US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Going to LAS

I've got a trip to LAS coming up in June.

I was toying with the idea of paying for FC but they don't seem to be offering it in June.

Fares are nothing special -- for a "low yield route" they sure do seem to want an awful lot of money for a ticket... (And isn't it curious to see those 757's flying between PHL & PIT -- I guess that's just another "low yield" route too...)

So my options seem to be:

1) Buy a ticket and sweat out an upgrade.

2) Buy a ticket and upgrade it with miles.

3) Forget about upgrading and use miles to get a coach ticket.

4) Get a premium award and upgrade it immediately.

5) Go for a standard FC award.

6) Go with United and sit in E+ (problem: the first leg would probably be an RJ from MHT to ORD -- yuck.)

7) Fly on another airline that still has full size planes with a real FC cabin. (NWA seems to fit the bill nicely.)

8) Just go with SWA. I know what I'll get, they have direct flights and the cost is quite reasonable.

Am I missing anything? What does the wisdom of FT suggest?

Could also go non-stop out of BOS on Song - might be more comfortable than SWA.

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If I could exchange my miles for cash, I'd be rich!

DISCLAIMER: Above statement assumes 1 mile equals 1 dollar. As always, reward seats may not be available on all flights and fares are not guaranteed until tickets are purchased.

If you really need the FC seat, I would:

1. Try to get a standard FC award. Since I'll be shocked if they have the dates you want, I'd then:

2. Burn the 50k and upgrade immediately.

If you don't particularly care about a nice seat, I would (in order):

1. Book with LUV, secure in the knowledge you are not getting hosed, but having to deal with the check-in and security process for Southwest in LAS. If you are leaving on the weekend or Monday, this makes a very large difference.

2. Call US and try to get the exit row seats from (HUB)-LAS. Have the agent stamp your BP "first class" at LAS so you can use the FC line for the D terminal. This makes a large bit of difference.

3. Take the UA route.

Above and beyond the issue of upgrading, the big perk of status at LAS is jumping the often insane security lines.

2.

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Don't feed the trolls.

US website offers MHT-LAS for $198+ in June (probably mid-week flights); if travel dates fit, that would seem cheap enough to choose option (2) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Depending on how flexible you are, you can purchase a coach seat 8 days out. If your CP upgrade doesn't clear overnight, then refund the ticket using US Air's 24h customer satisfaction guarantee. Can work great when low fares are offered with only 7 days advance purchase requirement.

Works best if you can secure a reasonably priced refundable ticket for non-stop travel on another airline to use if your upgrade doesn't clear.

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If I could exchange my miles for cash, I'd be rich!

DISCLAIMER: Above statement assumes 1 mile equals 1 dollar. As always, reward seats may not be available on all flights and fares are not guaranteed until tickets are purchased.

I would think twice before booking WN. If anything goes wrong -- irregular ops, IDB, etc. -- your CP status on US won't amount to a hill of beans with WN. If this is a leisure trip with a Sat. night stay, I would personally cough up the extra $$ to either fly UA in E+, or fly on US with a confirmed exit row or bulkhead seat in Y, with the off-chance you may be upgraded.

The chances of upgrading on any flights to/from LAS these days are slim to none. The recofigured 757 basically shuts all FF from any chance of the big seats. Flew into Las on 3/18 and out 3/21 - both ways the bus was full to the brim. CP 1st on the airport list and sitting in the back... Next time I'll buy the coach seat and spend the extra miles to upgrade to first. Never fly LUV to/from Vegas - always late and the C wing is always a ZOO.

[This message has been edited by djlndc (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

If you've got a little extra time, go through LAX. You can get a UA flight LAX-LAS and sit in E+ and the LAX flights are A321's with F26.

Or find a reasonable Full fare Y (although this may prove extrememly hard to do) and then upgrade that immidiately using your unlimited upgrades.

Or see if they have one of those Go-First fares (I think they are A or something).
I'd take Song, HP, or any of the other LC carriers over WN. Anyone see the Airline episode when WN overbooked a flight by no less than 53 people?!!??

Yes. I don't know why I find AIRLINE so riveting. Perhaps it's because I need to justify paying more for tickets on US (to keep this thread on topic) or UA.

I heard A&E has Season 2 in development. I wonder if it's going to be all about WN or if other airlines will be featured.

The second season of Airline will just be on WN. Now they will feature BWI airport in addition to LAX and MDW.