ANA F vs J
Apr 4, 2017, 6:22 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1,666
2 seats far out or close in is not difficult at all. Getting the additional seats are unpredictable, even if the cabin is empty. I've found ANA to be pretty inconsistent in last-minute releases.
For instance, when I booked my recent NRT-ORD flight, there were 2 F awards available 4 months out and I booked one, and the other disappeared. ANA did not release any additional seats up to departure, even though the cabin was F7 the entire time (and flew out with me as the only passenger). Whereas on my SIN-NRT connecting flight, there was only 1 seat available at the time, but close to departure, ANA made 3 additional seats available for awards the week prior to departure (strangely enough, the flight was F0 the night before departure, but we ended up flying out with only 3/8 seats filled.)
For instance, when I booked my recent NRT-ORD flight, there were 2 F awards available 4 months out and I booked one, and the other disappeared. ANA did not release any additional seats up to departure, even though the cabin was F7 the entire time (and flew out with me as the only passenger). Whereas on my SIN-NRT connecting flight, there was only 1 seat available at the time, but close to departure, ANA made 3 additional seats available for awards the week prior to departure (strangely enough, the flight was F0 the night before departure, but we ended up flying out with only 3/8 seats filled.)
Apr 5, 2017, 9:09 am
#17
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
2 seats far out or close in is not difficult at all. Getting the additional seats are unpredictable, even if the cabin is empty. I've found ANA to be pretty inconsistent in last-minute releases.
For instance, when I booked my recent NRT-ORD flight, there were 2 F awards available 4 months out and I booked one, and the other disappeared. ANA did not release any additional seats up to departure, even though the cabin was F7 the entire time (and flew out with me as the only passenger). Whereas on my SIN-NRT connecting flight, there was only 1 seat available at the time, but close to departure, ANA made 3 additional seats available for awards the week prior to departure (strangely enough, the flight was F0 the night before departure, but we ended up flying out with only 3/8 seats filled.)
For instance, when I booked my recent NRT-ORD flight, there were 2 F awards available 4 months out and I booked one, and the other disappeared. ANA did not release any additional seats up to departure, even though the cabin was F7 the entire time (and flew out with me as the only passenger). Whereas on my SIN-NRT connecting flight, there was only 1 seat available at the time, but close to departure, ANA made 3 additional seats available for awards the week prior to departure (strangely enough, the flight was F0 the night before departure, but we ended up flying out with only 3/8 seats filled.)
Apr 8, 2017, 10:56 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: NH, JL, SQ
Posts: 164
Apr 10, 2017, 12:44 pm
#20
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
Just to clarify on this Virgin conversation, you can only book NH via Virgin if the flight is between Hawaii or Los Angeles to Tokyo. No other cities in the US will work, so you will be responsible to getting yourself from where-ever to LAX.
Apr 10, 2017, 4:38 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 343
Posted this in the other thread where you commented but this is not true at all. You can book NH via Virgin on any NH route that has availability. I have booked from SFO and there are others that have booked from ORD.
Apr 10, 2017, 5:18 pm
#22
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
He said he called his supervisor and his supervisor claimed that only Hawaii and LAX works.
Apr 10, 2017, 11:10 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Snohomish, WA
Programs: AS MVP Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,793
Can someone clarify because an Virgin Atlantic rep verified this for me over the phone. He tried booking IAH-NRT and it didn't go. Obviously there was space throughout this year.
He said he called his supervisor and his supervisor claimed that only Hawaii and LAX works.
He said he called his supervisor and his supervisor claimed that only Hawaii and LAX works.
See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgi...l#post28157618
Neil
Apr 13, 2017, 8:25 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 66
success!
Thanks everyone for the thoughts and advice in this thread.
I ended up being able to scrounge up enough miles to book two RT tickets in F from ORD (into HND, out of NRT), at a total cost of 240,000 miles and $339 in taxes and fees.
The decision was somewhat made for me by the fact that there was essentially zero J availability for two people out of IAD, JFK, or ORD in October, and I couldn't run the risk of waiting weeks or months in hopes of something else opening up. After all, this is a three week trip, and even though I have a flexible job at a startup with unlimited vacation, it's best to plan this as far in advance as possible.
The booking itself was quite smooth, despite the rocky stories in this thread and elsewhere. I called Virgin late in the evening and was connected to an exceedingly competent and helpful agent in the UK booking office. I explained the situation and told him I had already done a search for award availability on ANA via United's site and I had the exact flights in mind. He said that he was familiar with this booking process and gave me a conspiratorial "let's see what we can do!"
I was on hold for about 10 minutes while he ran it through the system to see if it would be accepted. When he got back on the line, he told me that it hadn't gone through yet, but the good news was that acceptance can take up to 24 hours, and denial happens instantly - so the fact that it hadn't been denied boded quite well, and I could call back in the morning to confirm. When I called in the morning, they told me it went through and I paid. I then had to call ANA to book our seats since Virgin can't handle that part of the process.
One interesting thing was that he said we could fly from and two different cities in the same origin country and it would work - but when he tried this with a flight out of IAD, returning to ORD, it was denied instantly despite showing as available on United's site. He said we could try checking availability later, and could change airports for a $50 per person fee. Regardless, I think we'll be fine.
Thanks again everyone - hoping for a great flight experience and a great anniversary
I ended up being able to scrounge up enough miles to book two RT tickets in F from ORD (into HND, out of NRT), at a total cost of 240,000 miles and $339 in taxes and fees.
The decision was somewhat made for me by the fact that there was essentially zero J availability for two people out of IAD, JFK, or ORD in October, and I couldn't run the risk of waiting weeks or months in hopes of something else opening up. After all, this is a three week trip, and even though I have a flexible job at a startup with unlimited vacation, it's best to plan this as far in advance as possible.
The booking itself was quite smooth, despite the rocky stories in this thread and elsewhere. I called Virgin late in the evening and was connected to an exceedingly competent and helpful agent in the UK booking office. I explained the situation and told him I had already done a search for award availability on ANA via United's site and I had the exact flights in mind. He said that he was familiar with this booking process and gave me a conspiratorial "let's see what we can do!"
I was on hold for about 10 minutes while he ran it through the system to see if it would be accepted. When he got back on the line, he told me that it hadn't gone through yet, but the good news was that acceptance can take up to 24 hours, and denial happens instantly - so the fact that it hadn't been denied boded quite well, and I could call back in the morning to confirm. When I called in the morning, they told me it went through and I paid. I then had to call ANA to book our seats since Virgin can't handle that part of the process.
One interesting thing was that he said we could fly from and two different cities in the same origin country and it would work - but when he tried this with a flight out of IAD, returning to ORD, it was denied instantly despite showing as available on United's site. He said we could try checking availability later, and could change airports for a $50 per person fee. Regardless, I think we'll be fine.
Thanks again everyone - hoping for a great flight experience and a great anniversary
Apr 15, 2017, 10:28 am
#27
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,207
Thanks everyone for the thoughts and advice in this thread.
I ended up being able to scrounge up enough miles to book two RT tickets in F from ORD (into HND, out of NRT), at a total cost of 240,000 miles and $339 in taxes and fees.
The decision was somewhat made for me by the fact that there was essentially zero J availability for two people out of IAD, JFK, or ORD in October, and I couldn't run the risk of waiting weeks or months in hopes of something else opening up. After all, this is a three week trip, and even though I have a flexible job at a startup with unlimited vacation, it's best to plan this as far in advance as possible.
The booking itself was quite smooth, despite the rocky stories in this thread and elsewhere. I called Virgin late in the evening and was connected to an exceedingly competent and helpful agent in the UK booking office. I explained the situation and told him I had already done a search for award availability on ANA via United's site and I had the exact flights in mind. He said that he was familiar with this booking process and gave me a conspiratorial "let's see what we can do!"
I was on hold for about 10 minutes while he ran it through the system to see if it would be accepted. When he got back on the line, he told me that it hadn't gone through yet, but the good news was that acceptance can take up to 24 hours, and denial happens instantly - so the fact that it hadn't been denied boded quite well, and I could call back in the morning to confirm. When I called in the morning, they told me it went through and I paid. I then had to call ANA to book our seats since Virgin can't handle that part of the process.
One interesting thing was that he said we could fly from and two different cities in the same origin country and it would work - but when he tried this with a flight out of IAD, returning to ORD, it was denied instantly despite showing as available on United's site. He said we could try checking availability later, and could change airports for a $50 per person fee. Regardless, I think we'll be fine.
Thanks again everyone - hoping for a great flight experience and a great anniversary
I ended up being able to scrounge up enough miles to book two RT tickets in F from ORD (into HND, out of NRT), at a total cost of 240,000 miles and $339 in taxes and fees.
The decision was somewhat made for me by the fact that there was essentially zero J availability for two people out of IAD, JFK, or ORD in October, and I couldn't run the risk of waiting weeks or months in hopes of something else opening up. After all, this is a three week trip, and even though I have a flexible job at a startup with unlimited vacation, it's best to plan this as far in advance as possible.
The booking itself was quite smooth, despite the rocky stories in this thread and elsewhere. I called Virgin late in the evening and was connected to an exceedingly competent and helpful agent in the UK booking office. I explained the situation and told him I had already done a search for award availability on ANA via United's site and I had the exact flights in mind. He said that he was familiar with this booking process and gave me a conspiratorial "let's see what we can do!"
I was on hold for about 10 minutes while he ran it through the system to see if it would be accepted. When he got back on the line, he told me that it hadn't gone through yet, but the good news was that acceptance can take up to 24 hours, and denial happens instantly - so the fact that it hadn't been denied boded quite well, and I could call back in the morning to confirm. When I called in the morning, they told me it went through and I paid. I then had to call ANA to book our seats since Virgin can't handle that part of the process.
One interesting thing was that he said we could fly from and two different cities in the same origin country and it would work - but when he tried this with a flight out of IAD, returning to ORD, it was denied instantly despite showing as available on United's site. He said we could try checking availability later, and could change airports for a $50 per person fee. Regardless, I think we'll be fine.
Thanks again everyone - hoping for a great flight experience and a great anniversary
Apr 15, 2017, 1:18 pm
#29
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: DL PM, OZ Diamond Plus, BA Silver
Posts: 1,798
I've seen NH consistently open 1 J and 2 F seats on both NRT-JFK and HND-JFK at 355 days out FWIW. (A quick check now actually shows 2 J and 2 F open on NRT-JFK for 4/4/18, and similar availability for other days next April).
