Use of AA miles

[Zoom]

Does anybody here uses AA miles reward(citibank) to fly from SoCal to MCO?
I just booked at BWV in June 17-22, AA usually requires 25,000miles/passenger but now i just checked at AA.com the only availability is for 1st class w/c will need 35,000miles and i think thats too much, now my question is, is there a possibilty of releasing new schedules in the next couple of mons for June flights with only using 25,000 miles/pass.? Because if not, then i might have to change my hotel reservation that will match AA flight for me to get the min. miles needed.


Thanks!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I just booked at BWV in June 17-22, AA usually requires 25,000miles/passenger but now i just checked at AA.com the only availability is for 1st class w/c will need 35,000miles and i think thats too much, now my question is, is there a possibilty of releasing new schedules in the next couple of mons for June flights with only using 25,000 miles/pass.?

Normally, AA requires 25,000 miles for a US-domestic, economy class MileSAAver award and 45,000 miles for a US-domestic, first class MileSAAver award.

If you're being given the opportunity to get first class for just 10,000 miles more per ticket than economy class, and you have enough points, I would say go for it! Paid first class is ridiculously expensive -- up to ten times as much as as a heavily discounted economy ticket. This is a chance to begin and end your vacation in first class!

By the way, I'm fortunate to have flown in first on American Airlines many times. Although domestic first class isn't anywhere near as luxurious as the international first class that you see in movies, it's still substantially more comfortable then being squeezed into economy. And first class domestic passengers get meals, wine, drinks, and far more attentive service than in economy.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Once the award miles seats for any given flight are booked, they are booked. AA decides in advance how many non-revenue seats per flight it will allow and that number generally does NOT increase as you get closer to travel time. Non revenue seats include mileage award, vouchers and deadheading crew. The only way non-revenue seats open up is when someone decides to cancel their award travel.

35K is a good deal for transcontinental first class if you can afford the miles. If you can't, you are well served to be flexible with your travel dates and book the award seats as soon as possible. As you have discovered, they sell out early. Non-stop coast to coast flights sell out first, so you may be able to snag travel the day you wish on flights that connect through Dallas, Chicago or St. Louis.

Have a great trip!

Does anybody here uses AA miles reward(citibank) to fly from SoCal to MCO?
I just booked at BWV in June 17-22, AA usually requires 25,000miles/passenger but now i just checked at AA.com the only availability is for 1st class w/c will need 35,000miles and i think thats too much, now my question is, is there a possibilty of releasing new schedules in the next couple of mons for June flights with only using 25,000 miles/pass.? Because if not, then i might have to change my hotel reservation that will match AA flight for me to get the min. miles needed.


Thanks!

 

[Zoom]

Thanks guys!!! We're also planning a trip on Oct and would like to use all our miles for 2 trips that's why as much as i want to experience flying first class, i have to limit/save my miles. We're pretty flexible in June since DS is off track from school(the whole mon. of june) but the problem is, not sure if i can find available room, since BWV & VWL are not my home resort. Not sure if i want to risk it, wait til Mar/Apr and see if they release new flight sched OR change my resort booking

 

[SuzanneSLO]

We fly LAX to MCO every year on AA, usually by buying a ticket in coach, then upgrading to FC with miles. We can usually get a ticket for between $200 and $250, often for the non-stop flight.

Although it looks like flights for June are significanty higher than that right now, those prices may well come down before your trip. For example, for our late April trip the non-stop flight had been around $400 and just last Thursday, it dropped to about $225! So if you wait, you may have another option: buying some tickets at reasonable prices (and earning more miles in the process).

Best of luck -- Suzanne

 

[kaytieeldr]

They won't be adding new flights (if anything, airlines cancel flights or change schedules), and chances are even if somebody flying on miles cancels reservations on your specific desired flights, those seats won't be returned to the miles-pool.

You can try calling American Airlines for help finding seats. There's most likely a charge for reserving with a person, and you WILL have to be flexible, but if you can't find economy seats on your desired flights on your own, a reservationist MAY be able to help you.

Or, as much as you want to get two trips on your miles, you may have to give in and just use them for first class for this trip, then pay for tickets for another trip.

 

[Tasmen]

We fly LAX to MCO every year on AA, usually by buying a ticket in coach, then upgrading to FC with miles. We can usually get a ticket for between $200 and $250, often for the non-stop flight.

That is kind of what we are doing for our May trip. My husband doesn't fly often. I got a citibank amex in his name to get him the 20k miles you get for signing up. We have enough miles on his mileage account to get him a free first class ticket. I am going to buy a coach ticket for me and then upgrade it to first class.

Something you may also look into is purchasing miles. Sometimes the cost of purchasing the extra miles you need for a mileage ticket is cheaper than buying a discount/regular coach fare.