The flight we are looking at doesn't show as having available free seats on it but there are still plenty of seats available.

What are the chances of the airline opening up more free seats on that flight?

Flight is in November 2005

Jimbo3

What is the route you wish to fly?

Use a premium award.

Use a premium award.


That appears to be the best way these days. I have read on FT that some more seats are opened up closer to departure date, but you always run a risk by waiting.

The route we are looking at is PHL to LAX..........Just how does the Premium award work? don't think I have enough miles to use that......I would almost opt to wait it out and see if any become open, Southwest's schedule is not open yet for those dates I want anyway, I guess that would be my fall back plan way to go if I can't get the ones on Usair I want. If prices stay the same as they are right now on Southwest if might be the way to go anyway and save my miles on Usair for another time, but if Usair goes belly up I will lose the miles anyway.

Jimbo3

PHL-LAX no award seats? Ick! I'd say your best bet would be to book the ticket farther out and then standby for the dates you want for free.

-JC

PHL-LAX no award seats? Ick! I'd say your best bet would be to book the ticket farther out and then standby for the dates you want for free.

-JC

There is some flights available for the return flight from LAX to PHL but just not for the one we wanted to be on. There is a flight that leaves LAX at 10:15pm but we would rather not be on that red eye, we wanted a flight that left LAX at around 1pm.

Don't understand what you mean by booking a ticket farther out and then standby for the dates I want. You mean if we did something like that if seats became available they would move us up for no additional charge, ( even if it was a whole different date) ?.

Jimbo3

A premium award is twice the miles of a standard award. For domesti travel it is 50,000 miles during peak season, 40,000 off-peak. They're booked out of "Y" inventory so it is extremely rare to not be able to get the flights you want.

The names of the award categories and the exact number of miles vary but the general principle holds for all airlines.

If you're saving for a trip and really depending on using miles to get there you should plan on using a premium award and save up enough miles to do so. Or plan on having to plan way ahead, be very flexible, and be prepared for disappointment. IMHO the #1 source of consumer dissatisfaction WRT award travel is the mistaken idea that as soon as they've saved the absolute minimum number of miles they can immediately book a dream trip on their dream dates.

--

At sometime between now and Nov, there will be a very good fare sale to LAX, you'll probably be able to get out there for $149 or something like that.

SO think about it-- I often end up using my miles on shorter, but expensive runs. I have to go to central Wisconsin soon, this would run at least $300, maybe $500, and time is tight--

Anyway, if you could be swayed by a low price point, I'd even hold off, save yourself the re-deposit fee and pay. I'm surprised you can't book what you want to LAX this far in advance, but not too much. I started my annual dance to get my family to Germany for the summer last Aug at the 330 day window-- and there are still no 50,000 mile seat avail to anywhere in Europe from anywhere in the US system. SO you're not alone...

And, it sure is nice to have 25,000 in the bank for a short notice emergency that could really cost you if you had to book it right then.

Cheers!

I am moving from Richmond to Los Angeles in a couple weeks. By June, both my girlfriend and I will have over 20,000 miles on US Airways and we are going to try to book a trip back to the east coast on flexible dates around the middle of December/early January.

Will I be able to book these award tickets in June or is that too early? Is there any restriction on flying into one airport and out of another?

I've flown US Airways a fair bit since they have the most nonstop service from RIC. I'm going to be moving very close to LAX and will probably switch to using Delta (can earn miles flying Alaska for nonstop service on West coast) as I have some Delta miles.

Thus, I'd really like to cash in our miles on this trip back.

Any advice?

There is some flights available for the return flight from LAX to PHL but just not for the one we wanted to be on. There is a flight that leaves LAX at 10:15pm but we would rather not be on that red eye, we wanted a flight that left LAX at around 1pm.

Don't understand what you mean by booking a ticket farther out and then standby for the dates I want. You mean if we did something like that if seats became available they would move us up for no additional charge, ( even if it was a whole different date) ?.

Jimbo3

What you can do is book your return on the redeye right now so that you'll be returning that day no matter what. Goto the airport BEFORE the departure time of the 1PM flight and tell them you want to standby for the 1PM flight. Since you're on an award ticket there are no fees associated. And as long as there are physical seats available on the 1PM flight, they're yours but you can't confirm them in advance.

-JC