KLM to Amsterdam - miles
 

We might have reason to visit Amsterdam in the winter of 2013. There is only one non-stop flight, on KLM. We have plenty of miles -- is it likely we'll be able to use them for the non-stop flight, or is is pretty certain that they'll only book us on a flight with stops/changes of plane?

Flexibility with dates and times and routings always serves you well when trying to land FF tickets. The more willing you are to look at alternatives, the better the chance you'll have.

Good, because our dates will be totally flexible (kids may be living there, so when we visit won't really matter). I'm sure we'll be able to get FF tix sometime in winter, but I'm still curious whether there's any chance for the N/S flight.

Are your miles with Flying Blue or Delta? If they're Flying Blue miles, you should be able to get that afternoon flight fairly easily--if you book early. KLM doesn't seem to have as much availability as AF, though.

Good luck and have fun!

Let me be a little more clear: I have found that Delta always tries to route me some very inconvenient ways. But if I find availability myself (using Flying Blue's search), I just call Delta and ask for specific flights.

In the end, only the airline can answer this question for you. I'm with American and its AAdvantage program, so I have no experience redeeming Delta miles. (Is that who your miles are with?) Delta has a reputation for being difficult to find award availability. Just read enough posts here about it.

Why are you worrying things about over 24 months in the future? Who knows what the airline industry will be like at that time, and KLM may not even be flying that route then.

KLM offers free booze :) Sorry don't know about miles.

I'm not "worried" about anything. I just asked a question, what 's the harm. I could have said winter 2012 and you'd never have known the difference!

Of course there is a chance they can put you on the non-stop flight. Surprisingly, airlines don't set out to torture their customers, and it <b>doesn't cost them less</b> to route you on a connection. The issue is availability. That non-stop flight between your city and AMS may have high load and/or high yield, and KL may not release many (or any) seats for reward travel on the day you want.

Since KL (along their corporate sister AF, and partner DL) has many many more trans-Alantic flights than just just that non-stop between your city and AMS, chances are much higher you'll find availability on a connection than on that non-stop. But it doesn't necessarily mean you have no chance. [As long as KL still exist in winter 2013 (or 2012) and flying that route. :p ]

You're flying out of SFO, right? KL's SFO-AMS is down to just <b>5 flights a week</b> on their old MD11s for Winter 2011. It is not out of question they won't be flying that route in winter 2013 (or winter 2012). On the other hand, there are <b>over a dozen</b> trans-Atlantic flights <b>each day</b> on DL, KL and AF to get you from SFO to AMS with just one connection; via ATL, DTW, JFK, LAX, MSP, PDX, SEA or CDG.

Now THAT was very helpful.

The reason for my concern (not worry, just concern :-) )about n/s is that when we flew to Egypt, we had to fly SFO-Portland-Frankfurt-Cairo. Our very first flight was delayed (typical a.m. flight delay at SFO), so we missed our connection out of Portland, and had to spend 6-1/2 hours at Frankfurt airport that I could have lived without. Then again, our flights to SEA last spring were all on time, so you're right, what am I worrying about?????

Seriously, when you're using award tickets, you simply have to be flexible and not picky about specific flights or connection. And of course, if you book early (either with money or miles), chances of schedule changing between your purchase is flight date is higher than if you book late. Basically, all one should expect is getting from Point A to Point B, around the time/date you want, when using an award.

We live in MSP and those non-stop flights to AMS are a bit scarce with FF awards. Just keep looking, book as far in advance as possible, call an agent late at night and ask for help, if you don't like the answer, hang up and call another. At times, I've called 4 times to get what I want, but in the end it all worked out.