who said frequent flyer tkts are hard to get??
May 12th, 2010, 10:36 PM
#1
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who said frequent flyer tkts are hard to get??
i recall i had the most difficult time getting a free tkt with delta. after i finally got it, i said alooooha. no more delta for me.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...ions_lifestyle
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...ions_lifestyle
May 13th, 2010, 04:13 AM
#3
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We were lucky enough to procure tickets using Delta FF Miles both last year and this year, however, our trip to Vietnam was approx 28 hours long from Florida and the return will be close to 40. Is it worth it??? Last year we traveled to Thailand and had decent flights. Both tickets were purchased using miles as soon as the tickets became available. It wasn't easy though.
May 13th, 2010, 06:47 AM
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to me the key is doing homework ahead of time and being prepared to spring for the tickets on day 331 (from your return date) when they are first available...
delta has become slighly more difficult, but flexibility is important....for instance when i recently did tickets for my fall thailand trip i found that flying into singapore or hong kong provided way more availability than to bkk directly... in the end i found a bkk flight but i was prepared to take air asia's inexpensive flights from other cities to bkk to fill the gap...
the other thing i do is to talk directly to the airline and pay the $20 fee for doing so....for instance this past monday i was booking european flights with A/A for march, 2011....Bos-barcelona with a return from italy, preferably rome....i could not find any flights from rome at the low 20000 level (on-line), so i had decided that milan would be ok.... so i telephoned and bingo the clerk offered me a nice routing through london direct from/to boston and bracelona/rome that was not even offered on line....well worth the $40 total i had to pay and i ended up with superior routing..
i find that some agents are way more willing to work with you and please you than are others....if i find a non-interested party i just terminate the conversation and call back to speak to someone else... late nite calls are also helpful...
delta has become slighly more difficult, but flexibility is important....for instance when i recently did tickets for my fall thailand trip i found that flying into singapore or hong kong provided way more availability than to bkk directly... in the end i found a bkk flight but i was prepared to take air asia's inexpensive flights from other cities to bkk to fill the gap...
the other thing i do is to talk directly to the airline and pay the $20 fee for doing so....for instance this past monday i was booking european flights with A/A for march, 2011....Bos-barcelona with a return from italy, preferably rome....i could not find any flights from rome at the low 20000 level (on-line), so i had decided that milan would be ok.... so i telephoned and bingo the clerk offered me a nice routing through london direct from/to boston and bracelona/rome that was not even offered on line....well worth the $40 total i had to pay and i ended up with superior routing..
i find that some agents are way more willing to work with you and please you than are others....if i find a non-interested party i just terminate the conversation and call back to speak to someone else... late nite calls are also helpful...
May 13th, 2010, 06:59 AM
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In the past I've used my American miles to get free Business class tickets mainly to Europe but also to Asia and to Australia. I've never had a problem, but then I book those tickets the day they become available (essentially 11 months in advance). I was very surprised however, to recently book 12 segments in Business Class on an American/One World pass that will take me around the world, but mainly doing Asia, doing it less than 6 months in advance. The only flight that was an issue was the final London to Miami flight where I couldn't get a Business Class ticket and had to book in Coach. But checking every few days found me an opened up Business seat they rebooked for me after about a month.
By the way, this round the world Business Class ticket cost me 130,000 American Miles. I don't believe I could get such a ticket using Capital One miles, but if I could I suspect it would require spending about a million dollars on a Capital One credit card to get enough miles for it!
By the way, this round the world Business Class ticket cost me 130,000 American Miles. I don't believe I could get such a ticket using Capital One miles, but if I could I suspect it would require spending about a million dollars on a Capital One credit card to get enough miles for it!
May 13th, 2010, 07:01 AM
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The only benefit nowadays seems to be the status miles bring and your place in line not the free flights. Miles are so much of a hassle to use, and the airlines wonder why they are losing money when they run a service business this way. Painfully obvious of the lack of corporate leadership from the top down.
Aloha!
Aloha!
May 13th, 2010, 08:39 AM
#7
Like NeoPatrick I just booked a OneWorld business class award. This is my third RTW in business class using AA miles, so I'm a big fan. It's true I couldn't get the exact routing I wanted for all legs, but I'm going to all the places I wanted to see on more-or-less the right dates.
May 13th, 2010, 10:08 AM
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<b>rhkkmk</b> is exactly right: doing the homework is key. If you call the airline without first knowing what's available, you will be at their mercy. Sometimes you'll get an agent who is sharp and helpful, other times not.
Just about every airline lets you check for availability of their award tickets if you're a member of their program. British Airways and ANA also let you check the availability of some or all of their alliance partners (OneWorld and Star, respectively). It can take time and patience, but finding the seats, one by one, and cobbling together the trip yourself <u>before</u> you pick up the phone is the best way to go.
(Fresh off from having completely redone my fall OneWorld business award trip to Lyon, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, after the swine in Lyon changed the dates of this year's Festival of Lights.)
Just about every airline lets you check for availability of their award tickets if you're a member of their program. British Airways and ANA also let you check the availability of some or all of their alliance partners (OneWorld and Star, respectively). It can take time and patience, but finding the seats, one by one, and cobbling together the trip yourself <u>before</u> you pick up the phone is the best way to go.
(Fresh off from having completely redone my fall OneWorld business award trip to Lyon, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, after the swine in Lyon changed the dates of this year's Festival of Lights.)
May 13th, 2010, 11:00 AM
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It's worth noting that some carriers, more and more, (for instance Continental) are waiting to release seats MUCH closer to the departure date.
When we tried securing tickets for our Indonesia trip this year, 330 days out there was NOTHING available. We were finally able to book our biz class seats about 7 months out. When we had to make a last-minute switch in our dates (about 3 months out) there was a LOT of availability in the immediate weeks.
So some carriers seem to be taking a new tactic of waiting much closer to departure dates to release award seats. Which makes advance planning, for those who are crazy like me and like to book early, very frustrating and difficult.
When we tried securing tickets for our Indonesia trip this year, 330 days out there was NOTHING available. We were finally able to book our biz class seats about 7 months out. When we had to make a last-minute switch in our dates (about 3 months out) there was a LOT of availability in the immediate weeks.
So some carriers seem to be taking a new tactic of waiting much closer to departure dates to release award seats. Which makes advance planning, for those who are crazy like me and like to book early, very frustrating and difficult.
May 13th, 2010, 12:05 PM
#11
Release does seem to be a bit random. I've been watching availability on AA LHR-RDU, as I had to book a fictitious date initially. Even after economy award seats became available at 331 days, it took a week or so for business class seats to open up, and still not for all dates. I wonder if they hold them for elites?
May 13th, 2010, 12:47 PM
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No, thursdaysd, your observation is correct. American opens up domestic and international economy award seats 331 days before, but their int'l Business and First award seats to Asia (and maybe elsewhere) open up 320 in advance. And of course that does not mean that seats in all classes are avalable for all flights.
Each airline has different practices. Lufthansa opens up award seats 356 days in advance. Just about all airlines will open up award seats as the date of a flight approaches and the airline believes that some seats will go unsold.
I've said it before: your best chance at success is directly related to the amount of research that you do, finding award seats before you call an airline to redeem mileage.
Each airline has different practices. Lufthansa opens up award seats 356 days in advance. Just about all airlines will open up award seats as the date of a flight approaches and the airline believes that some seats will go unsold.
I've said it before: your best chance at success is directly related to the amount of research that you do, finding award seats before you call an airline to redeem mileage.
May 13th, 2010, 01:13 PM
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Yup, homework pays off. Whether it is free tix or upgrades, know your options. For those that want to travel business or first, be especially aware that your domestic connecting flight to your international flight (that you really want) will not become available until the last minute. You can still book your flights now and upgrade the legs that aren't available, later.
May 13th, 2010, 03:13 PM
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Well, if you are not lucky enough to get to fly many times I year (I average maybe two or three flights per year), it's hard to rack up FF miles. I have been getting one or two free tkts per year using Capitalone and I am not limited at all by having to book way in advance or do weird routings. To each his/her own.
May 13th, 2010, 05:13 PM
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Sorry, username, I've already had this discussion with you before and I'll pass on repeating. In summary, I fly only in first or business on long-haul, fly approximately 0 miles/year for work, and collect roughly 150-200k miles/year through credit cards. Capital One is for people who prefer economy.
May 13th, 2010, 08:32 PM
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Amen, Rizzuto. I just don't get using FF miles to "buy" free tickets that would cost only a couple hundred dollars anyway.
I fly suprisingly little. My miles aren't from flights, they are from many resources -- from signing up for Netflix, to sending flowers, to dining out, to using credit card for everyday purchases as well as major expenditures.
I fly suprisingly little. My miles aren't from flights, they are from many resources -- from signing up for Netflix, to sending flowers, to dining out, to using credit card for everyday purchases as well as major expenditures.
May 14th, 2010, 04:13 AM
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Again, lucky you Rizzuto. Between four jobs, neither me or my husband make 150K so that rules out spending that much on a credit card. Nor can we book 11 months in advance or have time to figure out all the different plans and options. Further, we cannot be as flexible with our dates as the FF rules require one to be.
Capitalone is a good choice for us and through it we have flown half price to Japan, Thailand, and Mexico in 18 months (one ticket is free, other paid). Neither of us has ever flown first or business class and we have survived. Perhaps it is because we are ectomorphs. Works for us.
Capitalone is a good choice for us and through it we have flown half price to Japan, Thailand, and Mexico in 18 months (one ticket is free, other paid). Neither of us has ever flown first or business class and we have survived. Perhaps it is because we are ectomorphs. Works for us.
May 14th, 2010, 05:44 AM
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Sounds very reasonable, username. Each of us would do well to tailor our mile collection and spending to our individual needs & situations.
Also, on reflection, I think the high end (250k miles/year) of my earlier estimate may be a bit overboard. The majority of my CC miles come from sign-up bonuses, and the 100,000 miles that the British Airways card offered last year was almost surely a one-off. On average over the past 5-6 years, I would guess that I've averaged 150-175k/year from credit cards -- sign-up bonuses, balance transfer bonuses, and spend.
Also, on reflection, I think the high end (250k miles/year) of my earlier estimate may be a bit overboard. The majority of my CC miles come from sign-up bonuses, and the 100,000 miles that the British Airways card offered last year was almost surely a one-off. On average over the past 5-6 years, I would guess that I've averaged 150-175k/year from credit cards -- sign-up bonuses, balance transfer bonuses, and spend.
