Dan’s Deals has discovered something that could be a glitch…or an unwelcome change. It seems that American Airlines has begun blocking close-in, non-stop domestic award availability on partner airlines such as Alaska and British Airways. Starting at 144 hours (6 days) before departure, availability on AA’s partners seems to disappear, even though the same flights are widely available directly from AA.
As DD reports, it’s possible to see the availability dropping in real time. Searches I ran for domestic AA flights on Alaska’s website this morning no longer displayed the same results this afternoon, once they crossed the 144-hour threshold, in either first class or economy. Additionally, looking ahead, I see plenty of flights available seven days out on June 4th, but only one on June 3rd (in the evening).
There doesn’t seem to be any change in the number of seats or in the pricing AA is offering its own customers, so it’s not that it’s jacking up prices on its side… it simply appears to be removing all fare classes that would normally be available to partners.
If this is intentional, and it certainly seems to be, it could be a real bummer for those who book AA flights using partners. While American has dynamic award pricing that varies depending on cash flights, the partner availability you see with Alaska (for instance) is set by distance, and starts at just 4,500 miles one-way.
Additionally, American will often open up additional award inventory close-in, even when cash prices remain high. Combined, these factors can make partners a better way to book AA flights, especially close to departure when cash rates tend to rise. But not if AA doesn’t have any seats available to book in the first place.
Back in 2018, American tried a similar move, but that time it blocked saver availability a full two weeks before departure. Now, it’s only six days removed, there doesn’t seem to be any change in what’s being displayed to AA’s own customers, and connecting flights don’t appear to be affected. My guess is that it’s a concerted attempt to drive these sorts of bookings back to AA, and unless the airline gets serious pushback from partners, we’ll be seeing these new limitations for a while.
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Interesting that this is being done by eliminating fare classes entirely close in. I’ve noticed more over the past year that the biggest domestic carriers drop all their discounted fares on non-stop routes at the two week week in mark (sometimes three). Since Southwest changed their business model you can see this very clearly, where if you filter a route to non-stop and only Southwest in Google Flights all of the lowest fares will disappear two to three weeks out, and often every non-stop on the same day will price the same at T-14 or T-21.
Award tickets were a way around this, but blocking partners by AA certainly limits that (and gives them free reign to raise AA mileage prices on last second bookings at some point). The old model of discounting tickets really close in for low demand flights seems to be dying outside of the ultra low cost carriers. Now you either pay an inflated rate or the big carriers will be happy to let the plane fly empty.
Just because you see availability with AA and not partners, doesn’t necessarily mean that AA is blocking anything. AA flights are always available with AA miles (sometimes at ridiculous prices). The key question is whether there is T and U space on those flights, which you can check with Sabre or whatever else. If you see T and U space but no availability on Alaska or BA, then you know you have a problem. And if there is a problem, it may or may not be caused by AA (likely it would be).
I already checked this on Expert Flyer. What’s happening is that, 144 hours out (exactly), AA is removing all T and U fare classes for nonstops. They exist at 145 hours out, then go away. AA doesn’t always seem to be changing its own prices, just the classes.
Technically, you’re right, that’s not “blocking.” Available T and U seats are still open for partners, as seen on connecting flights. But it serves the same purpose.
You know, it’s almost a surprise that any domestic flights are available to partners at all, given that they want you to pay inflated prices through their own program. I’m looking at short nonstop flights in the next few days and they are around 13-15k in coach. Is AA worse than United in that regard? I don’t think so.
It’s logical that AA would want to drive bookings through its own program versus AS. But I think the corollary is that they need to actually do a better job making their status and credit card members feel a bit special when it comes time to book – DL and UA are already doing this. How about-
1) Cardholder ~10-15% discount for redemptions (UA and DL do this)
2) Status + Cardholder extra % discount for redemptions (UA does this – perhaps tiered by status level up to an extra ~5-10%).
3) CK/EP priority access to saver awards (FlyingBlue Platinum innovation…)
4) CK/EP or Executive Card exclusive access to awards for the first [X days] after loaded on to the schedule
5) Plat/Gold or Globe Card exclusive access to awards in the next [X days] after loaded on to the schedule
That 10% discount on United (say 80,000 miles instead of 88,000 miles) is not a discount. The price has typically been 80,000 for, say, SFO-LHR in Business Class until this new surcharge came about. I would call this just a 10% penalty for not having the credit card.
Sure, but potato, potato(e), they raised prices and discounted it back for cardholders. DL and UA do that, AA does not. I still value an AA mile more than a UA mile and certainly a DL mile, but if you are looking to drive more credit card sign ups, why wouldn’t you do this if you were AA?
This is misinformation. 80k is still base saver TATL J pricing on UA metal, 88k is still base saver TATL J pricing on partners. People can and do pay 72k and 80k for those with a card, and even 68k on UA metal for Premier members.
I can see 68k right now on the UA calendar, albeit for bad LAX-ORD/EWR-LHR routings.
The simplistic outlook: I am very bearish long term on all points programs. t’s more important now than ever to keep your points earning flexible with a good cashout option.
I am on the same page. With the pace of AI and crypto innovation, it’s hard to imagine credit cards surviving much longer. Their days are numbered, so are our points 🙁
I can’t tell if you are serious or joking.
Crypto bros are never joking.
Tim – first of all you do amazing work! Im a bit of AA sniper with AS as my partner in crime to facilitate the arb. Winning for the last few yeas and fly to NYC prob 20+ time a year from CLT so I have the game down to a science -my strategy is all about close in flight because FC is an easy nab especially if you dont care too much if you land in EWR, JFK or LGA (I dont) This sucks if true but oddly (as I’m on a plane right from LGA) are that the connection are still there. So do I have to hidden city ticket now at at 50% adder? I never give my AA # so to AA so Im semi invisible but if we are reverting to this strategy it seem super regressive. Watching closely — Uptown Miler
This CLT resident is right there with you uptown. The arb for 4,500 AS flights to NYC is tough to beat.
The problem is those award prices are only good on the non-stops.
If this holds, I’ll be doing more speculative bookings and SDCs, presumably costing AA more overhead.
Thanks for the dps! Yes, that appears to be the case: connecting flights are still available. If the math works, that could make hidden city with no checked bags a valid alternative.
I don’t have any insight into whether that will eventually become an issue with AA bookings through AS without the AA number attached, beyond the general, axiomatic “airlines don’t like it, so be careful” advice. I can’t imagine that it would be an issue if it’s done sporadically, but that’s just a guess on my part.
Final nail in the coffin for flying AA
So just doing a quick look on American routes from BUF to LGA on award tool it looks like Quantas still is showing close in availability within 7 days but Etihad is gone.
Counterpoint, if you look at BUF-JFK you’ll see some non optimal 12k pt Etihad redemptions on AA. So seems like Etihad and Quantas may have escaped the close in availability issues.
enshittification of 2026 continues.