After calling United for over a week (had to wait for the 330 days) and speaking with 4 agents, I got PSP-LAX-FRA-GVA roundtrip. The PSP-LAX route flies every hour but could not get seats on 10:00 AM flight. We leave Palms Springs after 5:00 in the MORNING. Got two 1st class seats on the next leg (Lufthansa) Seats 83 A & C. Looking at the two airline web sites the tickets are worth $22,103.50. Cost was tax and telephone agent cost ($15.00). Had to use agent as you cannot do Lufthansa leg on computer. Will call closer to departure date to see if I can change PSP departure. This is for January 2006.

Congrats! I love to hear a success story every so often with FF miles. Enjoy the trip!

bajaflash, that is truly fantastic! Good for you.

$1,600.00 for tax? how many FF miles?

I am pretty excited also to get BLI-SEA-SFO-LHR-LIS-MLA-LHR-SEA-BLI all first class except for the BLI flight which is all one class on a "puddle-jumper". Only about 4 months ahead of time also. 125,000 air miles plus I think it was about $125.00. First time in first!! Trip is in April.

Jeff: No, that was not the amount I paid. No way. It was 100,000 miles per person with our United Mileage Plus account.
Louise: Your trip sounds wonderful. I started trying as soon as I could as they kept saying there was only one then NO first class seats. I think the planning is part of the excitement.

bajaflash - thank you, I hope the trip is wonderful. I pick up a small expedition ship in Lisbon which goes on to Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, Libya, Sicily and Malta. I was pretty thrilled about the trip itself but now am even more so. I have a great travel agent who got the seats for me.

rd tix) last year and you are in for a treat. Prepare to be spoiled.

The first class section was in the upper deck of a 747...sounds like yours might be the same..

In case you haven't seen the seating configuration...check this out..

http://cms.lufthansa.com/fly/de/en/i...781029,00.html

We, too, are using Dividend Miles (USAir) for Lufthansa first class plus connecting first class on United. I'm excited! I must say that USAirways was a delight to work with as I changed my itinerary several times. If the partner seats weren't available, the agent stayed on the phone until we found an acceptable solution.

I really hope they are around for the long-haul!

Just keep in mind that there is no 1st class FRA-GVA, only "business", and even that is a regular economy seat with "enhanced service" to differentiate from economy. But 83A&C are supposed to be the best seats on the 747-400!!