After trying a lot of different dates with no success, I was able to get "free" (if 220,000 frequent flier miles are considered free) business class airfare from LAX-New Delhi for the following dates:

Depart LAX on 2/01 @ 1:40AM on Malaysian Airlines. Arrive Kuala Lumpur on 2/02 with a six hour layover, and then arrive in New Delhi on 2/02 @ 9:40PM.

I would have 12 full nights in India and then depart on 2/15 from New Delhi @ 11:00PM at night. I would then endure an 8 hour layover in Kuala Lumpur. That may not be such a bad thing and may allow me enough time to visit what I think is the tallest building in the world. I visited the 3rd tallest building in the world in Shanghai, about three years ago, and since 9/11, it may be #2. I would then arrive home on 2/16 in the evening.

I am considering the following itenerary:

Mon. 2/02 - Arrive New Delhi @ 9:40PM. 2 nights at Imperial Hotel. I would stay longer but the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays and I don't want to waste a day in Agra if the Taj Mahal is not open.

Tues. 2/03 - New Delhi.

Wed. 2/04 - Agra. 2 nights at Amar Vilas.

Thurs. 2/05 - Agra.

Friday 2/06 - Jaipur. 3 nights at Raj Vilas.

Saturday 2/07 - Jaipur.

Sunday 2/08 - Jaipur.

Monday 2/09 - Ranthambhore. 3 nights.

Tuesday 2/10 - Ranthambhore.

Wednesday 2/11 - Ranthambhore.

Thursday 2/12 - I need to find somewhere worth staying a night or possibly even two nights inbetween Ranthambhore and New Delhi before returning to New Delhi.

Friday 2/13 - New Delhi or other destination.

Saturday 2/14 - New Delhi.

Sun 2/15 - New Delhi. Full day in New Delhi before a late 11PM departure.

The big mystery in my itenerary is what to do between Ranthambhore and my second stay in New Delhi.

Any suggestions on how this itenerary can be improved will be greatly appreciated. I guess it may be entirely possible for me to also shorten my India stay for a night or two, if Kuala Lumpur is worth staying a night or two.

Thanks.

I had to use 200,000 ff points for Business class tickets to Mumbai from NYC. It seems that the cheaper business class ff tickets are just not available. I wonder if any other people who read this board had better luck????

I did 3 weeks in Rajisthan last Xmas. Rajvilas is lovely but far from the city which is just as well as Jaipur is choked with traffic. Stay a shorter time there. I would make the effort to get to Udaipur. A calmer city very beautiful with the lake. Again the Oberoi hotel is a bit further out of town but has great views. About 40mins drive outside of Udaipur is the most amazing hotel called Devi Garh. it is on top of a hill in a smalll village. This is the most amazing hotel I have ever stayed in in India. Check out there website Deviresorts.com. Fly back from udaipur to Delhi. make sure you get a daytime direct flight.

OK...how about this schedule that will have me in Agra on one day when the Taj Mahal is closed (but on another day when it is open). I think this itenerary flows a lot better but it also includes the dreaded Agra-Ranthambhore route. It does allow me to visit Udaipur for two nights and then take advantage of my late 11PM departure from New Delhi on my final night by allowing plenty of time to connect from Udaipur to New Delhi:

2/01 - Depart LAX
2/02 - New Delhi. 9:40PM Arrival. 3 nights at Imperial Hotel.
2/03 - New Delhi.
2/04 - New Delhi.
2/05 - Agra. 2 nights at Amar Vilas.
2/06 - Agra.
2/07 - Ranthambhore. 3 nights at Vanya Vilas.
2/08 - Ranthambhore.
2/09 - Ranthambhore.
2/10 - Jaipur. 3 nights at Raj Vilas.
2/11 - Jaipur.
2/12 - Jaipur.
2/13 - Udaipur. 2 nights at Lake Palace Hotel.
2/14 - Udaipur.
2/15 - Depart Udaipur-New Delhi-Kuala Lumpur (8 hour layover)-LAX
2/16 - Arrive LAX.

So...should I grab that business class air while it is still available and go with this itenerary???

Thanks.

at the start of you trip only do 2 nights in delhi. Then your 2 days in Agra won't be wasted. At the end of your trip leave udaipur on 14th flying during the day to new delhi. make sure to get a direct flight if you can and one that lands before night fall otherwise you could be dlayed severely due to fog. Spend your last night in Delhi and then all the next day catching up on shopping and stuff to see. Most of the long haul flights leave in the dead of night so the big hotels have special day rooms you can use after you have checked out or negotiate a special rate to keep the room until you leave for the airport. I don't think it is agood idea to try to fly Udaipur-delhi-and connect with the international flight, it is too risky time wise. This is India be prepared for the unexpected. The Lake Place hotel is a nice idea but udaivillas is a much better hotel. They have a wonderful Kashmiri boat and boatman who rows you around the lake at night. Not to be missed.A real experience. jaipur is really a bit of a dump...be prepared for lots of traffic. oh and get the fast train to Agra from Delhi train station early in the morning. Much more pleasant than driving. Your hotel Amarvillas will pick you up at the Agra train station in an amazing green Ambassador car with chilled hand towels etc..

I guess I could do the following:

Sun. 2/01 - Depart LAX
Mon. 2/02 - New Delhi. 9:40PM Arrival. 2 nights at Imperial Hotel.
Tues. 2/03 - New Delhi.
Wed. 2/04 - Agra. 2 nights at Amar Vilas.
Thurs. 2/05 - Agra.
Fri. 2/06 - Ranthambhore. 3 nights at Vanya Vilas.
Sat. 2/07 - Ranthambhore.
Sun. 2/08 - Ranthambhore.
Mon. 2/09 - Jaipur. 3 nights at Raj Vilas.
Tues. 2/10 - Jaipur.
Wed. 2/11 - Jaipur.
Thurs. 2/12 - Udaipur. 2 nights at Lake Palace Hotel or Udai Vilas Hotel. Desdemona's comments on the previous post have me considering the Udai Vilas Hotel, as well.
Fri. 2/13 - Udaipur.
Sat. 2/14 - Depart Udaipur-New Delhi. 1 night at Imperial Hotel.
Sun. 2/15-New Delhi. 11PM Departure to LAX with an 8 hour layover in Kuala Lumpur. I probably will either request the latest checkout possible (3PM?) and/or eat another night's hotel rate in New Delhi so I can stay in the room until 8:00PM or so.

The only problem that I am encountering with this itenerary is that the only flight from Jaipur to Udaipur leaves at about 6PM and will not allow much time in Udaipur. Unless I stay 3 nights in Udaipur and forego my final night in New Delhi, it doesn't make much sense to go to Udaipur. Therefore, it may be better just to spend a 3rd night in Udaipur, since, even then, it will really only allow two full days.

This is really a challenge to put together the itenerary, especially now with the inflexible dates offered to take advantage of my business class frequent flier mile earned seats.

Rocco, I think you should consider Desdemona's Udaipur hotel. I went to the website and wow. *I'm* ready to go there. It will be newer and trying harder than the Lake Palace. It looks peaceful with a nice emphasis on spa treatments.

Roccco,

Too late now, but did you consider buying a ticket to Sinagpore or Bangkok and using miles to purchase a business class ticket? Tickets within Asia (at least on United or Star Alliance) are quite reasonable, 60,000 miles for Business class. A ticket from LAX to either of these airports would run about $600 tops, but in coach. But, you could use miles to upgrade that route and still use far fewer miles than 220,000.

Next time. Have a safe trip!

Tisler

I enquired about buying an economy class ticket to Hong Kong (about $550 - $750 per person), and then only using frequent flier miles to fly business class between Hong Kong and Delhi. It would have cost me 70,000 ff miles per person just from HKG-DEL, a mere five hour direct flight, so I decided against it.

I haven't confirmed my reservation yet but I must do so within 10 days if I want to keep it, and must transfer my miles from American Express within the next couple days, to allow for processing time.

I should probably grab it while it is available. I will try a few more scenarios with Delta Airlines, whom I found much more helpful than Continental Airlines in helping me find frequent flier mile seats. CA only offers service through Amsterdam, and while it would be nice to spend a couple nights in Amsterdam, February doesn't seem like the appropriate time to do so.

Roccco, are there other airlines affiliated with the AMEX points system?

I know, it stinks to think of using 70,000 miles for a 5 hour flight. If you are not wedded to flying business class for the entire route, maybe purchasing that ticket to HKG (using miles to upgrade from coach to business) and flying coach to Delhi is an option.

Regardless of what you decide, ff miles are perfect for what will be an amazing trip to India. Have a great time!