American Airlines Increases Availability of Discount Miles Tickets Up to 1,689%—While Cutting Prices Up to 69% at the Same Time—for Travel Later in 2020 + 2021

The double upgrade: American Airlines has award availability plus discounted mileage tickets. Don’t miss out.

Given what the world is going through right now, it’s nice to be the bearer of good news. That’s particularly the case for American Airlines loyalists with this is one.

AA’s unprecedented award seat availability as well as new lower prices. (Elsewhere in this issue, we also look at Delta’s and United’s equally great opportunities right now, in separate reports).

Ahh, award seat availability you say, FCF? Readers have told us exactly what they think in a recent survey we conducted…

“My biggest frustration is the fact that the big three U.S. legacy carriers rarely offer premium seat availability on international flights until the last minute.” 

And:

“Earning miles and points is not the problem. The issue is using them effectively!”

We couldn’t agree more. Good award availability is as rare as, well… a worldwide pandemic.

Let’s hope this thing sorts itself out as quickly as possible so we can get back to good old scarce award availability! But in the meantime, there are some incredible opportunities to be had.

Along with great, unprecedented availability, AA also has new lower mileage prices as well. That’s a huge win-win.

The message is coming in clear: Book your tickets now, because it won’t last, and when that happens, we’ll be clear of this horrible Coronavirus. A definitive win of another sort. Don’t miss out in the meantime.

Unprecedented Discount Business Class Availability
Later this Year and Into Next Year.

TO/FROM LONDON

Now often just 84,000 miles round-trip in Business Class! Save up to 136,000 miles, or 62%, when compared to normal prices traveling to/from Chicago or New York (with connections from anywhere in the U.S.) to Europe connecting via London.

This is one of the routes we look at often here at FCF, and that’s because it’s so well traveled. But for finding low-cost mileage award space, it’s usually very slim pickings.

Research done back in May 2019, November 2019, December 2019, and even January 2020 showed, at the most, 9 days of availability over a year’s time on the Chicago- or New York-London route when flying with American. Now we’re see 161 days this and next year with availability—1,689% more!

TO/FROM Hawaii

Now just 56,000 miles round-trip from Phoenix and Los Angeles to Honolulu, Kona, Kauai, and Maui: save up 124,000 miles, or 69%, when compared to everyday prices traveling to/from the U.S. Again, it includes connections from anywhere in the U.S. when also available.

Non-stop Transcon
New York to/from San Francisco

Consider 42,000 miles for a round-trip in Business Class between New York and San Francisco, with connections from any U.S. city, saving you up to 63,000 miles, or 60%, when compared to the usual prices.

You haven’t seen this in a decade or two.

Home Airport Not Mentioned?

Connecting flights to the hub cities in this report are free in most cases with American Airlines because its mileage plan is zone-based.

To illustrate, Chicago to London in Business Class on American costs 84,000 miles round-trip. But if you live in Las Vegas, you pay no additional miles to add a flight to Chicago to score that deal. Jackpot!

For details on getting free connecting flights to hubs with great availability go here and here.

AWARD MILEAGE HOLD WITH AMERICAN

If you want to grab these opportunities but haven’t sorted out dates, vacation plans, etc, you can hold the award seat for five days for no additional charge. You can also hold more than one date, and then cancel the ones you don’t need. There’s no charge for the mileage award hold. For more details go here. 

IF YOU DON’T HAVE AA MILES,
BUT DO HAVE CREDIT CARD POINTS

Europe/London Business Class: American Express and Chase have a points-to-miles transfer partnership with Iberia: For example, this gives you New York to London for 92,000 Iberia miles round-trip.

Hawaii and Transcon: American Express and Citi have a points-to-miles transfer partnership with Cathay Pacific, so Los Angeles or Phoenix to Kauai can be had for 60,000 Cathay Pacific miles round-trip.

These are the lowest partnership costs we’ve found for those regions. Just note that when booking with partners such as Iberia and Cathay Pacific, there’s typically less mileage award space than with American.

AA Opportunity Travelers: Time To Book

Remember that nice feeling of having a vacation planned for the future? Why not make it happen with unprecedented American award space available right now? From what we’re seeing, there’s never been a better time to book. These are extraordinary times in every way. You might as well make the best of them and book that trip. Opportunity travelers, as always, will fly the highest.

Remarkable:

Is booking with miles in the time of Covid risky behavior or not? Check out our special report on the change fee or cancellation issues with AA award travel.

Topping off your account hasn’t been this cheap in eons: American Airlines is currently running a deal whereby miles can be acquired for as low as 1.6¢ each. This is through a new, up-to-100% bonus miles-buy promo, which runs through April 12, 2020.