One-way award travel: are there drawbacks?
Jul 17th, 2015, 04:41 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 617
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One-way award travel: are there drawbacks?
Both airlines I have miles with allow one-way award redemption. I'd like to redeem the fewest amount of miles for two economy tickets to Europe for next summer.
I assume the best time to look for award travel is as soon as the dates are open (this was certainly the case with Delta!) especially since I'm also hoping to use a small, regional airport as my starting point.
Are there drawbacks I'm not thinking of in terms of booking the outbound trip first and booking the return a month later?
I assume the best time to look for award travel is as soon as the dates are open (this was certainly the case with Delta!) especially since I'm also hoping to use a small, regional airport as my starting point.
Are there drawbacks I'm not thinking of in terms of booking the outbound trip first and booking the return a month later?
Jul 17th, 2015, 05:16 AM
#2
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,322
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No. However, the number of miles needed goes up a lot in the summer, so "the fewest amount of miles" would be off-season.
Be very careful if you're booking to or through London, as the landing fees can vary from a few dollars to a few hundred. Another tip: once you make your award booking, you can always call and talk to an international award rep to change it without any fees. Just keep checking for better flights. We booked to Paris first through London, changed it to DFW to Charlotte to Paris, and finally changed again to DFW direct to Paris. However, I checked every single day for the direct flight to open up for award miles.
Be very careful if you're booking to or through London, as the landing fees can vary from a few dollars to a few hundred. Another tip: once you make your award booking, you can always call and talk to an international award rep to change it without any fees. Just keep checking for better flights. We booked to Paris first through London, changed it to DFW to Charlotte to Paris, and finally changed again to DFW direct to Paris. However, I checked every single day for the direct flight to open up for award miles.
Jul 17th, 2015, 06:01 AM
#4
<i>I assume the best time to look for award travel is as soon as the dates are open (this was certainly the case with Delta!) especially since I'm also hoping to use a small, regional airport as my starting point.</i>
Sure, start looking as soon as flights open; however you need to know that the airlines' revenue management systems will make award inventory available throughout the booking period (usually around 11 months) when and if their forecasts show that the chances of those seats selling for cash are falling. These systems are incredibly complicated and sophisticated and there's really no way to out-think them. Start early, but don't despair if nothing is available right off the bat. Keep checking; sometimes (and this is especially true for business class) the greatest number of seats open within a week or two (or even days) of the flight departing.
Sure, start looking as soon as flights open; however you need to know that the airlines' revenue management systems will make award inventory available throughout the booking period (usually around 11 months) when and if their forecasts show that the chances of those seats selling for cash are falling. These systems are incredibly complicated and sophisticated and there's really no way to out-think them. Start early, but don't despair if nothing is available right off the bat. Keep checking; sometimes (and this is especially true for business class) the greatest number of seats open within a week or two (or even days) of the flight departing.
Jul 17th, 2015, 06:24 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 617
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh, Gardyloo ... I'm a planner. Waiting too long to book would make me -- and those around me -- crazy!
I understand what you mean, though; I won't be crushed if I don't find the ideal itinerary at 330 days out.
In our favor, we have a choice of two bigger airports as well, but our local airport is close, and so easy to navigate.
I understand what you mean, though; I won't be crushed if I don't find the ideal itinerary at 330 days out.
In our favor, we have a choice of two bigger airports as well, but our local airport is close, and so easy to navigate.
Jul 17th, 2015, 08:36 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,396
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The main drawback to using 2 one-ways compared to a single round-trip is that it will cost you twice as much in redeposit fees if you have to cancel the trip.
The bigger risk for the OP is choosing to start from a smaller regional airport compared to a major airport/hub. When you get a ticket nearly a year in advance -- and that's often necessary for getting award tickets for the date and class you want -- it is guaranteed that there will be schedule changes between the time you buy the ticket and the date of your flight. Sometimes the changes are minor; other times the changes require you to either change flights or incur ridiculously long connection times. With a small regional airport, you typically have far fewer flights to the hub that you need to get to. If you begin at a large airport like ATL, for example, you'll have a lot more choices when the original flight times change. So, you need to consider the trade-off between the convenience of a local airport vs. the risk of ultimately having a not-very-desirable final itinerary.
The bigger risk for the OP is choosing to start from a smaller regional airport compared to a major airport/hub. When you get a ticket nearly a year in advance -- and that's often necessary for getting award tickets for the date and class you want -- it is guaranteed that there will be schedule changes between the time you buy the ticket and the date of your flight. Sometimes the changes are minor; other times the changes require you to either change flights or incur ridiculously long connection times. With a small regional airport, you typically have far fewer flights to the hub that you need to get to. If you begin at a large airport like ATL, for example, you'll have a lot more choices when the original flight times change. So, you need to consider the trade-off between the convenience of a local airport vs. the risk of ultimately having a not-very-desirable final itinerary.
Jul 17th, 2015, 10:24 AM
#7
<i>In our favor, we have a choice of two bigger airports as well, but our local airport is close, and so easy to navigate.</i>
Maybe you could reveal what airports (at home and in Europe) we're talking about, and what airline mileage program you'd be using. They're not all the same.
Maybe you could reveal what airports (at home and in Europe) we're talking about, and what airline mileage program you'd be using. They're not all the same.
Jul 30th, 2015, 07:49 AM
#8
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Another tip: once you make your award booking, you can always call and talk to an international award rep to change it without any fees."
Is this true of every mileage program? We were just switched from US Airways to American (so we haven't redeemed using AA yet) and I had understood that AA charges a fee to switch flights once booked.
Is this true of every mileage program? We were just switched from US Airways to American (so we haven't redeemed using AA yet) and I had understood that AA charges a fee to switch flights once booked.
Jul 30th, 2015, 03:03 PM
#11
Canceling award tickets draws a fee on AA; however changing the flight dates or route, <i>provided the city pair remains unchanged,</i> is free, subject to any changes in taxes or fees that might result (e.g. airport taxes or BA fuel extortion.)
Of course this is subject to change given AA's merger with Fly Dougie.
Of course this is subject to change given AA's merger with Fly Dougie.
Aug 2nd, 2015, 12:32 PM
#15
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,748
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've enjoyed US award programs an awful lot in the past. I know that all award programs are changing and certainly not getting better for people like me with no status and who scrimp and save miles. But I did just get award tickets for Rome next April with Biz seats on the way over, so that's a break.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
cynstalker
Air Travel
5
Apr 9th, 2012 09:01 AM
