any thoughts/help please?

cough up for cheap one ways on us domestic carrier of your choice? Or burn some more miles if you've got'em. If you put your required routes on a fare watching alert on Kayak it can tell you when prices change.

 

[anat0l]

I think like many, I was saving up for that elusive oneworld Explorer award.

Going to have to find a more expensive and new novel way to "travel the world" now.

I'm guessing the huge mileage balances accumulated in the US programme prior to the merger was not boding well. I'm imagining it's going to start burgeoning on the oneworld premium award seat pool already.

 

[anat0l]

Despite the ulterior thoughts on removing the oneworld Explorer awards, I'm surprised this happened as every FFP in oneworld offers the oneworld Explorer award in their FFP currency.

 

[dajop]

Despite the ulterior thoughts on removing the oneworld Explorer awards, I'm surprised this happened as every FFP in oneworld offers the oneworld Explorer award in their FFP currency.

Technically speaking they don't. QF's one world award is not a oneworld explorer. It is simply a one world multiple airline award (it doesn't even need to circle the world)

 

[dalereardon]

I tweeted @americanair to express (politely of course) my displeasure at no notice being given which is the real issue.

Worringly they wrote back and told me that further policy changes would be announced later today. I responded that the new charts were already published and they again responded that further policies would be announced later today.

Dale.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I tweeted @americanair to express (politely of course) my displeasure at no notice being given which is the real issue.

Worringly they wrote back and told me that further policy changes would be announced later today. I responded that the new charts were already published and they again responded that further policies would be announced later today.

Dale.

That doesn't sound good at all

 

[anat0l]

Technically speaking they don't. QF's one world award is not a oneworld explorer. It is simply a one world multiple airline award (it doesn't even need to circle the world)

Sorry, you are right: Qantas calls it a oneworld Award. Otherwise, it is similar to the AA oneworld Explorer award (and yes, neither has to actually be a bona fide RTW routing).

 

[straitman]

There are still some reasonably good deals going though. On Saturday I booked CDG-LHR-MEL in F and the redemption rate and charges have not changed (yet).

 

[Princess Fiona]

The (as yet) unconfirmed loss of the stopover at the gateway into the US is a pretty major devaluation particularly for the non-US travellers. I understand that it could be used by US travellers as a OW trip to Hawaii for spring break so maybe that might have something to do with it's demise.

 

[seritonin]

The (as yet) unconfirmed loss of the stopover at the gateway into the US is a pretty major devaluation particularly for the non-US travellers. I understand that it could be used by US travellers as a OW trip to Hawaii for spring break so maybe that might have something to do with it's demise.

Maybe by getting rid of free stopover in the US, they will start allowing stopover in One world hub cities anywhere in the world just like USDM.... or am I just too optimistic?

 

[drron]

The new Aaward flights chart for AA flights-
American Airlines award chart

Interestingly the have cut Aanytime award redemptions for Y and some J awards if flying domestically and to the Carribean,Canada,Alaska,Central America and Hawaii but F Aanytime awards outside the continental 48 have risen.

international routes the Y Aanytime award rates have been cut but J and F rise.
So penalising those who want premium cabin awards.but that makes sense.