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Yesterday I wrote about a discovery that shocked me: American Airlines is releasing consistent MileSAAver award space on its flagship and newest plane–the 777-300ER–in Business Class and First Class between Los Angeles and London. Today I’ll take a look at the award space on the other routes that American flies with the 777-300ER.

Check out yesterday’s post for a description and images of the fully flat beds, all with direct aisle access, in both cabins.

Screen Shot 2015-02-18 at 6.00.57 PM
First Class on the AA 777-300ER

The other routes being served by the plane:

  • New York to London
  • New York to Sao Paulo
  • Miami to Sao Paulo
  • Miami to London
  • Dallas to Sao Paulo
  • Dallas to Hong Kong

Award space is best on the New York to London route. I found First Class and Business Class space on the 777-300ER between New York and London in both directions all summer long. I found award space on several of the other routes also, but nothing approached the New York to London space, which even exceeded the award space available between Los Angeles and London.

Right now, earning American Airlines miles is super easy.

Getting both would be enough miles for a roundtrip in Business Class to Europe and South America and almost enough for SE Asia (110k.)

New York to London

Here’s the money shot. London to New York has award space four days a week in First Class for most of the year–including the middle of summer.

Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 2.33.13 PM

 

Many days have award space on more than one flight. (Remember from yesterday that 77W is AA’s code for the 777-300ER.)
Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 2.30.12 PM

Business Class award space also exists in both directions for much of the year. Unfortunately from London to New York, there is usually only one Business Class seat available on flights with availability.
Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 2.32.11 PM From New York to London, there is often availability for two people in Business Class.Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 2.34.10 PM Seriously, I’m pretty amazed that American Airlines is making its best First and Business Class widely available for summer trips to London for 100,000 (Business) to 125,000 (First) miles roundtrip plus taxes.Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 2.35.13 PM

Of course, the taxes are quite high, but you can lower them by returning from anywhere else in Europe via London instead of beginning the return in London.Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 2.35.23 PM

New York, Miami, and Dallas to Sao Paulo

All of American Airlines’ daily flights to Sao Paulo-Guarulhos (GRU) from Miami, Dallas, and New York are operated by the 777-300ER. Beware though. If you search Miami or New York to Sao Paulo–even if you search to GRU–your results might return American’s flights from those airports to Viracopos (VCP). If you think that GRU is annoyingly far from the city center, VCP is a 70 mile drive away from the city center.

Screen Shot 2015-02-18 at 11.24.41 AM

Those Viracopos flights complicate showing the calendars of Business Class award space because most (all?) of the Business Class space shown on the calendars is to Viracopos on an inferior 767. The 767 doesn’t have First Class, so all the First Class space is on the 777-300ER to GRU.

Here’s the First Class space:

  • Every day this week from Sao Paulo to Miami. This continues the trend we often see of the flights to the United States having better award space than flights from the United States. This also fits with American’s pattern of releasing unsold First and Business Class seats at the last minute.Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 2.24.57 PM
  • Today from Sao Paulo to New York
  • Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 11.22.14 AMThree days this week from Sao Paulo to Dallas
    Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 11.33.31 AM

The only Dallas flight is on a 777-300ER, so its Business Class award calendar is reliable. It has Business Class space today from Sao Paulo to Dallas.

Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 11.28.37 AM

The Sao Paulo flights show award space in Business and First Class only in the last week before departure, and only on the flights to the United States. It’s better than nothing, but it would be nice to be able to lock the space in further in advance.

Dallas to Hong Kong

Nada. Zilch. Squat in Business and First Class in both directions. The good news is that you don’t want to use American Airlines miles to fly American Airlines to Hong Kong. For the same number of miles, you can fly Cathay Pacific Business and First Class, which are even better. Cathay Pacific has great Business and First Class award space.

You Don’t Live in Dallas, Miami, or New York or Don’t Want to Visit London, Sao Paulo, or Hong Kong

It is zero extra miles to add domestic First Class on American, Alaska, or US Airways flights to these segments to connect them to your home airport. It is zero extra miles to add Business Class on British Airways, TAM, or Cathay Pacific to these segments to connect them to your dream destination.

Search for the space on aa.com and ba.com as necessary and book on aa.com or by calling American Airlines at 800-882-8880 as necessary.

Getting the Miles

American Airlines miles are super easy to get.

Right now the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® MasterCard® comes with 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months. The card also comes with other awesome benefits like a 10% rebate on miles used for award bookings.

The business version, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World MasterCard®, also comes with 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months. This card comes with 2x miles on select business purchases and a 5% miles bonus on renewal. One person can have both cards.

We also know that The US Airways® Premier World MasterCard® will no longer be offered to new applicants as soon as the US Airways and American Airlines frequent flyer programs integrate, some time by June 2015. That means that the chance to earn 50,000 bonus miles after first purchase on this card will disappear soon. Check out all the places you can go with just the sign up bonus.

All US Airways miles not redeemed on the US Airways chart by the time of integration will become American Airlines miles, and American Airlines has committed to not devaluing its award chart at the time of combination. The two types of miles are roughly equal in value. Getting all three cards now and meeting their spending requirements means you will have at least 156,000 American Airlines miles by June.

 

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.

With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!


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