AA is Charging Up to 420,000 Miles for a (Mostly) Economy Award Flight to Australia
Airlines are known for devaluing their frequent flyer programs all the time. They do this by increasing award rates, requiring you to pay more miles to book an award flight. However, sometimes award prices reach a rate that's simply unreasonable, as I discovered while searching flights on American Airlines' website for an upcoming trip to Australia.
While there are only three official levels of awards between the US and Australia (MileSAAver, AAnytime Level 1 and AAnytime Level 2), American Airlines unofficially has up six award rates between these regions:
| US-Australia One-Way | Coach | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
MileSAAver | 40,000 | 80,000 | 110,000 |
AAnytime Award Level 1 | 70,000 | 175,000 | 220,000 |
AAnytime Award Level 2 | 90,000 | 195,000 | 260,000 |
AAnytime Award Level 3 | 120,000 | 250,000 | 300,000 |
AAnytime Award Level 4 | 150,000 | 325,000 | 370,000 |
AAnytime Award Level 5 | N/A | 375,000 | 420,000 |
Usually, you'll see award rates somewhere in the MileSAAver to Level 2 range, but I stumbled across AA selling flights for 420,000 miles, at the AAnytime Award Level 5.
In a normal situation, any sane person would avoid spending that many miles for a flight. There are other options, via American's Oneworld partners or through other alliances. However, this was my first stop while shopping for the best value for my award flight.
Luckily, I took a closer look before pulling the trigger. When I examined the flight options, it showed that the segment from JFK-LAX would be in first class on AA's premium-focused A321T aircraft, which features lie-flat seats in a 1-1 configuration with direct aisle access. However, the long-haul segment from LAX-SYD would be in economy aboard the 787-9 set up in a 3-3-3 configuration.
See the red note at the bottom that says "First or Business is not available on all flights?" That's right: You could fly in economy for 15 of the 21.5 hours of flying for 300,000 to 420,000 miles per person, one-way, depending on your travel dates. What a terrible deal!
Turns out that AAdvantage is charging the highest fare possible because the one segment from JFK-LAX is in first on an in-demand date. There are certain days when this fare does have the flight from JFK-LAX in first and LAX-SYD in business — and there's a simple way to tell if you'll get seated in business or economy.
If AA has business/first AAnytime award space available, then your flight from LAX-SYD will be in business. You can see the days when the blue and purple overlap below. Additionally, the notes at the bottom are different; they say "The Class of service you searched may not be available on one or more flights" instead.
Currently, this egregious fare can be found on awards originating in JFK as well as other East Coast cities that route through JFK-LAX-SYD.
In my opinion, American simply shouldn't offer these types of awards, as they're incredibly misleading. Thankfully these aren't your only options to fly to Australia in a premium cabin on an award ticket. You can try searching for Qantas awards via AA's website like I did, but no flight appeared available for an entire month around my required travel dates, and they've yet to appear.
In the chart below, you can see the cost of a one-way ticket using the American Airlines Partner Award Chart. Each of the rates below is technically two separate award costs combined, as you need to book one award from your starting point to the specified departure city and then another award from the departure city to Australia.
| US-Australia AA Partner Award Cost | Coach | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
Cathay Pacific - via Hong Kong | 67,500 | 110,000 | 160,000 |
Japan Airlines - via Tokyo | 65,000 | 100,000 | 140,000 |
Etihad Airlines - via Abu Dhabi | 82,500 | 150,000 | 215,000 |
Qatar Airways - via Doha | 82,500 | 150,000 | 215,000 |
LATAM Airlines- via SCL and AKL | 75,000 | 140,000 | 197,500 |
Malaysia Airlines + British Airways - via Europe and Asia | 90,000 | 142,500 | 200,000 |
With this option, you can also mix and match class award types. For example, if there's only one seat in business on one leg and one seat in first on the other, you pay for each leg at cost rather then pay the higher fare the entire way, which will save some miles.
The best part is that these mileage costs are fixed unlike the rates when flying on American Airlines' tiered chart, at least for now. To search for availability for these awards, use BA.com or check out our article on how to search for Oneworld awards.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.