Redeeming air miles to Europe
 

Has anyone had any luck redeeming miles for trips to Europe from the US ?? I have tried from March into the summer w/very few dates being available. I was waiting for US Air to release their European fares but they end the week before I need to travel so I thought I would just cash in miles (only 40K) instead. There were no dates available unless I wanted to stay 2 weeks. ???

We just redeemed 2 tickets on United/Lufthansa for travel in 2 weeks. No problem at all. I was quite surprised. I even checked out US Airways and was able to get tickets on that too. I don't know what the situation for travel in March is though.

I used my United miles this summer, but to upgrade. No problems.

Let me be a little more succinct. Has anyone been able to use miles for any trips to Europe From March '03 or after. I too have had no trouble in the past, this seems to be the latest ploy by the airlines to 'blackout' tickets in prime travel seasons. Summer in Europe falls into that category. Thx again.

SA<BR>According to the APA,airlines have begun to stifle their "free mileage" seats to their profitable destinations.This would include Europe.I called my TA and he looked thru June of 2003,with not much luck unless you could stay longer than a week.This is apparently the trend.What to do?Dunno,guess buy the cheap tickets,whatever.

I had been hearing the same thing as well but thanks for the confirmation. I do take advantage of cheap tix all the time but I am sometimes @ a disadvantage as my wife is a teacher & lacks the scheduling flexibility that I have. Thx Jason

We just booked our flights on American FF miles for next summer. Two totally free flights (well, we do have to pay about $40 each for taxes) for first class tickets from Ft. Lauderdale to Laguardia in New York, then a month later business class tickets JFK to London, two weeks later British Airways business class London to Berlin, and two months later business class from Paris to Miami. They took 90,000 miles each and we got first choice of our dates and flights. How do we manage? We check with American, find out the exact number of days ahead you can book -- 332 I think it is. And then book each segment that number of days ahead until the entire itinerary is planned. We got our tickets this week for travel starting next April 30. This total travel itinerary would have cost us over $8000 each if purchased outright.

I too am unable to redeem USAir ff miles for European travel. I've called several times, beginning in July, and have been unable to get anything for Rome in March 2003. I was quite surprised because in Nov 2000, I was able to choose among many dates for a March 2001 Paris trip. <BR><BR>I hope they will release more seats for award tickets so I'll keep trying, but will also watch the fares and buy if I see something under $500. I'm not about to wait till the the week before I want to go on the chance that cheaper or free tickets become avaialble at the last minute.

SA,<BR>In July I redeemed AA miles for a free trip to Spain for mid April to mid May '03, going through Miami, but having to fly Iberia over (aargh!) and AA back. <BR><BR>For last yr's summer trip, I redeemed US Air miles for this past June to Madrid, but even doing this a full 11 months in advance, I also had to go through Miami on American on the way over, then flew back non-stop on US Air.<BR>They never, ever make it easy in shoulder and high season, even with much advanced planning.<BR><BR>In low season the picture is brighter. We purchased $395 US Air tickets last month for Paris in Jan. and upgraded them to Envoy class with no problem.

There are tix out there right now for Rome (from Clt) for $430 through the first week of March. Hope that helps. USAir is just not going about it the right way if they want to maintain their customer loyalty, by screwing over their best customers.

I was told to pick cities as Frankfurt where there is more than one or two flights a day going to and from the US

To Patrick,<BR>Let me get this straight! You are able to get first class tickets to New York with a one month layover in New York. Then a business class ticket to London with a two month layover in London. Then a business class ticket to Berlin, then a ticket from Paris to Florida two months later--all on one frequent flyer ticket.<BR>All airlines allow an open jaw ticket or a round trip return with one layover.---That's all!!<BR>P.S. it's no problem getting tickets for April and returning in September.<BR>Give me a break!

Yes, you have it right. Except that the stopover in London is for two WEEKS, not two months. As many here know, I usually take off traveling for the entire summer (out of the heat and humidity of Florida). Actually this award ticket is written as a Business Class Ticket from Ft. Lauderdale to Berlin, and a return from Paris to Miami. It allows two stopovers (if one is at a US gateway--not really considered a stopover, but rather a gateway pause, or some such nomenclature). So yes, my first stopover is at the US gateway of New York -- and because there is no business class on AA from Ft. Lauderdale to New York, they upgrade me to First Class. My next stopover is in London for two weeks, before continuing on to my "actual destination" which is Berlin. And American honors the British Airways ticket to Berlin as a one world alliance partner. My return will not allow any stopovers since I used two going. Therefore I fly nonstop from Paris to Miami. By the way, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami are considered the "same airport" when ticketing. In other words there is no extra charge for flying out of one and into the other. <BR><BR>As I mentioned, I have called the full 332 days ahead for each of these segments putting the itinerary on hold until the final segment could be booked -- and then they issued the ticket. I traveled in Europe this summer with my calendar marked for the days I had to call American to book each segment. This may sound like a lot of trouble, but I think it is worth it!!<BR><BR>Incidentally, the last agent I talked with at American complimented me on getting the most possible out of a ticket. Yes, I know. I studied the rules long and hard to get this all worked out to get the most value for my money. We were going to fly to New York and back for a month anyway, but when I figured how to include it on the European itinerary and be bumped to first class as well, I jumped at it.

Hats off for a brilliant use of miles and illustrating just how valuable they can really be, Patrick!

We just returned from Europe on 2 free first class tickets LAX to Paris, Paris to LAX. We already have 2 free first class tickets for next year, LAX to Paris, London to LAX return. Like many of the other posters, I play the game. I call 331 days in advance, which is when the seats go into the airline computer systems. Since I live in Los Angeles, and the seats go into the systems at 8 am, eastern standard time, 331 days in advance, I get up at 5 am and call the airline. I've been doing this for years and haven't had a problem yet. The only hitch this year was the LAX to SFO portion, we're on standby for first class. It's a long way off and it's only an hour flight, so whether we have fly coach or not, isn't a big deal. And, it wasn't that first class was taken that flight, the seats just aren't in the system yet. We're retired and can plan ahead but the average person who works usually doesn't know 331 days in advance, where they're going. The airlines do make it difficult to use FF miles.

Just got back from my trip to Europe last night. I used my frequent flyer miles and it cost me 100,000 miles from United for 2 people. I flew out of Hawaii and met my friend in San Francisco.<BR><BR>I made my reservations a year ago because there are only limited seats available for frequent flyers. We had no problems. Enjoyed our three-week vacation in France and Spain.

Sandy and Patrick--thanks for the good advise. <BR><BR>Last year my husband and I used a Marriott Rewards certificate from Seattle-Malaga-Paris-Seattle with British Air. We booked it in Sept. for March. When I tried to book it, I was told the dates weren't available. The next day, my husband got on the phone and booked exactly what I had requested. I don't know if somehow those seats opened up overnight or if he had better luck because he is a man or if he had better luck because of the agent he spoke to. However, I would suggest that if you don't get what you request, keep trying. <BR><BR>Another suggestion--a friend of mine had no luck with British Air at first out of Seattle to London on FF miles, so made a reservation for Vancouver, B.C. to London with a request that if a seat became available out of Seattle, she would get it--and she did. So if you can't get the airport you want, try a nearby one if possible, with a request to change if something opens up.

This week I booked a trip San Fran to Paris in April 03, and they offered me several different dates..biz class, 80k ff miles plus 28.00$

Where exactly in Europe are you going and when in March?<BR><BR>Remember that Carnival falls in March this year as Easter is later in April. So there could be blackout dates for that. I have also found that most airlines are not letting you use miles during weekend days.<BR>

We booked 2 from US to Nice and returning from Paris on United in May/June 2003, with a codeshare from Heathrow to Nice. We wanted a little more than 2 weeks in that time frame and had to adjust by one day. Good luck--I think it is better to call at night--they seem more willing to help you.