# AA FF seats to Aruba. Anyone have tips on how to secure a Saturday departure



## MOXJO7282 (Mar 10, 2008)

Looking for (4) AA FF coach or maybe FC NYC to Aruba for prime time next year. My 329 day window to reserve opens 3/14. Anyone have recent experiences with securing similar AA FF seats? I would appreciate any insight.

I've been doing some "Dry runs" and do see coach, but wondering if anyone has attempted to secure business or FC class recently. They don't seem to be loaded at the same time.

Regards.
Joe


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## scotlass (Mar 10, 2008)

We just got ff coach tickets on American for Grand Cayman for next January.  I will let you in on a hint, if you don't tell......  ...although the website says 329 days, actually if you call, they can give you 331 days ahead.  I booked the outbound 331 days, held for two weeks, and booked the return, both on Saturday in January.  It was really too easy. I don't ever have enough miles for first class so I have no idea how that works.


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## gmarine (Mar 10, 2008)

In all my years going to Aruba I've only been able to get FF ticks to Aruba from JFK on AA once and it was a Fri-Fri non holiday week. Any other time I have never been able to get them. Good luck.


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## MOXJO7282 (Mar 11, 2008)

gmarine said:


> In all my years going to Aruba I've only been able to get FF ticks to Aruba from JFK on AA once and it was a Fri-Fri non holiday week. Any other time I have never been able to get them. Good luck.



I'm trying to be flexible to improve me chances, but still trying to finalize my stategy. I should be able to get the 30k coach seats if I book right at the stroke of midnight, but its the 60k FC class seats I'm wondering if I could get. Still not sure if it is worth it for relatively short trip. And I need be thrifty with my miles because I'll need a significant amount for our next Maui trip in 2010. 

My return should be easy because we can be flexible when we can come home, and we are stopping over in Fla, so our options are wider.

Regards.
Joe


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## laxmom (Mar 11, 2008)

We used Delta FF points for our trip to Aruba last year.  Started early and went for an early flight down - the later in the morning or early afternoon flights seem to go first.  I also am in a position to check any one of 4 airports that are within easy drive and only found points available at one of those airports for the flight I needed.  The tough part for us was booking a companion ticket with cash since I didn't have enough points for all of us.  I was able to do it all online without a problem.

Good luck!


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## Blondie (Mar 11, 2008)

Actually, from what I have seen the coach seats seem to go before first class, in my opinion. I think you will be fine if you are up at midnight!


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## justnosy (Mar 11, 2008)

*my experience*

I didn't go prime time (going in august) I needed 5 seats for a saturday inbound flight...I didn't know that you can book it online so I called in the morning and the agent told me she didn't have any available but she checked to see if more seat will be released and there were so I got my 5 seats. At the same time my friend was booking her 1 seat and she got the same story...so if you don't get it at midnight then you can call the moment the "live" lines open and talk to an agent (I forget if it's at 8AM or 8:30...sorry.) 

Good luck!


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## Janis (Mar 11, 2008)

Even in off-season (September), we got stuck having to get the 60k seats in order to fly on a Saturday.


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## silverfox82 (Mar 12, 2008)

Did you consider booking coach and using your miles to upgrade? The prices are good right now and upgrades seem to be quite easy. I got $350 tickets jfk/aua and upgraded them for 30,000, sat to sat in june.


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## MOXJO7282 (Mar 12, 2008)

I booked (4) AA 30k coach tickets for Friday, as my worst case scenerio. Now this AM, I'll go for the Sat tickets. I'm going to see about the BC if and when they come avail, but the more I think of it, the more it doesn't seem to make sense to use miles for a 757 BC experience. Don't know when they become avail, it seems they are released haphazardly.

Regards.
Joe


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## MOXJO7282 (Mar 13, 2008)

OK, so I got the (4) 30K FF coach seats for Saturday 2/7/09. They were loaded one hour after midnight. The BC of course haven't been loaded yet. Still haven't decided if I'll go with BC if I can secure, but I'm going to try and secure and make a decision if it comes to it.

Regards.
Joe


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## Carol C (Mar 13, 2008)

MOXJO7282 said:


> OK, so I got the (4) 30K FF coach seats for Saturday 2/7/09. They were loaded one hour after midnight. The BC of course haven't been loaded yet. Still haven't decided if I'll go with BC if I can secure, but I'm going to try and secure and make a decision if it comes to it.
> 
> Regards.
> Joe



What is "BC"?


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## Dave M (Mar 13, 2008)

BC = business class


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## Carol C (Mar 13, 2008)

Dave M said:


> BC = business class



Thanks Dave. I thought that was called First Class.


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## MOXJO7282 (Mar 14, 2008)

Carol C said:


> Thanks Dave. I thought that was called First Class.



In this case, BC is also FC because the 757 are 2 cabin planes, coach and BC/FC.

To memorialize my efforts, so as to help the next person who may be in my situation, it looks like the BC seats are loaded at least 9 days after coach FF. As I look at the available BC FF seats the last date is 1/26, which is actually about 10 days different than when coach FF are loaded. There is actually decent availablitiy of the BC  seats, but it's obvious Sat, then weekends go first. I'm going to continue to pursue BC FF and document.

Regards.
Joe


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## lynne (Mar 14, 2008)

Hi Joe,

Just my opinion, but First Class on the 757 is not really worth burning the miles.  If you can snag either the bulkhead (row 9) or any of the exit row seats (any of the 12 available are good) you will have more leg room than first class on this aircraft.   If this was a 763, the seats would most definitely be worth the miles.

We were neighbors, I lived in Northport for 20 years before making the move to Hawaii 2 years ago.   I do miss all the local food markets on Long Island and now wait for my annual trek back there to purchase the things we cannot get here.


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## Cathy in Boston (Mar 15, 2008)

Just keep in mind, first class, business class or coach, chances are AA will mess around with your flights several times between when you book and when you actually fly.  We're flying JetBlue this year and can't wait.  I never plan to fly AA to Aruba again.


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## MOXJO7282 (Mar 15, 2008)

Cathy in Boston said:


> Just keep in mind, first class, business class or coach, chances are AA will mess around with your flights several times between when you book and when you actually fly.  We're flying JetBlue this year and can't wait.  I never plan to fly AA to Aruba again.



AA has yet to let me down, as I have gotten every 1st class, Saturday, Pres week trip I've looked for (3 to Maui in 2002,04, 07) . Although they did alter slightly a few flights times in the past, I've gotten what I've needed.  I just like what I've preceive to be a nice inventory of FF seats. I would love for them to change this flight to a 763, then I would be going for the BC for sure. 

As it is, I'm now leaning towards taking the BC class. I know the 757 in BC isn't so great, but it is much better than coach. And I have so many miles, I'm compelled to use some before their value changes. Even with using 240K for this trip, I'll still have 500k+ miles. Also, flying BC/FC is much easier for my family in terms of checking in and de-boarding, so its more than just the flying.  I couldn't get any exit rows, because I have young kids who can't be seated there, so that helped my decision as well. noe let's see if I can make it happen. 


Regards.
Joe


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## lvhmbh (Mar 15, 2008)

Just got back yesterday flying American w/FF tickets in BC.  One full and one upgrade.  I NEVER book online as I find that speaking with them works better - costs $10 or $20 but still works better and this is year 11.  Anyway, just listened to a woman in the pool who flew Jet Blue and was cancelled, etc.  We flew during the big storm 3 weeks ago and our AA plane got out of the northeast and Jet Blue did NOT.   We fly out of Miami and rely on planes coming from northeast.  We flew Air Aruba in the beginning and now always AA.  Linda


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## MOXJO7282 (Mar 16, 2008)

*I know with coach FF they do, but do phone agents get BC/FC FF seats before web?*



scotlass said:


> We just got ff coach tickets on American for Grand Cayman for next January.  I will let you in on a hint, if you don't tell......  ...although the website says 329 days, actually if you call, they can give you 331 days ahead.  I booked the outbound 331 days, held for two weeks, and booked the return, both on Saturday in January.  It was really too easy. I don't ever have enough miles for first class so I have no idea how that works.



I know coach FF seats are available to the phone agents a few days prior to web, but what about the BC/FC FF seats? Do the phone agents get them prior to web as well?

Regards.
Joe


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## MOXJO7282 (Apr 10, 2008)

So the final result here is I decided to take the 1st class award seats for the  direct flight Sunday, instead of the non-direct Saturday. The Saturday direct never did come available.

I just couldn't ask my family to get up at 2am for a 6am flight, and transfer through Miami. Even in 1st class, its a hassle. This way, we'll have a 9am flight, and our vacation will start as soon as we get on the plane    

The important thing I learned here is that next time I will avoid looking to travel Saturday before a holiday. That was the only day that never showed up on the web or phone reps, which I don't completely understand. I was watching for weeks, every night at midnight, as the next day award seats would load, and up until that day, every day was there. Then that Saturday, nothing. Then everyday after that day tickets were available. It must have been just like a holiday week with a floating timshare where hundreds are calling for the same reservations.

We did end up losing one day at our Marriott Surf Club timeshare, but I'm staying 2 extra days at the Marriott Ocean Club, to make up for it.    

Also note that direct flights back from Aruba to Mia go fast as well. One of the reasons I added 2 days was for the Saturday coming back tickets were scarce as well. 

So if at all possible, avoid Saturday before the holiday. Otherwise another great experience with getting 1st class milessaver seats out of JFK during holiday seasons.

All 1st.
LGA to Maui - 2002
LGA to Maui - 2004
JFK to San Diego - 2005
LGA to Maui -2007
JFK to Aruba - 2009

Way to go AA!!

Regards.
Joe


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