American Airlines Blocking Domestic Saver Awards Close to Departure

American Airlines is reportedly implementing a change to its award inventory release strategy, specifically blocking nonstop domestic saver award availability for flights within roughly six days of departure. This restriction targets the 'U' (saver business) and 'T' (saver economy) fare buckets. The primary impact is on partner programs like Alaska Mileage Plan and British Airways Executive Club, which rely on distance-based award charts where saver availability offers the best value. While American AAdvantage members may still find reasonably priced awards close to departure, they may not be in the formal saver buckets, potentially altering redemption value or availability perception. This development, flagged by DansDeals and observed via ExpertFlyer, appears to be a strategic move to prevent partners from easily accessing last-minute saver seats on nonstop routes. It remains unclear if this is a temporary adjustment or a permanent policy change