Finding premium cabin award seats between the U.S. and Australia can be extremely difficult, in particular in the high season. While we sometimes see a decent amount of space in the off season, it’s very rare to see saver level premium cabin space in December, etc.
Well, at the moment American has a lot of business class award availability between Los Angeles and Sydney.
The space seems to be available starting in November through the end of the schedule, which as of now runs through December 13, 2017. Many dates have up to five business class award seats available. For example, here’s what availability looks like for two business class award seats for the last month of the schedule:
The best way to book this award is through American AAdvantage or Alaska Mileage Plan — both charge 80,000 miles for a one-way business class ticket.
Keep in mind that American allows five day award holds, so you can put a ticket on hold now if you’re still working on locking in dates.
For those with systemwide upgrades, unfortunately it looks like there’s not any confirmable upgrade availability on these flights. Typically upgrade availability is at least as good as award availability, but that’s not the case here.
This route is operated by American’s flagship 777-300ER, which features reverse herringbone seats in business class, Wi-Fi, and even American’s enhanced service, which includes pajamas and mattress pads in business class. This is a very nice way to fly across the Pacific.
Hurry, as this availability won’t last!
I see ZERO business awards on AA now through March of 2018. I guess AA is back to their old games.
Most of the awards that I have been seeing ex LA have been from LA > DFW in F, and then DFW > SYD in Y.
I've recently booked a ticket in F on QF metal SYD > DFW in July, and am on the prowl for a LAX > SYD ticket - there's a couple of dates available, but none that work with my schedule, so I'll keep looking.
In comparing AA with...
Most of the awards that I have been seeing ex LA have been from LA > DFW in F, and then DFW > SYD in Y.
I've recently booked a ticket in F on QF metal SYD > DFW in July, and am on the prowl for a LAX > SYD ticket - there's a couple of dates available, but none that work with my schedule, so I'll keep looking.
In comparing AA with QF - I flew AA F to Australia last year, and returned on QF Business - I hated the seat in QF Business (it angled down, making it difficult to sleep), and the food was too frou frou for my liking. I can't wait to fly F on QF to compare it against AA. I was really impressed with everything about my experience with AA last year.
@Suzue Alcatrez LOL. Unfortunately this is completely true.
@Suzue Alcatrez Unfortunatly that how it is
@Tim I disagree. Sure QF is still way ahead in F, but food, beverages and seat are much better on AA 77W in all other cabins. Plus AA will get PY soon as well. As for AA losing that route, I won't bet on it. Your purser must have been severely disinformed :)
I flew Melbourne to Sydney on a QANTAS 747. It's about a 60 minute flight. We departed at noon and they had a full lunch service in coach. Amazing to see FAs hustling up and down the aisles.
I've never seen an American FA hustle except when one jumped in front of me at a hotel breakfast buffet.
Nothing. Nada. Zilch
@Tim I flew QF HKG-SYD and SYD-DFW a few years ago -- food and service were fine. AA Business class food and service are fine, by and large. I really did not see a night and day effect here, the way I do when I am in CX First to HKG vs AA First from PEK. Or the night and day difference I taste when I go to a $50 restaurant or a $200 restaurant...
@Tim I flew QF HKG-SYD and SYD-DFW a few years ago -- food and service were fine. AA Business class food and service are fine, by and large. I really did not see a night and day effect here, the way I do when I am in CX First to HKG vs AA First from PEK. Or the night and day difference I taste when I go to a $50 restaurant or a $200 restaurant at home in New York (modulo exceptions).
I think a lot of these strong feelings about airlines are related to specific expectations -- airlines differ in many smaller details, and frequent fliers notice such smaller differences (the airline fails to meet their expectation), and then interpret deviations from what they expect as quality differences. I never have sundaes on the ground and I like the American custom-made sundaes for dessert, including the flight attendant's encouragement to have the whipped cream; in contrast, the somewhat loveless "almond and apple cake" on Iberia seemed uninspired in contrast. But if you are not expecting sundaes, they may seem gaudy, while the Iberia cake is "elegant".
VF
Just booked OW SYD-PHX in J for 160K points and $171.72 in Tax's. This helped out on our RTW trip I'm planning. Just have to get from FRA to SYD now. Have SQ suites JFK-FRA booked.
looking at booking dec 16/17 for 5.
AA shows 5 Y or J sAAvers.
Try and book and nothing.
Ring AA there are no sAavers in any class and they are aware of a website glitch.
American service sucks ass. Wouldn't care to fly on them. Planes have been filthy. Even the new ones
i was wrong in my comment above- still seem to be J&F dates available sporadically, and outside November also. apologies
Gone already, huh? I wouldn't be surprised if "the troops" stole the award seats out from under our noses while we were all hard at work.
All gone. that was fast
I'm not seeing any SAAVER First or Biz. Is it really all gone that fast?
@chancer - correct. American's seat is better in Biz. Qantas is better in First. Economy is about the same but Qantas has PE.
But the overall experience in any cabin (even though American's Biz seat is better) is much better on Qantas. Food, attention to detail, FAs, it's a much better soft product. Even from check in and customer service.
@ Tim - Qantas pod seats aren't exactly bar-raising either.
Flew this route LAX-SYD last month. Had a long chat with the Purser on board. She told me "AA is likely to lose this route as Qantas is not happy with the level of service we provide"
It seems Australian customers mainly are upset and angry at Qantas when they go to Qantas.com to buy a ticket to LA, and it ends up being operated by AA - and the product is substandard.
She said...
Flew this route LAX-SYD last month. Had a long chat with the Purser on board. She told me "AA is likely to lose this route as Qantas is not happy with the level of service we provide"
It seems Australian customers mainly are upset and angry at Qantas when they go to Qantas.com to buy a ticket to LA, and it ends up being operated by AA - and the product is substandard.
She said it's very frustrating, but as Purser - none of her FA's are interested in putting in the detail and effort into raising the bar.
I got 2 business seats ticketed LAX-SYD direct on AA metal and received confirmation email from AA.
Yep phantom availability through my handful of searches too. Nice clickbait though!
Phantom space at least when checking Business....showing F availability from LAX-SFO then Y from SFO-SYD on all days I checked
And First Class availability ain't bad either :)