DeborahAnn

I am trying to get 4 seats using USAir dividend miles Baltimore to Paris next August. It's a wedding we want to attend so must travel then.

I spent three days, many times day and night trying to catch seats. I was on vacation, didn't have access to a computer so was just using a cell phone to get to the USAir 800 number. I have tickets on hold for getting there, didn't get the days or the airport departure I wanted but got seats, not even flying on USAir.

Am I going about this the best way, calling the 800 number or is there something else I should be doing? My husband and I have some flexibility on the return but my daughter and son do not. The 330 days of releasing the ff seats will be coming up soon and I need to get us back home

Does anyone have suggestions for successfully redeeming ff miles? Thank you very much, Deborah

Patrick

Just what you're doing in my opinion. You might want to confirm with them that 330 days is still the current figure (I just booked AA tickets more than that many days in advance). Then be sure to call them on that date -- preferably just after midnight. It doesn't hurt to try a day early and let them tell you when you need to call back if they still aren't loaded into the system.

I've been playing this game for years, and so far I've been successfully winning at it.

Mincepie

Sorry you are having problems Deborah. We have never had any trouble using ff miles. Booked tickets in March for flights to India in Jan 2006 for example. Maybe others will give you hints. I have just also booked a seat to Paris from BWI using ff miles..leave end of Sep and booked miles about 3 months ago.

rkkwan

Paris + August + 4 seats = Big problem.

Well, I guess the wedding date can't be changed, so August is set. You can try flying to other European destinations and/or split up the family if you don't need to fly together.

Flexibility is KEY!

DeborahAnn

rkkwan, you are right, all the worst variables for this trip.

Patrick, I have been calling three or times during the day to the 800 number just to monitor what was happening and the most frustrating conversation I had was at 12:04 am when I was told no seats were available, already taken. At 1:30 am I crept out of bed (not wanting to wake the 16 month old twins sleeping in the pak n plays in the cabin) when I got the bright idea to just get close to Paris so ended up with ff tickets to Amsterdam.

Now I just want to get us home. I am thinking of calling at 11 pm and just keeping someone on the line until midnight. Does that sound determined, demented or what

I was hoping there was another way to get these seats. If I can't get return tickets then I will have to watch for best prices for our adult children. Thanks for any suggestions. Deborah

rex

I was thinking that these requests can now be done on their website. No?

Best wishes,

Rex

janis

Be sure to have flexibility re European arrival/departure cities too. London, Amsterdam, etc -- many places are w/i easy reach of Paris either by train or low cost airlines . . . . .

HowardR

You're right, Rex. But, if you have flexibility, it's much easier working it out on the phone rather than online.

kwren

I too have major problems with booking using FF miles. I just keep on calling at 12:01 am (yes, it's a pain to be awake then) but I've eventually had luck in most cases. I have to book 5 FF tickets next month and am very nervous I won't be able to pull it off. You have to book 331 (at least fot United it's 331) days before the return, not before the departure, is what I've been told. By then the FF seats for the departure are usually gone. Anyone have a way around this problem? They don't make it easy do they?!

ms_go

If you do it by phone, you also have the benefit of having the reps check available award seats on partner airlines. With US being a member of the Star Alliance, that includes United, Lufthansa, SAS, bmi, Austrian and LOT. Typically, those are not available via the Internet.

i_am_kane

DeborahAnn,

You are not alone. I have been trying to get FF seats on AA for weeks. American will give me four seats departing JFK into Venice, but will not give me the "sacred" seats from Rome back to JFK.

They say it is a coveted nonstop, Saturday mid-morning flight in high season (July 2006) and all the seats are being held as revenue seats.

I was ready to start begging...

DeborahAnn

What I have learned from this experience.

1. Talking to someone thru the 800 number was the best way to get these tickets

2. Get the outgoing seats as soon as the 331 days come up, put them on hold and keep renewing the hold until the return seats can be made at 331 days.

My desk is looking like a battle plan with calendars, notes, instant messaging reminders scattered about just to get these tickets

Thanks for helping me realize I am doing all I can and in the right order. Deborah

FainaAgain

Just make sure your 16-month-olds don't climb onto your desk aka war zone

jody

Maybe I have just been overly lucky but I have never had troubles getting seats even 60 days out...but I do have flexibility. Get your seats outward boound and then take what you can get coming home. Spend a day or so longer or cut the trip short!

kwren

<<Get the outgoing seats as soon as the 331 days come up, put them on hold and keep renewing the hold until the return seats can be made at 331 days.>>

I'm in the midst of booking my FF seats to Switzerland for next summer, but fall ourside the 331 day limit for the return. I got my 3 outbound seats right away! As if that wasn't amazing enough, the agent at United was wonderful - she actually put my FF reservation on hold until Sept 25 until seats on my day of return open up. At that point I'll keep my fingers crossed that seats are available.

Bokhara

DeborahAnn:

"Just one more" ... sorry, reminded me of the quote from some zillionaire when asked how much money he really needed.
Spring's sprung in Sydney & I'm messing about on Fodors instead of working (blush)! Good luck with your search.

nytraveler

First of all - getting four free tickets on the same flight is extremely difficult. Especially for a popular destination at a busy time of year. This may simply not be possible.

To have any sort of chance (unless you are super platinum members and they owe you the airline) I would look for two pairs of tickets and be flexible about dates, times and departure cities.

For best chance call the FF number directly, point out waht good customers you are (hopefully you have millions of miles) and ask what they can suggest to help. Making one of the agents your friend, getting her/his name and dealing only with them, effusive compliments etc - can sometimes help.

But really - none of the airlines make this easy - and scoring 4 tickets exactly as you want is probably almost impossible.

rex

Just a reminiscence - - in June 1996, I got four business class upgrades (same flights, all together), for travel only two months later for SDF-MUC/GVA-SDF - - in <u>August</u>. Pretty much the exact dates I wanted, if memory serves me correctly.

I don't know if upgrades were easier or harder to get than free seats, then or now. But I know that it was ALL easier then, than now.

On another note, I still marvel at travels in 1994, when I was able to cash in only 70,000 OnePass (Continental) FF miles for TWO tickets, in May, for travel from Columbus, to Tokyo (two nights), then Sydney (four nights), then Kuala Lumpur (one night), then back home. All on Air Malaysia (Yes, I realize that was an interminable amount of flying for only seven night away!)

I'm just pretty sure it would take two or three times that many miles now - - if anyone would even think about letting you have stopovers in Asia, coming AND going to Australia.

DeborahAnn

bokhara, yes, at least one more hoop, which I will willingly jump through .

I am thankful I have 4 tickets outbound, it gets us there, not the way I imagined, but there nonetheless. I was told by someone at USAir that there were 14 seats in coach and 14 in 1st class so I didn't think it would be this difficult. We will be coming back on two different dates but the &quot;kids&quot; really have only two possible return days. That's why I am concerned.

NYTraveler, believe me I have been the epitome of a thoughtful, caring, sincere customer to anyone who will answer the 800 number. I think that is why I have the seats we do. I wish we had the clout of mega miles but alas no. Just a family who has saved and saved those miles and now wants to redeem them.

Well, I guess I just have to keep making more friends at USAirways. It has been a long time since we have used ff miles and I thought I might be missing a step or two. Thanks again, Deborah

welltraveledbrit

Dear Deborah Ann,
I sympathize but agree with others that Europe in August for four is a streach.

I have had lots of luck with FF miles we flew San Francisco (SFO) to Armenia in business with a stopover in Vienna on United miles several summers ago. We've flown into BA, Argentina and out of Rio on an open jaw with AA miles.

We flew SFO to Merida in the Yucatan on Continental. In May I used United miles for several internal flights on Thai Airways. This week booked award tickets on American SFO to St Lucia with a stop in Miami over Thanksgiving.

The great advantage of your US miles is that they are in the Star Alliance so you should be able to check United, Austrian and Lufthansa for starters.

Also as you can see from the itineraries we've done you can get alot of flexibility on FF mile tickets...such as stopovers and open jaws. Additionally it's often possible to change dates if some availability does open up.

Are you interested in seeing anywhere else while you're in France...if so you should consider all available options.

I think your real difficult is going to be getting 4 tickets- have you considered travelling on different days as you seem more flexible...I suppose it depends on the age of your kids?

I have to say that although we have had luck getting ff itineraries we have only been looking for 2 seats and we normally look for them within 60 days of travel.

Additionallly you have my sympathy as my husband has 70,000 US miles and the reason we haven't used them up is that I've had such difficulty with their reservations people who (IMHO) are not nearly as helpful, knowledgable or patient as the best staff AA or United in my opinion.

Good Luck!