The Best Economy AAdvantage Awards To Book Soon

With the devaluation coming to AA’s award program coming March 22, many award travelers are looking for the flights they want to book before that happens. While most of them are concentrating on the premium awards that will go skyrocket, here are some of the best economy AAdvantage awards that you will want to book soon.

The Best Economy AAdvantage Awards To Book Soon

While premium award redemptions are often the best value with miles, economy awards can also give some great redemption options. One of the best ways with economy AAdvantage awards is the off-peak awards.

Helpful Links

• Current AAdvantage awards chart
• Future AAdvantage awards chart for AA awards
• Future AAdvantage awards chart for partner awards
• Current off-peak dates for AAdvantage awards
• Future off-peak dates for AAdvantage awards

Partner Off-Peak Awards

Under the current award chart, you can fly at off-peak award pricing on AA’s partners. That means you can use a variety of options to fly to places like:

• Europe
• Japan
• Central America
• South America

That not only gives different airlines you can fly, but it also gives you a lot more itinerary options during the off-peak dates. That is about to change.

Under the new AAdvantage award chart, you will only be able to redeem on partners for off-peak travel to Europe. Japan, Central America, and South America will be off limits on partners with the off-peak calendar. That is a big blow for good travel options.

Book on partners for off-peak travel now! 

Off-Peak Award Chart Pricing

Starting March 22, the off-peak award pricing for travel on American Airlines will go up. Here is a chart for the increase in miles for travel on American Airlines.

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If you want to plan award travel to Central America, I would wait until March 22 to book them as those awards will drop 2,500 miles each way.

For everything else, you will see the awards increase anywhere from 2,500 miles to 7,500 miles for award travel on American Airlines.

Book award travel on American Airlines for off-peak periods to the above regions soon, especially Japan.

Off-Peak Award Calendar

AA’s off-peak award calendar is something that is also changing with one big change. Here is a chart of the changes.

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There are just a couple of things to note about the above chart. First is that I called the region”Asia Region 1″ but under the current chart, that only includes Japan for the purposes of the off-peak redemption. For the new chart, it includes Japan and Korea.

Also, Asia Region 2 did not have an off-peak on the current chart but will on the new one and is classified as being China and Hong Kong.

With the Caribbean and Mexico, they are adding a new period on the new chart for travel during April and May. Finally, it is important to check the dates for the “From Destination” column as there are some gaps that would make for longer stays if you opt for the off-peak chart and go at the beginning of the period for travel. The “good” news is that the new off-peak awards will not be saving you that much over the regular rates on most routes so that should not be an issue.

The real damage is being done to the European off-peak calendar. Right now, the off-peak calendar for travel to Europe occupies 41% of the actual calendar and that includes travel during major holidays in that period. Under the new chart, that is shrunk to just 29% of the actual calendar and eliminates those major holidays.

So, book off-peak award travel to Europe now! The calendar is almost open through next Christmas so if you want to travel then, start checking in about 2 weeks and a bit after to lock those trips in now!

Summary

Of course, there are a lot of awards that people are going to want to book before the bad date of March 22 strikes. But, if you like redeeming for economy travel and getting the most bang for your buck with the places you go, these are some of the best economy AAdvantage awards that you should book now before they become a part of AAdvantage history.