Wide Open Award Space in Etihad A380 First Class Apartments New York Abu Dhabi

Update at 11:45 PM: A previous version of this post speculated the space was phantom because I couldn't book it on my only attempt before writing the post and rushing to dinner.

Ends Thursday: Buy Up to 160,000 American Airlines Miles. Good Deal?

American Airlines is running a sale on the purchase of their miles through Thursday, April 30, 2015. You can buy up to 100,000 American Airlines miles during the sale and get up to 60,000 bonus miles.

American Airlines miles cost 2.95 cents each plus a 7.5% excise tax, and every purchase has a $30 processing fee.

The Coolest Thing You Can Do with 60k Miles

Last week I urged people to be realistic with their miles and listed The Easiest Places to Get with Miles. Today I'm telling you to dream big and to look to do things with miles that you couldn't easily or cheaply do without miles.

For instance, for 60,000 miles, you can book yourself a "triangle trip" that lets you practice your Spanish in Chile and Spain.

Life after the American Airlines Explorer Award? Maybe It’s Not So Bad

JB books awards for the MileValue Award Booking Service. He was an expert on the now-defunct American Airlines Explorer Awards and had been planning to book one for himself.

The Times When BA.com Doesn’t Show Award Space You Found on AA.com

On Monday, I wrote about US Airways and TAM joining the oneworld alliance. That meant that US Airways and TAM flights were now bookable with British Airways Avios, a founding member of oneworld.

In the renewed interest in searching ba.com for award flights, there were some hiccups that people noted in the comments. Often the best way to plan an Avios award is to search aa.com, and then when you find the award space you want, go to ba.com to book it.

AA.com and ba.com didn't seem to be matching up in the availability that you could book.

Anatomy of an Award: Summer Trip to Paris & Free Oneway Home for Thanksgiving

My absolute favorite awards are the ones I've booked for family and friends. Helping them fly for (nearly) free is a great pleasure that can't be replicated. Recently, my sister came to me asking for advice on the cheapest ways to fly from Boston to Paris this summer. She has zero miles and a tight budget.

20k Miles to Europe All Summer Long with A Free Oneway in 10 Clicks

Here's the goal:

The goal is for a New Yorker to get a one way award to Europe in the height of summer for only 20k miles, which is a 10k mile discount plus a free oneway from Los Angeles to New York, a 12,500 mile value.

We want to pay 20,000 American Airlines miles for two flights that "should" cost 42,500 miles.

(This trick doesn't just work for New Yorkers. It works for people who live in every city that has an American Airlines flight to London.

Anatomy of an Award: Booking Etihad Business Class Using American Miles

Last month I booked myself an awesome award to the Maldives using AAdvantage miles and flying Etihad Airways Business Class.

Anatomy of an Award: Nabbing an Extremely Rare First Class Seat from Australia on Qantas

I nabbed a scarce First Class award from Australia to Los Angeles on Qantas during peak travel season and added a first class segment on American's new Airbus A321T from Los Angeles to New York-JFK, both in fully flat beds.

I'm incredibly excited to try out another First Class product on the Airbus A380, especially after my great experience on a Thai flight from Paris to Bangkok.

Relative to other Anatomy of Award posts, this one was simple to construct and even easier to book online. However, Qantas premium cabin award space isn't widely available.

You Still Get Priority Security and Boarding on Avios Awards that Fly American Airlines

I noticed in August 2012 that on my Avios award flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles, my boarding pass printed with "Priority AAccess," granting me priority security and priority boarding.

This (unintended?) benefit of British Airways Avios awards on American Airlines flights is still alive.