Going to Aspen with AAward booking

[Kangol]

Just wondering if anyone can give me some help with travel about 12 months away.

I'm looking at a J milesAAver flight from MEL to ASE stopping in DFW as part of the international gateway allowance.
So in theory, I would be looking at MEL-xSYD-DFW (QF7), then a few days later DFW-ASE on AA3387 (QF4811)

Thing is, QF only sell a fare from MEL to ASE via QF93 (MEL-LAX) with connections in Denver on UA, not MEL-SYD-DFW-ASE.
They do however sell a fare from SYD to ASE via DFW as above.

I don't think I'd be able to book my desired MEL-SYD-DFW-ASE as a milesAAver award.. that and I can basically find zero award availability on any given day from DFW-ASE.

Is it possible to get any award seats from DFW-ASE? It is operated by American Eagle..
If not, then all of the above goes out the window.

I'm searching on both QF and AA and no award flights to/from ASE can be found.
If that's the case, I may need to buy a revenue ticket or connect through another city (Denver?) and find my own way there...

It also looks like the DFW-ASE flight is seasonal?

Can I book MEL-SYD-DFW and then ring up later to change/add a connection to ASE?

 

[serfty]

I have found it is often easier to just get yourself to LAX on an award, stay for a night before taking a separately booked journey to your eventual destination.

 

[drron]

Plenty of Aawards DFW-ASE next month but none towards the end of year-but also you cant book a paid fare then.it is a seasonal route so looks like they have just not loaded next winter's flights.Maybe email them from aa.com and ask.
Y awards come up MEL-ASE next month but all via LAX.

 

[onlycopunk]

You can always get an award booking just to Denver, then hire a car and drive. Although the drive can be pretty hairy in Winter depending on the weather, but the same can be said with flying. You're going to need a car in Aspen anyway, and the drive to Aspen is quite spectacular.

<----Knowledge: Born and raised in Colorado.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Just wondering if anyone can give me some help with travel about 12 months away....

AA reservations open at 330 days out, so will not be loaded 12 months out
QF reservations open 353? days out

 

[drron]

AA reservations open at 330 days out, so will not be loaded 12 months out
QF reservations open 353? days out

Except that november and first half of december that are within the 331 day limit are not loaded for DFW-ASE.

 

[Kangol]

Thanks everyone, I may have to separate the legs, unless I wait another month or two and gamble on what is available then.