Questions and Answers

Hi all,

As someone who is relatively new to the whole miles game I am wondering if anyone can offer some assistance.

I am looking at booking a suprise trip to NYC (from LHR) for the other halftime next summer. I am still a fair way off having enough AA miles for two return business class tickets.

I assume my only real option is to buy the additional miles. Being a British expat who lives in the Middle East I’m very limited to credit card options to help me out!

I see AA currently have a sale on to buy miles but have also read on here that it’s not their best. As I want to go at the end of June it looks like award availability will be opening up in a few weeks time. This will be after the current miles off ends.

So do I just buy the miles now and book as soon as the dates are available or shall I wait, hope for a better sale in the near future whilst also hoping there’s still availability?

Thanks.

I think if you have set travel dates (or a general period where you [I]have [/I]to travel) I would buy the miles and ticket as soon as the seats become available. The current sale is not the best but can still be worth it if you have a plan for the miles.

Keep in mind if you’re going to buy miles, you don’t have to stick to AA miles!

In your shoes, particularly, Alaska miles might be a good choice. For your return flights you could book New York to Dubai in business class, with a stopover, and then continue on to London up to 11 months later. If that fits with your travel plans, it seems like that would be a compelling option!

And if you decide to stay with AA options remember that award space may become available 330 days out but often the MilesAAver award flights open up around six or seven months out. If you have Expert Flyer you can set alerts for when space becomes available for desired award flights. I’d hold back in buying miles until you find award flights.

Thanks all for your help.

Whilst we live in Doha it’s more practical for us to take this trip whilst we are back in the UK for our annual summer trip, basically so the kids can stay with family whilst we are gone! This also makes for a quicker trip and minimal time away from the kids which is important

In terms of availability, there is quite a bit for early June which is as far as it goes so I hope that this will still be the case in a few weeks time when it goes as far as the end of June.