Honk! If you are using Frequent Flyer miles to go to Europe this summer!
May 24th, 2006, 03:47 AM
#1
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Honk! If you are using Frequent Flyer miles to go to Europe this summer!
Last year I flew to Europe on 50,000 miles--West Palm Beach to Rome on Delta and Berlin back to West Palm Beach on Continental. The trick to getting the ticket; be willing to go anywhere in Europe on flexible dates. I was on the phone with Delta representatives for almost two hours, so don't call from your cell phone.
This year I am flying from Miami to Berlin round trip on British Airways. I can't refer to this flight as a "free" flight however, with taxes, fuel charge and Internet Book Fee, the price came to $224.00. But still, with those airfare prices, I can live with it. I booked this one on their website and could fly on any day except Saturday night.
This year I am flying from Miami to Berlin round trip on British Airways. I can't refer to this flight as a "free" flight however, with taxes, fuel charge and Internet Book Fee, the price came to $224.00. But still, with those airfare prices, I can live with it. I booked this one on their website and could fly on any day except Saturday night.
May 24th, 2006, 04:28 AM
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wally, now that our travel plans are getting closer I can look back fondly (almost) at the efforts to book our FF miles. Four of us are flying BWI/IAD to Paris through Frankfurt with our USAir miles in August.
It was a full time job back in September to get all of us over and back. I'll never forget getting up at 2 in the morning in a cabin in Ohio trying not to wake up the rest of the family while I dailed and dialed and redailed to catch a workable flights
Deborah
It was a full time job back in September to get all of us over and back. I'll never forget getting up at 2 in the morning in a cabin in Ohio trying not to wake up the rest of the family while I dailed and dialed and redailed to catch a workable flights
Deborah
May 24th, 2006, 05:02 AM
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Going from London to Cincinnati direct using Delta miles for 3 tickets in late July. Called 331 days in advance at midnight to get the tickets - I determined this was necessary because I did a "test" run by calling at 8 a.m. the day before to see what the inventory was for 3 tickets LGW to CVG and they were taken for the whole month! Most were not just "not released" - they were booked. Funny, though, I wanted to change my return to LGW and called in December for my options in August and several days were available for 3 awards tickets.
I just went from London to Orlando direct on Virgin Atlantic using Delta miles in May and I only called a few months in advance. There were tons of award seats available. I needed 3 seats and had my choice of days. I couldn't believe it as I always have to be flexible when cashing in miles on Delta.
I just went from London to Orlando direct on Virgin Atlantic using Delta miles in May and I only called a few months in advance. There were tons of award seats available. I needed 3 seats and had my choice of days. I couldn't believe it as I always have to be flexible when cashing in miles on Delta.
May 24th, 2006, 05:11 AM
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We're going from Atlanta-Singapore RT using Delta skymiles in business class. I booked the flights 330 days out, and had to juggle a little to make the days work, but the agent was very helpful.(I know, Singapore is Asia, not Europe, but it is great to be able to redeem those miles.)
May 24th, 2006, 09:18 AM
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HONK HONK HONK- two trips this summer - standard economy award NWA, and one next spring standard FC .
Just got back from 16 days in France and am heading to Croatia & Italy for 16 days in Sept. Hawaii in April 2007 already on the books - Hubby's 50th so flying FC.
All ressies made as soon as flights opened. YEEE-HAAAAA!
Just got back from 16 days in France and am heading to Croatia & Italy for 16 days in Sept. Hawaii in April 2007 already on the books - Hubby's 50th so flying FC.
All ressies made as soon as flights opened. YEEE-HAAAAA!
May 24th, 2006, 09:41 AM
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HONK!!!!!!!! Leaving this Saturday for 2-weeks in Florence, Rome, and Capri. Flying United from Chicago to Frankfurt to Florence and then Naples to Munich and back to Chicago. I think we paid about $60 total after taxes/surcharges, etc for the 2 of us.
May 24th, 2006, 09:53 AM
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We have taken a Delta mileage trip, occasionally 2, every year for the last 8 or so, usually business class. London three times, Greece and Hawaii twice, Venice, Cairo. Getting business class is the hardest. The miles are more valuable internationally than domestically for us, but we have flown coach to Jackson, WY because those flights never go much under $500 and are often nearly $700. Just got back from Greece, business class, and I am flying coach to Amsterdam in Sept. on a business trip of my husband's.
You can book Delta international mileage flights online now, which saves me some time - and difficulties when I get one of those less-than-cooperative representatives or one I can't understand. Also some agents would book you on pretty lousy connections because that was the first thing that came up - though I learned to call back a few hours later and see if I could get something better with a fresh agent. (Others, to their credit, would say, "that's pretty bad, let me see what else I can find."
Not sure when the change happened. You could do domestic online at least 2 yrs. ago but not international then - and not 20 mo. ago, either. I booked the Greek trip we just took at 330 days, calling just after midnight EST - but I do prefer it online. I was able to do my own date changes, see the options in writing. Much quicker when I booked a trip to Amsterdam in Sept. a couple of months ago. I used to estimate about 3-4 hrs. total phone time (generally in 3 or more calls), including holding, to book a mileage trip.
About the time I discovered the process of booking the outbound at 330 days and calling back to get the return later, Delta started putting more and more of their award seats in the Choice category, which I absolutely refuse to do - just another way of upping the ante on us. I always expect to have to fly Tues, Wed. or Thurs. but on a rare occasion, I can get another day for Saver miles.
But since my husband is easing into retirement and may retire fully in a year or so, this perk of his frequent travel will be but a memory. We'll probably be lucky to get one mileage trip every 3 or 4 years.
You can book Delta international mileage flights online now, which saves me some time - and difficulties when I get one of those less-than-cooperative representatives or one I can't understand. Also some agents would book you on pretty lousy connections because that was the first thing that came up - though I learned to call back a few hours later and see if I could get something better with a fresh agent. (Others, to their credit, would say, "that's pretty bad, let me see what else I can find."
Not sure when the change happened. You could do domestic online at least 2 yrs. ago but not international then - and not 20 mo. ago, either. I booked the Greek trip we just took at 330 days, calling just after midnight EST - but I do prefer it online. I was able to do my own date changes, see the options in writing. Much quicker when I booked a trip to Amsterdam in Sept. a couple of months ago. I used to estimate about 3-4 hrs. total phone time (generally in 3 or more calls), including holding, to book a mileage trip.
About the time I discovered the process of booking the outbound at 330 days and calling back to get the return later, Delta started putting more and more of their award seats in the Choice category, which I absolutely refuse to do - just another way of upping the ante on us. I always expect to have to fly Tues, Wed. or Thurs. but on a rare occasion, I can get another day for Saver miles.
But since my husband is easing into retirement and may retire fully in a year or so, this perk of his frequent travel will be but a memory. We'll probably be lucky to get one mileage trip every 3 or 4 years.
May 24th, 2006, 09:57 AM
#12
Yes and no. We're paying for tickets to Europe (but blessedly upgrading thanks to AA status.)
But <i>from</i> Europe we're using miles to travel to Africa: Prague - London - Madrid - Joburg // Cape Town - Joburg - Zurich - Prague; 75K miles each in business class, so zero complaints on value/mile. We did okay on the T/Atl fares and will "earn back" a goodly portion of the award miles in positioning to/from Prague.
For value, though, there's nothing that can compete with our upcoming trip to Cyprus on Alitalia.
But <i>from</i> Europe we're using miles to travel to Africa: Prague - London - Madrid - Joburg // Cape Town - Joburg - Zurich - Prague; 75K miles each in business class, so zero complaints on value/mile. We did okay on the T/Atl fares and will "earn back" a goodly portion of the award miles in positioning to/from Prague.
For value, though, there's nothing that can compete with our upcoming trip to Cyprus on Alitalia.
May 24th, 2006, 10:22 AM
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Honk!
Going to Toulouse/Lot/Dordogne area (not sure if it was Continental or AA, my wife booked it with her FF).
Beep beep !
Thinking using my FF to for a looong weekend in Rome before the Dordogne trip.
Going to Toulouse/Lot/Dordogne area (not sure if it was Continental or AA, my wife booked it with her FF).
Beep beep !
Thinking using my FF to for a looong weekend in Rome before the Dordogne trip.
May 24th, 2006, 10:26 AM
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Used Delta FF miles last September for two (2) first class tickets from Knoxville to Paris to Rome and Rome back to Knoxville on Air France - called Delta about 8 months in advance.
Using Delta FF miles this June (3 weeks from now) for three (3) business class tickets from Knoxville to Venice and Barcelona to Knoxville on Delta - called Delta about 8 months in advance.
Both times spent quite a bit of time on the phone with Delta Skymiles reservationists, but well worth it. In both cases we had to pay the tax/fees (maybe $80 per ticket?).
It's a good thing we charge so much to our Delta AMEX - it's also a good thing that Delta didn't go belly-up this year.
KC
Using Delta FF miles this June (3 weeks from now) for three (3) business class tickets from Knoxville to Venice and Barcelona to Knoxville on Delta - called Delta about 8 months in advance.
Both times spent quite a bit of time on the phone with Delta Skymiles reservationists, but well worth it. In both cases we had to pay the tax/fees (maybe $80 per ticket?).
It's a good thing we charge so much to our Delta AMEX - it's also a good thing that Delta didn't go belly-up this year.
KC
May 24th, 2006, 10:28 AM
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Honk! Our family of four is flying free from Chicago to Paris (via Montreal) on Air Canada--using our United miles.
While I can almost always find a free trip using my American miles (last year, the four of us flew free to Hawaii, year before to Barcelona and Mallorca), I can almost NEVER use my United miles. Finally, a nice agent on the UAL international desk suggested trying to fly through Canada. It worked!
While I can almost always find a free trip using my American miles (last year, the four of us flew free to Hawaii, year before to Barcelona and Mallorca), I can almost NEVER use my United miles. Finally, a nice agent on the UAL international desk suggested trying to fly through Canada. It worked!
May 24th, 2006, 11:46 AM
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Honk, my husband and I are going to from ATL to Nice directly in September with Delta on the return we had to go through Amsterdam to get our b/c tickets. Last year we had business class to Greece courtesy of Delta.
May 24th, 2006, 12:54 PM
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HONK HONK HONK Leave in 3 weeks with ff business class tickets through Delta on Air France. LAX/CPH/AMS/FCO/LAX. In January we had 2 FF first class tickets on Lufthansa through United LAX/FRA/GVA. Love it when you luck out with the "free" miles. Vicky
