There are many aspects to redeeming miles efficiently. In addition to knowing which programs have the best redemption rates, it also makes sense to understand how you can actually snag the award seats that are available.
Continue reading: When Do Airlines Open Award Seats? Key Dates To Know…
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
While I understand it's an availablity thing from the Qatar Airways side, I havent seen ANY 75,000 Advantage awards out of the US in Qatar Airways Business Class in a VERY long time. While I get that you're quoting the cost, the availability and ability to use AA miles for those types of awards has been next to nothing for way too long.
Beat me to it.
Lucky, that is indeed an error, I've made several bookings like the commenter above.
They open up schedule ahead of BA.
Yeah I have no idea why Ben continues to present Qatar on AA as something that is actually a viable option. It's a unicorn at this point.
because he is looking to get people who don't know any better to signup for cards so he can get referral fees. If people were told the truth about how difficult it is to find award space for premium travel most of them would never signup for these cards in the first place.
While that is mostly true but only 2 seats available in business class. Previously they released 4 seats.
Got my business class seat on Qatar out of CDG and LHR. There were four in each direction
While not faulting Ben and his business model, I tend to agree lots of disappointment with availability. to make it worthwhile you need several cards w SUB
OTOH, I’ve played this game for 12 years I’ve had a grand time button it’s not as fun with higher prices all around. C’est La vie
Safe travels
You guys need to remember YMMV is a pillar of miles/points. Not every one's needs are QR ex-USA.
Ben,
Its irrelevant the date and when they open the calendar,
most airlines programs are not very honest and they verbal engineer everything, most of the times 300,000 miles/points needed and Yes! you can get the reward in 300 days before, its not worth it!!
The most important its when the lowest point or saver award its available!
In other words its better to have a points/miles in a program that consistently allows good opportunities at a reasonable rate.
Agree with You 100%.
I already have an account in Qatar since AAdvantage isnt an option anymore.
There ain’t no stinking award seats is my experience! And yes no point buying miles in say Alaska as the good stuff is gone long before they open their schedule
Yet Ben and Gary et al will continue breathlessly pushing various credit card products with the headlines of “only 80K AA miles for JAL F” etc when those are a needle in a haystack at best!!!
Right but this article specifically mentions 75k awards ex-US. Commenting if what you me tion
Yes but this article specifically mentions the ex-USA 75k awards using AA miles on QR, which QR almost never makes available anymore. No mention of anything else.
@Jason that's cool, we can talk about the American stock market all day as a way to get rich; there are other plays for those who know better.
Booked EWR-DFW-OGG in business class the day the schedule opened for 55.5k AA miles. It’s now double or more.
Coupled with my HNL-HND-SIN flight in business class for 55k AA miles and my SIN-FRA-EWR for 92k Air Canada Miles. 200k around the world is a great value.
In my experience in recent years (and certainly post pandemic) redeeming points for a party of 2 or more in a premium cabin on a reasonably efficient routing (1 stop with connection time of 2-4 hrs, excepting very small regional destinations where 2 stops may be required) at desirable times/seasons is like finding a needle in a haystack. And, most of us find last minute booking pretty useless (oh yes, I live in North America but because space is available tomorrow off to New Zealand I go but I am not sure how I am getting home or when!). So, 1. I accumulate points agnostically—that is using a CC where I can redeem with any number of partners and 2. Recognize that I can only redeem opportunistically—that is, if there is a points options that happens to fit my needs, then hurray for me, but otherwise I just pay cash.
Remote working can help with that sort of thing, I often say to my colleagues 'I may need to do a couple of days work from [insert country] if I can't find availability with miles for the day I'm hoping to travel'. It feels great to be working in a place where adults are in charge and 'X office days a week' mandates have been confined to teams that actually need physical presence, even if that means my career isn't going to be progressing very fast as we don't get the turnover for that!