BOS-DUB or DUB-BOS using Avios
Jan 4, 2014, 4:41 am
#47
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I can't give a usually answer as I have never myself redeemed on Gold Circle, but the overwhelming quantity of messages I read tend to suggest that EI is not exactly falling over to facilitate people wanting seats on Avios but will take care of its own elites very well.
Feb 5, 2014, 5:09 am
#50
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Feb 12, 2014, 9:45 am
#51
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Quantas seems to be the best way to check - also has a month-by-month calendar if you choose "flexible dates", which is very useful.
Just booked my flights back to DUB for next Christmas, and there's plenty of availability other than J on Dec 18/19/20 and Y on Dec 23/24 BOS-DUB (presumably because of us early bookers). Fees for the round trip were $163 (using BA Avios). Up from $153 last time I booked.
Just booked my flights back to DUB for next Christmas, and there's plenty of availability other than J on Dec 18/19/20 and Y on Dec 23/24 BOS-DUB (presumably because of us early bookers). Fees for the round trip were $163 (using BA Avios). Up from $153 last time I booked.
Last edited by krayZpaving; Feb 12, 2014 at 10:19 am
Feb 26, 2014, 2:15 pm
#53
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 11
Thought I would bump up this thread to get some input from others... I just searched on ExpertFlyer for availability from BOS-DUB-BOS and there is absolutely nothing from June through August but then as of September 1st there is availability every day. Do you think it is just all booked up for summer months or something with how they code the awards or maybe they dont allow avio awards for summer months? Just thought I would put it out there, any thoughts?
Feb 26, 2014, 2:44 pm
#54
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You've got to pick up the phone. ExpertFlyer and other online tools do not have accurate Aer Lingus award availability.
Mar 9, 2014, 12:05 pm
#55
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 18
So, I picked up the phone... Nothing. Absolutely nothing around my flight dates, according to BA. Is this a keep-calling-another-rep-will-find-them situation? Or a wow-you-waited-way-too-long one? (looking for DUB-ORD, JFK, or BOS on 5/26 +- 2 days)
Mar 10, 2014, 6:17 am
#56
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It could be either, to be honest. EI reward availability is an even darker art than that of most other airlines.
Mar 10, 2014, 6:48 am
#57
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Keep in mind that if you're trying to book award seats on one flight from two different Avios/UA accounts you may run into an issue. I had to book 3 J awards BOS-DUB using two separate Avios accounts. Award availability was showing 9 seats. I booked the first two tickets and availability immediately dropped to 0. I now have to wait for the last seat to hopefully open up. Point being watch out for this.
Last edited by bennytma; Mar 10, 2014 at 8:47 am
Mar 10, 2014, 8:46 am
#59
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I don't think that is what's happening. It wouldn't explain why total award availability according to Expertflyer would go from 9 to 0 when only 2 seats were booked. That would imply that there were never 9 award seats available to partners in the first place. I know Expertflyer might not be entirely accurate. But I've often been able to find 4 biz award seats BOS-DUB on www.united.com. My theory is that after someone books an award ticket on a given flight EI zeros out award space on that flight.
Last edited by bennytma; Mar 10, 2014 at 8:53 am
Mar 10, 2014, 9:11 am
#60
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We do indeed have plenty of reports that booking 2 J seats via a partner clears out the advertised availability (regardless of however many seats are shown by whatever tool you are using) which was what I stated above, and no reports of further availability being opened to partners subsequently.
These tools are unreliable indicators. There may be availability despite the tools failing to show any, and regardless of what the tool shows, there are never/rarely more than 2 seats available in J for partners.
Aer Lingus clearly likes to maintain award availability for its own fliers - which I think is only right.
These tools are unreliable indicators. There may be availability despite the tools failing to show any, and regardless of what the tool shows, there are never/rarely more than 2 seats available in J for partners.
Aer Lingus clearly likes to maintain award availability for its own fliers - which I think is only right.
Last edited by irishguy28; Mar 10, 2014 at 9:19 am