airberlin topbonus - air berlin award seats

i am trying to use ba avios or aa advantage miles to book an economy award seat between nyc and dus/ber. does anybody know how far in advence airberline releases award seats to partners or their own frequent flyers?

Not sure but I just booked for Jan 4th next year through AA and seemed like they had access to plenty of seats

i am trying to use ba avios or aa advantage miles to book an economy award seat between nyc and dus/ber. does anybody know how far in advence airberline releases award seats to partners or their own frequent flyers?

You may check the prices of the payed tickets as well. They are sometimes so cheap that redeeming miles for that - especially in economy class - would be a waste of points. Especially if you know how many taxes and fees you have to pay for your "free" ticket.

You may check the prices of the payed tickets as well. They are sometimes so cheap that redeeming miles for that - especially in economy class - would be a waste of points. Especially if you know how many taxes and fees you have to pay for your "free" ticket.

Too true...
I was looking into flights MUC-JFK-MUC in January and was thrilled to see that my "free" ticket would save me all of ~200 Euros. Seems miles are much better spent on upgrades.

Can we search for award seats on line? There doesn't seem to be a faq/wiki about airberlins program here on flyertalk, right?

At least AA is not charging the YQ on AB awards. Otherwise it would be a waste of points especially in economy.

Can we search for award seats on line? There doesn't seem to be a faq/wiki about airberlins program here on flyertalk, right?
Also, any feeback on the number of seats that they generally release on a route in either Y or J?

Also, any feeback on the number of seats that they generally release on a route in either Y or J?

I have booked four J seats summer 2013 on a west coast to DUS flight. There were five Y seats available as well. Just a datapoint.

I have booked four J seats summer 2013 on a west coast to DUS flight. There were five Y seats available as well. Just a datapoint.
Thanks for that. I too am looking for next summer but it appears the availability may be lessened on E -> W routings.

Thanks for that. I too am looking for next summer but it appears the availability may be lessened on E -> W routings.

I ran into the same thing - finding a decent return date with availabilty. The YVR flight loading opened things up, for me at least. They days I looked had 2 J and 5 (maybe more, but I wasn't looking for more than 5) Y seats available in Summer 2013.

Y class almost always full; usually I see 4-6 max available seats available in C/J class when I travel to Thailand and/or JFK. If you can afford the little extra or get upgraded, I advise you would rather fly J/C class with new comfortable seats (reclining 150°) and delicious food. Friendly ground staff and efficient cabin crew. Value for money OK. Would recommend this airline, experienced from Berlin to Phuket in spring 2012. You have some quite outdated reviews here (http://www.flatseats.com/Reviews/airberlin.htm), plus a complete and recent review here (http://travelfirst.com/pays3/airberlin/airberlin_business_class_berlin_txl_new_york_jfk.h tml) and plenty of shootings in Youtube (http://youtu.be/xrYy_Eg9t9U).

Looking for any other data points.
Y is open E -> W TATL for next summer for the dates I'd like, but no J. I'm going to book Y and hope for J availability to upgrade, but does anyone have experience to know if AB opens all awards and the J are gone, or if they're holding back and may release later?

availability is pretty good at AB, at least on my Asia routes. I am sometimes their only guest in C if booked on award upgrade. However on US routes C is usualy crowded and they will release only 1-2 seat anyway. Just call in and ask on which flights upgrades are availible. I strongly belive they act on first come- first serve, and they rather fly half empty then opening another upgrade seat.

Looking for any other data points.
Y is open E -> W TATL for next summer for the dates I'd like, but no J. I'm going to book Y and hope for J availability to upgrade, but does anyone have experience to know if AB opens all awards and the J are gone, or if they're holding back and may release later?

I am considering a winter trip from Washington DC to Germany using AA miles. A suitable DCA-STR flight is available on the day I want on AA/AB. For the return flight, I can book award travel on AB as far as JFK, but not an AA flight JFK-DCA.

Yep, AA domestic availability is horrendous. The only domestic available for me is F which would be fine if I could get J from AB and get the automatic upgrade for only having a 2 cabin plane, but it's not available on AB and I'm wondering if it's reasonable to expect that it will be.

I now have 2 J seats booked TATL and when doing a mock booking I notice 2 more seats are also assigned in J. From reading here, I'm afraid 4 of J is their limit (assuming the other 2 were award seats I missed). I have emailed topbonus to request opening more. Has anyone ever heard of having luck doing that (without status)?
Getting J on AB is the only way I can get F included on AA for the US domestic leg.:(

Hi there, i've hunted every day for the route i want, and the max award seats that i can see in J is 2. I could do with 3 really, anyone have any idea if more are ever released after i nab the 2?? The route is TXL-AUH btw. ^

From reading here the past few months, I believe AB opens 4J and 4Y in advance. What happens the week (month?) prior, or at the gate will remain to be seen.

From personal experience so far, I have booked 2 J and 3 Y on one TATL flight. In doing a mock booking on AB.com, however, I notice that 2 other J seats are assigned and I can't help but think those were award as well. If not, then I'll keep my fingers crossed for 2 more. I emailed AB directly about opening another J seat on my flight and this was their response:

Award flights are limited on every destination. Unfortunately, just 1 award seat is left on the flight, which is requested by you. You can redeem miles for one person, the two other persons can be booked regularely.

Indeed, KVS shows 1 Y seat available. We don't fly until July, so I'll just continue checking and hope for availability the day of.

Wondering if there are any other data points to add by anyone?
I still only have 2 in J for my flight.

Y class almost always full; usually I see 4-6 max available seats available in C/J class when I travel to Thailand and/or JFK. If you can afford the little extra or get upgraded, I advise you would rather fly J/C class with new comfortable seats (reclining 150°) and delicious food. Friendly ground staff and efficient cabin crew. Value for money OK. Would recommend this airline, experienced from Berlin to Phuket in spring 2012. You have some quite outdated reviews here (http://www.flatseats.com/Reviews/airberlin.htm), plus a complete and recent review here (http://travelfirst.com/pays3/airberlin/airberlin_business_class_berlin_txl_new_york_jfk.h tml) and plenty of shootings in Youtube (http://youtu.be/xrYy_Eg9t9U).

I am keen to try out AirBerlin up front. I am concerned with quality issues, only in the sense that it is an unknown quantity to me. Not everyone's business class is 'business class'.

I looked at these reviews you kindly linked, they do not suggest the comfort of business class is so good. Other colleagues mention to e that AB are taking on some new aircraft, depending what these are and offered on which routes might help me to try them out. I am quite keen on a flat bed.

Has anyone had recent success with TATL J inventory? The flight I've been watching in September doesn't have a single seat assigned up front, and Y appears wide open as well, yet I've seen absolutely nothing available.

Has anyone had recent success with TATL J inventory? The flight I've been watching in September doesn't have a single seat assigned up front, and Y appears wide open as well, yet I've seen absolutely nothing available.

last october i booked 3 J TATL for this September