Yesterday, I received what seems to be a monthly email from US Airways Dividend Miles. It’s always good fodder for blogs, including this one. The tagline – up to 100 % bonus miles for buying or gifting miles. My advice is always the same, nothing wrong with topping off your account if you have a specific award in mind. Further, if you know there’s availability, this isn’t the worst deal in the world for a J class seat if you need to go somewhere at just shy of $1900 for buying 50K and getting a 50K bonus. But you already knew that.
I do wonder from time to time if this continue after AAdvantage and Dividend Miles become one? Certainly, Dividend Miles is not the only seller of miles, and their new partners at AAdvantage have offered the occasional purchase bonus opportunity from time to time. However, I don’t recall routine offers for up to 100 % bonuses.
American and US Airways, and their respective mileage programs, are of course, different companies and programs that are now becoming one. The business case for selling a Dividend Mile may be different than selling an AAdvantage mile. A bigger network, a bigger airline, a bigger program will likely act differently once they become one. On the other hand, the airline has control over its inventory, and when it lets you use those miles…..why not take the cash if someone is willing to hand it to you?
In the end, I think US Airways’ role as a bit player in Star Alliance that has now evolved into a cornerstone of Oneworld will make a difference here. I think it is less likely that these 100 % bonus mile deals appear on the scene in the future. What say you? Do you think the new American will continue to be a cheap producer of miles?
-MJ, May 6, 2014
You, me, and a few hundred flyertalkers on the AA board. And even domestic Y saver availability is terrible now – as bad if not worse than United. Something that used to have availability nearly 365 days a year – LAX-AUS – which can route through DFW or PHX as well as the 2 or 3 non-stops – is now showing many days with the only availability through SEA on AS. And aanytime awards are brutal – 80K one way in J most days now to LIM, vs. 60K before, and a bunch of days at 110K.
I guess we can all fly back and forth to HKG on CX still, but oneworld in general is becoming pretty useless for award travel. I’m actually regretting burning all those UA miles last winter, as *A is now much more useful for South America than oneworld.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they do become the cheap seller of miles. There are 2 elements under their control: 1) price of a mile they’re willing to sell and 2) amount of availability in low/saver level.
I’ve noticed there is barely ever any low/saver level First class tix on their new 77Ws (but lots of anytime awards!)
Given how little saver availability there is, the insane new aanytime pricing, and the various other guttings on the AA side, it wouldn’t surprise me. In the last 6 months my valuation of AA miles has dropped roughly in half, and they haven’t hit bottom yet. Even flights that are J5+ at T-24 aren’t releasing saver seats.
Nik,
I’ve been wondering if it was just me who has noticed the considerably tightened AA award availability to just about anywhere of late.