Late 2021 travel: Fly American Flagship First for 60,500 miles
American Airlines is offering up seats in Flagship First for the cost of a business class award ticket
I'm seeing widespread Web Special availability on flights from the U.S. to London-Heathrow (LHR) and Sao Paulo (GRU) through Miami (MIA) and New York-JFK. These flights now start at just 60,500 American miles one-way.
Most of this award space is in late-2021, and I'll focus on October through December award space in this article. While Americans are subject to a 10-day quarantine upon arrival in the U.K., Brazil is open for tourists that have a negative COVID test result. Brazil is, however, one of the countries hardest-hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
That said, these restrictions are constantly changing and may be relaxed by year-end as the COVID vaccine continues to roll out around the world. As this continues, we'll likely see the travel world start to go back to some level of normal.
Let's discuss the open award space and take a look at available dates. But first, let's address the elephant in the room: booking future travel during the coronavirus pandemic.
Should you book travel right now?
Before I discuss the deal, let's discuss if it's a good idea to book travel right now. After all, we're in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic and most countries have continued to suspend international travel. Despite the future looking bright with positive vaccine news, there's no way to tell for sure when international travel will resume.
As a result, there's no way to guarantee that the trip you book for the end of the year will actually happen. You could be forced to cancel your ticket if borders don't reopen or if it's simply unsafe to travel. So if you decide to book, make any non-refundable reservations (like hotels, rental cars, etc.) closer to your date of travel.
Thankfully, American made award tickets a lot more flexible last November. I'm discussing Web Special tickets in this article, which were previously expensive to cancel and redeposit. Nowadays, you can cancel Web Special tickets free of charge at any time and receive your miles back to your AAdvantage account.
This means there's very little risk to booking one of these tickets. If plans don't work out, you can use your miles for another trip. That said, you'll want to keep your eyes on the news in the weeks leading up to your trip so you can tell if borders are open and make a personal decision on if traveling is safe.
Read more: 6 reasons why now is the time to book travel with points and miles.
American Flagship First award space
Now for the fun part: booking American Flagship First award tickets!
As discussed, the awards I'm discussing are Web Special awards. These can only be booked with AAdvantage miles — not partner miles. These awards are priced dynamically too and can change at any moment. If you see something you'd like to book, either book it or put it on hold ASAP to avoid losing award space.
The award space discussed here is from the U.S. to London-Heathrow (LHR) and Sao Paulo (GRU) via Miami (MIA) and New York-JFK. Some London flights may also route through Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW).
You can connect from other American gateways and — in most cases — pay the following:
- U.S. to London-Heathrow (LHR): 72,000 miles
- U.S. to Sao Paulo (GRU) 60,500 miles
One strange thing to note: American is priced these awards with "married segments." Because of this, you can't actually book nonstop flights from Miami to one of the above locations at the above price. Instead, American will route you through New York-JFK.
Here's a closer look at dates with open award space. The dates below all price at the above rates. I've included dates for a handful of major American cities, but you may be able to find award space from others.
Boston (BOS) to/from London-Heathrow (LHR)
- Outbound:
- October: 1-29 and 31
- November: 1-18, 20-26 and 30
- December: 1-9, 11-15, 20 and 25-31
- Inbound:
- October: 1-31
- November: 1-18, 20-26 and 30
- December: 1-16 and 20-31
Boston (BOS) to/from Sao Paulo (GRU)
- Outbound:
- October: 1-2, 4-6, 13-15, 19-22 and 25-28
- November: 1-5, 7-12, 14-17, 25, 27 and 29
- December: 5-6, 24 and 30-31
- Inbound:
- October: 2-6, 11-14, 17-20, 23-27 and 30.
- November: 1-3, 4-6, 8-10, 13, 15-17, 19-20, 23-24 and 30.
- December: 1-2 and 7-8
Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to/from London-Heathrow (LHR)
- Outbound:
- October: 1-28 and 31
- November: 1-17, 19-27 and 29-30
- December: 1-15, 21-22, 24 and 26-31
- Inbound:
- October: 1-31
- November: 1-18, 20-26 and 30
- December: 1-15 and 20-31
Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to/from Sao Paulo (GRU)
- Outbound:
- October: 1, 5-7, 9, 13-15, 19-22 and 25-28
- November: 1-5, 8-10, 12, 15-17, 24 and 29
- December: 6, 24, 28 and 31
- Inbound:
- October: 2-6, 10-14, 17-20, 23-27 and 30
- November: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10, 15-17, 19-20, 23-24 and 30
- December: 1-2 and 7-8
Miami (MIA) to/from London-Heathrow (LHR)
- Outbound:
- October: 1-29
- November: 1-3, 5-9, 11-17, 19-26 and 29-30
- December: 1-15, 20, 22 and 25-31
- Inbound:
- October: 1-31
- November: 1-17, 20-26 and 30
- December: 1-15 and 20-31
Miami (MIA) to/from Sao Paulo (GRU)
- Outbound:
- October: 1-2, 4-9, 12-15, 18-22 and 24-28
- November: 2-3, 9-10, 16-17
- December: 4, 28-29
- Inbound:
- October: 3-6, 10-13, 17-20 and 24-27
- November: 8 and 15 (68,000 miles)
- December: 6 (67,500 miles)
New York (JFK/LGA/EWR) to/from London-Heathrow (LHR)
- Outbound:
- October: 1-6, 9-27 and 31
- November: 1-18, 20-22, 25-26 and 30
- December: 1-2, 5-8, 12-16, 20-21 and 24-31
- Inbound:
- October: 1-15, 17-22, 25-29 and 31
- November: 1-18, 20-26 and 30
- December: 1-15, 20-21, 24-25 and 27-31
New York (JFK/LGA/EWR) to/from Sao Paulo (GRU)
- Outbound:
- October: 1, 3-9, 12-15, 18-22 and 25-28
- November: 1-5, 7-16 and 23-25
- December: 5-6, 24-26, 28 and 31
- Inbound:
- October: 2-6, 10-14, 17-20, 23-27 and 30
- November: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10, 15-17, 19-20, 23-24 and 30
- December: 1-2 and 7-8
Related: Is American Airlines Flagship First worth it?
How to earn American miles
Need to stock up on American miles? You have quite a few options despite AAdvantage not being a transfer partner of any transferable points program.
The easiest way to earn American miles is using a cobranded credit card. These earn American miles on all purchases and generally include a solid welcome bonus.
You can also transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to AAdvantage. Transfers process at a 3:1 ratio, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred.
Related: Maximizing redemptions with American Airlines AAdvantage
Bottom line
This deal is a great way to try American's Flagship First product for relatively few points. Remember, you can cancel your American award tickets for a full refund if need be, so there's little risk involved in booking. Just be sure to keep up with the news before you depart to ensure restrictions haven't changed.
Feature photo by JT Genter/The Points Guy
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.