US Airways Dividend Miles - ExpertFlyer - LX Availability for Awards

I know that LX I class is for biz awards and upgrades. I can't seem to tell what's available though. Did a search for a specific date for ORD-ZRH and it shows I class with 9 seats available. Surely that's upgrades, not actual award seating. I will be armed with alternatives but would like to know with some certainty whether LX will be an option for me when I call US. How do I know what the availability is?

If you search Awards & Upgrades on Expertflyer, specify LX and the route and date in question, and it comes back I9 then indeed there are 9 business class seats available as awards. Seriously. ^

Awesome. I'll keep that in mind for the future.

I went with LH anyway, as I actually needed to get from EU back to PHX (the outbound is NZ via LAX-LHR). The connection timing at ZRH was worse than FRA so that made my choice. Have to try LX C another day!

(I book C instead of F because I'm always booking for two and don't earn miles quite as fast as others here.)

Actually, ExpertFlyer's award availability for LX, BD does not necessarily match US's for those airlines.

This past summer I flew to Africa (JNB) on LX from ZRH. Many time ExpertFlyer showed up to 4/5 O class (First Class, I is Business) seats and US would not display them. Then on the dates US showed availability on LX for up to 2 passengers, ExpertFlyer showed 0. I find ANA's Mileage Club much more accurate, although ANA's doesn't support LX.

As an interesting fact, CO is now included on ANA, but availability is stingy, even for next year. I played around quite a bit today.

I should being doing another LX F class award soon, so I'll report how well US's rez matches up with ExpertFlyer.

-Kinglobjaw

Actually, ExpertFlyer's award availability for LX, BD does not necessarily match US's for those airlines.

Correct, as stated on the Award & Upgrade search results page: The Award & Upgrade information is only valid for flights flown on the searched airline (not code shares) and only when using miles/points/certificates from the searched airline, not partner airlines.

In other words, call US to confirm, don't assume the same amount of LX awards/upgrades that are available to LX flyers are available to US ones.

-EFV

As an interesting fact, CO is now included on ANA, but availability is stingy, even for next year. I played around quite a bit today.

Aye. I was intending to book CO IAH-PHX as the final segment but the frustrating agent assumed I wanted US and put me on US587 after I'd given her the LH flight number to get me to IAH. She put me on hold and went to the fare desk before I could protest and I decided I'd just keep the US segment. After all, it was the NZ and LH long-hauls that I was really after.

Interestingly, she came back from the fare desk telling me I couldn't book the itinerary because I'd be crossing two oceans and it'd be like a RTW award. I was speechless for a second until I realized some fool at the fare desk didn't understand that NZ2 LAX-LHR is a valid eastbound segment. She proceeded to tell me NZ doesn't even go that direction from LAX. I asked how it would be possible for a flight to go 3/4 around the world westbound in 10 hours. She put me on hold and got someone on the fare desk who fortunately had a clue.

Thumbs down to the lack of BD availability from LHR to mainland, and the complete lack of any LHR-CDG segments. But at least I'll get some top notch Indian food in London and a comfortable ride via Eurostar to Gare du Nord this way.