American Airlines changing their Flight Rewards miles program

[robert6996]

Here's the article detailing the new flight rewards program with American Airlines.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/05/american-airlines-frequent-flyer-award-chart-dynamic-pricing.html

[Luv2Phuket]

As discussed on a travel blog:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/american-airlines-drops-award-charts/

What was most relevant to me was this:

Fortunately, American told TPG that there are no plans to change the partner chart. The carrier also confirmed that awards with both American and partner segments will still be priced according to the static partner chart.

Good news for me, as I try to use Advantage miles for awards on JAL and Cathay (although Cathay seems to have disappeared from the frequent flier radar)

 

[jte]

I tried to book an award flight from USA to Thailand and could not find one, so I called them and the KAREN that answered the call informed me that they do not serve Thailand. Funny since I could buy a ticket to Thailand.

Unite gave me a status match challenge and status for 3 months.

[Luv2Phuket]

American agents are not that great.

When SW had the meltdown over Christmas, I hopped online and found my brother a flight home from Texas to San Diego before the agent could come close.  We were telling him the flights and the guy still couldn't find them.  I snagged the last 2 seats for my brother at an ABSURD price (but SW repaid every penny).

Award travel to Asia is always a crapshoot with AA agents. I have had a few that were great, but the bulk of them have no idea where Thailand even is or who the partner airlines are.  I especially love when they tell me they can't find the "midnight flight" I am asking about....only to say "but I see an 11:57 p.m."  555

[robert6996]

2 hours ago, jte said:

I tried to book an award flight from USA to Thailand and could not find one, so I called them and the KAREN that answered the call informed me that they do not serve Thailand. Funny since I could buy a ticket to Thailand.

AA doesn't fly into Thailand from the USA, but you can use their flight miles/awards to book a trip to Thailand thru another airline.

Here's a link that list airlines that AA does code sharing with.https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-program/miles/partners/partner-airlines.jsp

Edited April 12, 2023 by robert6996
added more

[jte]

Something went wrong
We didn't find a match. Please choose different search options.
"From 
TPA

To
BKK
Depart 
07/02/2023
Return 
07/16/2023
Number of passengers
1
Class
Show all
Airline
All airlines"
 maybe you would have to search through another airline's website, but I did search on Americans and selected "all airlines"

Like I said United gave me a status match challenge that I will have completed after this trip to Thailand. 

Edited April 12, 2023 by jte
missing information

[Luv2Phuket]

32 minutes ago, jte said:

Something went wrong
We didn't find a match. Please choose different search options.
"From 
TPA

To
BKK
Depart 
07/02/2023
Return 
07/16/2023
Number of passengers
1
Class
Show all
Airline
All airlines"
 maybe you would have to search through another airline's website, but I did search on Americans and selected "all airlines"

Like I said United gave me a status match challenge that I will have completed after this trip to Thailand. 

Are you searching for award travel?

The last time I searched, I got that message over and over.  It simply means they have zero availability. 

I was doing it month-by-month, and nothing would come up until I found a month that had a seta or two available.

I get options when I search United....typically 180,000 miles for OW (even see some 600k+ options! Yikes!), but options do come up.  That said, BMs on the East Coast seem to have much better luck than those of us traveling via the West Coast.

[jte]

Yes I am searching for award travel.... I don't have any problem finding paid flights.

I agree that it looks like star alliance flight cost LOTS of points.

My search was from Tampa to Bangkok and I tried the Calander search, I don't know I never had any issues before. Oh well when I started coming to Thailand I was using United and had problems after a few years so I switched to American and now going back. I work in the oilfields in Texas so the company buys me a flight home every month and I fly to Thailand quite often. I don't know if I will like united better but I am willing to vote with my feet if I don't get reasonable service.

[Luv2Phuket]

1 hour ago, jte said:

Yes I am searching for award travel.... I don't have any problem finding paid flights.

I agree that it looks like star alliance flight cost LOTS of points.

My search was from Tampa to Bangkok and I tried the Calander search, I don't know I never had any issues before. Oh well when I started coming to Thailand I was using United and had problems after a few years so I switched to American and now going back. I work in the oilfields in Texas so the company buys me a flight home every month and I fly to Thailand quite often. I don't know if I will like united better but I am willing to vote with my feet if I don't get reasonable service.

Checking from Tampa instead of a gateway city could be the issue.

There is never anything from Las Vegas to Bangkok, but I can sometimes find from SFO or LAX (or even SEA, if I am desperate).  I just book a positioning flight separate.

I suggest you check DFW.

[jte]

"Something went wrong
We didn't find a match. Please choose different search options."

No love from American.

No problem I just like having the status for better seating in cattle class and lounge access.

[Billy Baht]

21 hours ago, robert6996 said:

AA doesn't fly into Thailand from the USA, but you can use their flight miles/awards to book a trip to Thailand thru another airline

Yeah, that's my experience; I flew to Thailand Jan '23 from Guadalajara. GDL to DFW American; DFW to NRT American but NRT to BKK on JAL, 37,500 AA miles, which was a pretty good deal, albeit in coach. 

American has, or used to have, some sweet spots; Feb '20 I flew Cathay Pacific from MNL to LAX, via HGK; Business and First Classes for 110k AA miles, booked through AA. I found award space on the British Airways site, then called American to book over the phone.

For guys that live in the USA, churning credit card sign up bonuses can be a great way to sit in the front of the plane 😁😁

But yeah, the airlines continue to devalue their award programs and banks have rules on how frequent you can collect new sign up bonuses.

[Roadglide]

I think the problem with finding availability to use "points" to fly to Thailand on AA boils down to the fact that AA does not actually fly into Thailand and instead uses Japan Airlines or Cathay Pacific as partner airlines to do so.

Both JAL and CX are trying to return to profitability post Covid and are reluctant to exchange paid seats for AA points.  Japan was one of the last countries to open up their borders post Covid, and Hong Kong being taken over by the Communist Chines party, who have really taken the Covid opportunity to gut upper management and install their preferred management, who has just fucked up Cathay pacific airlines, AND THAT is why we are having problems finding award travel to Thailand.  You can easily find award travel to Japan or Hong Kong on American Airlines aircraft, but trying to do so via OneWorld is very difficult.

[bgtp]

20 hours ago, Luv2Phuket said:

I get options when I search United....typically 180,000 miles for OW (even see some 600k+ options! Yikes!), but options do come up.  That said, BMs on the East Coast seem to have much better luck than those of us traveling via the West Coast.

Have you ever tried looking further east as an alternate airport? I know EWR to LAS is a long positioning flight, but ORD could have something. Another advantage (no pun intended) of United over American is that you can get to Thailand on a single award via Europe or Asia (or even Africa if you're daring). Besides Thai, EVA, ANA and Singapore, you have Austrian, Swiss, Lufthansa, TAP and Turkish to work with.

[Luv2Phuket]

54 minutes ago, bgtp said:

Have you ever tried looking further east as an alternate airport? I know EWR to LAS is a long positioning flight, but ORD could have something. Another advantage (no pun intended) of United over American is that you can get to Thailand on a single award via Europe or Asia (or even Africa if you're daring). Besides Thai, EVA, ANA and Singapore, you have Austrian, Swiss, Lufthansa, TAP and Turkish to work with.

I have looked at flights to/from ORD (especially using Qatar) and DFW.  Thought I found a great first class award on JAL that went back to DFW, but only the BKK-Tokay log was in the first - the long haul was in economy.  No thanks!  555

I tend to use EVA and Singapore's own programs, as opposed to booking via Untied and Star Alliance.

[Roadglide]

What I am finding out in my searches is that AA "may" show availability for a flight to BKK, however when you go to finalize the tickets you will get a "flight not available"  and that the phone agents are very clueless, for the past 2 days I have been trying to book awards travel, and it is nothing but frustrating.

I'm about to cancel my Citi AA credit card....why use it to earn points that cannot be used for international travel???

[bgtp]

On 13/04/2023 at 16:03, Luv2Phuket said:

I tend to use EVA and Singapore's own programs, as opposed to booking via Untied and Star Alliance.

I’ve been gun-shy using some of the non-US carrier programs due to their points expiration policy. I did use Korean once when they partnered with Chase. At least their points didn’t expire for 10 years. I would have kept on using them if they stayed partnered with Chase. I do have BA Avios and it’s easy enough keeping any points from expiring by having any kind of activity every 36 months. They also have the Qatar transfer option. As things tighten up (and churning opportunities dwindle), I may have to look at other options. Do EVA and Singapore have more awards available to their members than they make available to their Star Alliance partners?

[Luv2Phuket]

5 minutes ago, bgtp said:

I’ve been gun-shy using some of the non-US carrier programs due to their points expiration policy. I did use Korean once when they partnered with Chase. At least their points didn’t expire for 10 years. I would have kept on using them if they stayed partnered with Chase. I do have BA Avios and it’s easy enough keeping any points from expiring by having any kind of activity every 36 months. They also have the Qatar transfer option. As things tighten up (and churning opportunities dwindle), I may have to look at other options. Do EVA and Singapore have more awards available to their members than they make available to their Star Alliance partners?

The expiration SUCKS and I almost got fucked by it -- had EVA miles that expired like 2 weeks after my last award ticket. If I cancelled, I was kissing 75,000 transferred points goodbye.  The inability to keep them alive sucks, so I try to transfer only when I am ready to travel/book.

I think EVA has more availability to its members than to Star Alliance. They also offer the ability to waitlist.

I ahve read that Singapore is the same.  They also seem to have standard awards (higher rate) available when Star Alliance shows no availability.

EVA is a bargain at 75,000 miles OW, but the expiration sucks and transferable programs are limited (I think only Citi and Cap One).

Singapore has devalued a couple of times and at 107,000 (I think) saver and like 128,000 (I think) standard for OW, they are no bargain.  The fact that they are transfer partners for everyone and their dog is the biggest perk for them.

I am going to close one of my Citi card when it comes up for renewal in about 2 months.  That puts me on the clock to transfer those points (think I have 6 mos after expiration, but I will do before cancelling).  Sitting on 12,899 TY points right now, so I will be certain to get that to 13,000! 555  Torn between which of the 2 (EVA or SQ) I will transfer them to.

[Luv2Phuket]

BTW, it SUCKED when Korean left Chase.  They used to have very solid availability.