American 5K one way USA and 20K Europe summer award space

There are loads of award tickets with American Airlines for summer travel around the USA at 5,000 to 8,000 miles and 20,000 mile tickets to and from European cities. Where I see the big opportunity for my travels and for many others (if you still plan to travel despite coronavirus concerns) is the option to fly from a regional airport like Monterey MRY on a cheap award ticket in mid-summer to your destination.

Yesterday I lamented about missing a $600 round trip ticket opportunity with United for SFO-London in June. Today I see that I can fly from MRY to New York for 10,000 AA miles + $11.20 round trip and pick up tickets from Newark EWR to Madrid for $251 round trip.

On my watch list for the past two months is how I will get back to California from Europe in July. Today I see award tickets with American AAdvantage from several European cities for 20,000 miles + 50 EUR.

Or I can fly TAP Portugal one way from Madrid to Newark for $220 in July and fly American back to Monterey for 5,000 miles + $5.60. Flying into Monterey saves quite a bit of money compared to a rental car from SFO. Flying Monterey to Europe is generally many hundreds of dollars more than ticket prices from SFO, a 2-hour drive from Monterey.

American Airlines award map is one way to find places with cheap award tickets. Below is an AA map for Monterey MRY airports around the USA with award tickets at 5,000 miles on Saturday June 6.

Below is an AA award map for Monterey showing destinations in Europe priced at 20,000 miles on June 9, 2020.

Widespread award availability today makes for numerous low fare deals to be pieced together for those with access to miles.

For example, I have been looking at traveling around northern Spain this summer.

TAP Portugal  Newark EWR – Lisbon LIS – Madrid MAD – Lisbon LIS – Newark EWR

$250.45 round trip (gotogate.com OTA)  Tue June 9 – Tue June 23