ANA Award booking questions from a total ANA newbie
Apr 21, 2016, 8:13 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 39
ANA Award booking questions from a total ANA newbie
I am planning a trip for me and my wife to visit Japan in Oct 7th-23rd 2016. NYC->NRT (Her first time) and I had always decided that if I go back, I'm tired of the 14-15 hour economy flight crush etc. So I saw that business class tickets are only 85k miles, so I had 170k MR points transferred and made a waitlisted reservation.
From what I can tell the business cabin is mainly empty, and confirmed that they are no other people on waitlist for the space. So I had a few questions, and people here might know much better since I haven't ever even been on an ANA flight.
1. Will no waitlist changes will occur until much closer to the flight time? It says the wait limit is sept 23 or something (ie 14 days prior) (so I don't have to keep checking all the time?)
2. How long do you have to confirm/pay fees for your flight if they do confirm? (Just worried that if I'm away for a few days that I might miss on those days)
3. I have seen on reading the forums that 14 days prior is useless in terms of the cut off, if the waitlist fails, should I reattempt the booking? (my flights are 2 weeks apart so I don't know if that makes it harder)Would it tell me 96 hours in advance that it won't work? What have other people's close in redemption experiences been like?
4. I am ok with confirmation up until 24 hours in advance as I have a backup plan already. I have paid delta 300$ and 500k miles for my backup confirmed flight on the same dates and similar times, and it would cost me 300$ more to refund those miles. I had heard ANA was much better than Delta (which wouldn't be very hard) so I assumed ANA would be worth ~800$ extra(after all fees and refunds)?
From what I can tell the business cabin is mainly empty, and confirmed that they are no other people on waitlist for the space. So I had a few questions, and people here might know much better since I haven't ever even been on an ANA flight.
1. Will no waitlist changes will occur until much closer to the flight time? It says the wait limit is sept 23 or something (ie 14 days prior) (so I don't have to keep checking all the time?)
2. How long do you have to confirm/pay fees for your flight if they do confirm? (Just worried that if I'm away for a few days that I might miss on those days)
3. I have seen on reading the forums that 14 days prior is useless in terms of the cut off, if the waitlist fails, should I reattempt the booking? (my flights are 2 weeks apart so I don't know if that makes it harder)Would it tell me 96 hours in advance that it won't work? What have other people's close in redemption experiences been like?
4. I am ok with confirmation up until 24 hours in advance as I have a backup plan already. I have paid delta 300$ and 500k miles for my backup confirmed flight on the same dates and similar times, and it would cost me 300$ more to refund those miles. I had heard ANA was much better than Delta (which wouldn't be very hard) so I assumed ANA would be worth ~800$ extra(after all fees and refunds)?
Apr 23, 2016, 2:11 am
#2
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,165
I am planning a trip for me and my wife to visit Japan in Oct 7th-23rd 2016. NYC->NRT (Her first time) and I had always decided that if I go back, I'm tired of the 14-15 hour economy flight crush etc. So I saw that business class tickets are only 85k miles, so I had 170k MR points transferred and made a waitlisted reservation.
From what I can tell the business cabin is mainly empty, and confirmed that they are no other people on waitlist for the space. So I had a few questions, and people here might know much better since I haven't ever even been on an ANA flight.
1. Will no waitlist changes will occur until much closer to the flight time? It says the wait limit is sept 23 or something (ie 14 days prior) (so I don't have to keep checking all the time?)
2. How long do you have to confirm/pay fees for your flight if they do confirm? (Just worried that if I'm away for a few days that I might miss on those days)
3. I have seen on reading the forums that 14 days prior is useless in terms of the cut off, if the waitlist fails, should I reattempt the booking? (my flights are 2 weeks apart so I don't know if that makes it harder)Would it tell me 96 hours in advance that it won't work? What have other people's close in redemption experiences been like?
4. I am ok with confirmation up until 24 hours in advance as I have a backup plan already. I have paid delta 300$ and 500k miles for my backup confirmed flight on the same dates and similar times, and it would cost me 300$ more to refund those miles. I had heard ANA was much better than Delta (which wouldn't be very hard) so I assumed ANA would be worth ~800$ extra(after all fees and refunds)?
From what I can tell the business cabin is mainly empty, and confirmed that they are no other people on waitlist for the space. So I had a few questions, and people here might know much better since I haven't ever even been on an ANA flight.
1. Will no waitlist changes will occur until much closer to the flight time? It says the wait limit is sept 23 or something (ie 14 days prior) (so I don't have to keep checking all the time?)
2. How long do you have to confirm/pay fees for your flight if they do confirm? (Just worried that if I'm away for a few days that I might miss on those days)
3. I have seen on reading the forums that 14 days prior is useless in terms of the cut off, if the waitlist fails, should I reattempt the booking? (my flights are 2 weeks apart so I don't know if that makes it harder)Would it tell me 96 hours in advance that it won't work? What have other people's close in redemption experiences been like?
4. I am ok with confirmation up until 24 hours in advance as I have a backup plan already. I have paid delta 300$ and 500k miles for my backup confirmed flight on the same dates and similar times, and it would cost me 300$ more to refund those miles. I had heard ANA was much better than Delta (which wouldn't be very hard) so I assumed ANA would be worth ~800$ extra(after all fees and refunds)?
2. If there are points in your account when a waitlist clears, my understanding is that the ticket is issued no further questions asked.
3. Definitely reattempt. Though success can be difficult.
4. I have not flown Delta, so I can't compare. But I would think NH is miles ahead.
Apr 24, 2016, 4:41 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: AS MVP G, SW RR CP, A3 *G, Hyatt Dia, SPG Plat
Posts: 13
Great job on booking your backup. In my experience waitlists rarely clear early. But if it does, I would agree that its worth the sting of paying the redeposit fee on Delta.
A second option is to just cancel the ANA book and find another trip to confirm on.
A second option is to just cancel the ANA book and find another trip to confirm on.
Apr 29, 2016, 6:40 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 371
>> I had 170k MR points transferred and made a waitlisted reservation
I have the same dilemma - looking for 2 J seats in July from the west coast to NRT.
little hesitant to move that many MR points for a waitlist since I'm not sure about travel plans with ANA for remainder of the year.
My backup plan is Korean Air with Chase UR - its ~300k UR points which is pretty steep, they will hold the reservation for a month (!!)
I have the same dilemma - looking for 2 J seats in July from the west coast to NRT.
little hesitant to move that many MR points for a waitlist since I'm not sure about travel plans with ANA for remainder of the year.
My backup plan is Korean Air with Chase UR - its ~300k UR points which is pretty steep, they will hold the reservation for a month (!!)
Apr 29, 2016, 10:37 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
Apr 30, 2016, 11:30 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 9
>> I had 170k MR points transferred and made a waitlisted reservation
I have the same dilemma - looking for 2 J seats in July from the west coast to NRT.
little hesitant to move that many MR points for a waitlist since I'm not sure about travel plans with ANA for remainder of the year.
My backup plan is Korean Air with Chase UR - its ~300k UR points which is pretty steep, they will hold the reservation for a month (!!)
I have the same dilemma - looking for 2 J seats in July from the west coast to NRT.
little hesitant to move that many MR points for a waitlist since I'm not sure about travel plans with ANA for remainder of the year.
My backup plan is Korean Air with Chase UR - its ~300k UR points which is pretty steep, they will hold the reservation for a month (!!)
Can't you use use Chase UR to book with United? I think it would be cheaper in that case.
I also booked a waitlist and just removed myself recently since I call the ANA cs and they said my date is high season, End of June to July and they mention there is 8 people waitlisted already so I gave up and luckily found something under Asiana so booked that adding 10k miles plus extra 200+ tax.
Personally still perfers ANA for their services. Don't want to discourage other to cancel waitlist since I also did some research there are success stories of waitlist. So would prefer people share more experience about ANA waitlist
Apr 30, 2016, 2:51 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 371
chase UR
You're right, United is cheaper but wouldn't work with my dates.
Ended up doing return on Delta for 70k which is better (but flight leaves midnight).
Do ANA reps tell you what position you have on the waitlist? I am planning to get on the WL for another trip at end of year
Ended up doing return on Delta for 70k which is better (but flight leaves midnight).
Do ANA reps tell you what position you have on the waitlist? I am planning to get on the WL for another trip at end of year
Apr 30, 2016, 8:16 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 9
I called in March and i was the only person on wl(2 seat in j) and earlier this month i call again to find out and rep said that theres like 10 people on wl. So i have to give up on it since I have a fixed schedule and have to fly on a certain date.
May 4, 2016, 11:53 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 371
One thing I'm worried about is if its possibly showing 'phantom' space - would suck to transfer almost 300k MR points to find out that I can't use it right now.
May 5, 2016, 10:04 am
#14
Join Date: May 2006
Location: New York
Programs: SPG Platinum, AA 2.0 MM, DL Plat, Hertz Plat, LY Gold
Posts: 1,602
Anyone have experience with ANA making flights available to their FF program only and not Star Alliance partners?
Looking at an HND-SYD flight in J that's available using my ANA miles and not UA or AC (which would be less)
Looking at an HND-SYD flight in J that's available using my ANA miles and not UA or AC (which would be less)
May 6, 2016, 10:15 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
I've only seen this happen Pro NH.
Meaning I've never had an situation where UA had space and NH did not.