new AA buy miles promotion

[sergeyvzn]

I have to admit I can't find anything! I just did a search on the QF website, starting from next week, for two seats MEL-LHR, and got as far as the end of september finding only one say (Sept 21) where two business class seats available.

Everything else was for economy, and even then, there were lots of blank days (sometimes for well over a week) where nothing at all was showing.

I know booking right at the 330 or 365 day window there can be some ok availability, but not everyone can make plans to book that far in advance.

I've just had a look at Syd to LHR, you're right about 2 seats but there is one F seat almost EVERY day starting from October
Funnily enough, there are more F seats available than J ones!
If there are 2 pax travelling together they may have to travel a day apart. That's what I've had to do before with my partner, first we both didn't really like the idea but if it's flying in F, we think now we can cope with the separation anxiety for a day -

 

[sergeyvzn]

This has been my dilemma too. In fact you can't book at 365 days in advance with AA. The window opens at 331 days. This makes AA pretty useless for travel to the US as they only allow direct trans-pacific flights to be booked as one award (ie. QANTAS!). By 331 days, all QF seats have been snatched by QFF, Avios and Asia Miles members who have access to it at 365 days.

Have you considered flying Air Fiji? They are still an AAdvantage partner and seat availability can be checked on Qantas

Although their J product is not as great as QF it's certainly better than Hawaiian

 

[Foreigner]

Have you considered flying Air Fiji? They are still an AAdvantage partner and seat availability can be checked on Qantas

Although their J product is not as great as QF it's certainly better than Hawaiian

Umm...Fiji Airways (formerly Air Pacific)

 

[sergeyvzn]

Umm...Fiji Airways (formerly Air Pacific)

Fiji Air formerly known as Pacific Airways -

 

[Foreigner]

C. 1970s

.........

 

[VAG newbie]

Have you considered flying Air Fiji? They are still an AAdvantage partner and seat availability can be checked on Qantas

Although their J product is not as great as QF it's certainly better than Hawaiian

Yes I have. But I don't think their availability is much greater either.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This has been my dilemma too. In fact you can't book at 365 days in advance with AA. The window opens at 331 days. This makes AA pretty useless for travel to the US as they only allow direct trans-pacific flights to be booked as one award (ie. QANTAS!). By 331 days, all QF seats have been snatched by QFF, Avios and Asia Miles members who have access to it at 365 days.

I am still lingering, now that AUD have reached a 3 week high, 160K miles costs just above $4100, but it is still a big amount to pay. Unfortunately my trip plan in the coming year will be USA bound so it may not be as useful to me. I am not sure if I should stock pile the miles as I still have a whole pile of Lifemiles to burn! But AUD may fall further yet it is also possible that AA may devalue their award chart if I don't have immediate use. Ugh...decisions decisions decisions.....

If you have the money to spare, buy the miles, noting the caveats that the award chart may be devalued, and limited availability non-stop for transpacs.

Otherwise, trans-pac aside, there are some options to fly to Asia (pretty good value), and to Europe via Hong Kong or Tokyo.

However, there are other options than AA miles. As discussed plenty of times elsewhere, Sri Lankan, Qatar, Finnair, Air India out of SIN will all give excellent value for money. Fiji Airways will give a pretty competitive fare via NAN (purchasing as three separate tickets to take advantage of the FJD).

Viet Nam Airlines recently (dunno if it's still valid) had fares ex Shanghai for around AUD2000 return to Paris, Frankfurt and London. With Frankfurt and London [to be] operated by A350s and 787s (with full flat seating). Fares to Shanghai in economy to connect can be as low as $700 on CX.

Plenty of options for your money.

Back in the days when we were getting wide open availability to Europe return for $2200 plus taxes (sometimes even much less with 1c share offers), and First class for just a few pennies more, the buying of points was more compelling.

 

[Nizar]

It sounds like a big risk spending $4300

The great thing about the way AA works is that you don't actually have to "risk" anything. You search for the seats you want first then you secure them by putting them on hold so nobody else can touch them. Only then do you part with your ~$4300.

 

[diningdecadence]

The great thing about the way AA works is that you don't actually have to "risk" anything. You search for the seats you want first then you secure them by putting them on hold so nobody else can touch them. Only then do you part with your ~$4300.

agreed but this poster was looking for flights past the current schedule i believe hence the 'risk'. could always do some dummy bookings (via phone or online) to see general availability and then take a calculated risk.

 

[Limewood]

Can AA award booking be put on hold online?.

If one booked a USDM fare and wanted to change it, I guess it still remains under those conditions and not AA's?.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Can AA award booking be put on hold online?.

If one booked a USDM fare and wanted to change it, I guess it still remains under those conditions and not AA's?.

Not online, but over the phone yes. And any changes as long as dep and arr cities remain the same are free. You might see a better routing, or upgrades avail and can change to them free just a few days before departure.

Made 2 booking via phone with AA due to CX and EY not avail online and was impressed with the service. minimal hold time and booking made or on hold within a few minutes. Life Miles ahead of the competition and the old USDM.

 

[sergeyvzn]

Can AA award booking be put on hold online?.

If one booked a USDM fare and wanted to change it, I guess it still remains under those conditions and not AA's?.

No, now AA's conditions apply to all booking including past USDMs ones. I had to change a class of service on one of the legs of my old USDM booking, I rang AA, was put through to the old USDM team, they changed it but did not charge me as I was not changing the city pairs.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Can AA award booking be put on hold online?.

If one booked a USDM fare and wanted to change it, I guess it still remains under those conditions and not AA's?.

Yes AA bookings can be held online. 5 days if 15-330 days prior to departure.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

No, now AA's conditions apply to all booking including past USDMs ones. I had to change a class of service on one of the legs of my old USDM booking, I rang AA, was put through to the old USDM team, they changed it but did not charge me as I was not changing the city pairs.

I think it depends on the change and the agent you get. Date and time changes should be under AA's pricing policy (allowed without fee).

Changes to routing may be a little more complicated or even not allowed.

 

[Swan]

No, now AA's conditions apply to all booking including past USDMs ones. I had to change a class of service on one of the legs of my old USDM booking, I rang AA, was put through to the old USDM team, they changed it but did not charge me as I was not changing the city pairs.

Changed flight and class but with same city pairs. USDM agent was insistent on $150 change fee. Eventually after checking with AA agreed no fee was payable. As the flight changed was departing from LHR the taxes calculated included APD, however this flight was a connection in transit so this tax eventually got removed. I was on the line for over one hour and was thankful for the information provided here. Clearly USDM staff do not always know AA rules

 

[Nizar]

Clearly USDM staff do not always know AA rules

That doesn't particularly surprise me. Even AA agents do not always know AA rules. Still its always frustrating to have to HUACA especially after waiting on the phone for an hour.

 

[coolkid101]

Not online, but over the phone yes. And any changes as long as dep and arr cities remain the same are free. You might see a better routing, or upgrades avail and can change to them free just a few days before departure.

Made 2 booking via phone with AA due to CX and EY not avail online and was impressed with the service. minimal hold time and booking made or on hold within a few minutes. Life Miles ahead of the competition and the old USDM.

a freudian slip there?

 

[Limewood]

No, now AA's conditions apply to all booking including past USDMs ones. I had to change a class of service on one of the legs of my old USDM booking, I rang AA, was put through to the old USDM team, they changed it but did not charge me as I was not changing the city pairs.

We booked with USDM, don't want to change destination (CDG) just extend return date, so wondered if any fees would be charged.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

We booked with USDM, don't want to change destination (CDG) just extend return date, so wondered if any fees would be charged.

theoretically should be ok for free of charge... you might need to take the time to press the issue if they want to charge you.

 

[Alanslegal]

Wondering if I should buy 100k points to get 160k points in total to bank for future use? Am aware of this thread -> "...a-couple-questions-aadvantage-newbie-59133.html" (sorry, silly sytem won't let me post links) but it's a 100+ page read.

I currently have approximately 150k points in AMEX which I believe I can transfer to AA via Starwood? Would the 150k AMEX points + 160k AA points be able to get me from PER to US (LAX or SFO for example) for 2 people in First or Business? What's the best way to use the points? Open to a 2 pax trip to US or Europe.

Bottom line, is AUD$4300 or so for these points worth it and can I get good long haul First/Business for two pax if I combine with existing 150k AMEX points transferred to AA (via Starwood) or am I better off using the AMEX points for Qantas flights?

If you can transfer your AX points to SQKF at 1:1 then you might have a better chance of redeeming 2 x J awards PER-SIN-LAX/SFO for 161,500 KF points.