American Express Membership Rewards - Need expert advice 600K MR

Hi, I am hoping the FT experts can give me some help on maximizing my 600K MR's. We are a family of 4. Want to travel Biz (or FC) to either Greece or Paris (or other suggestions). Any advice is welcomed.
Thank you!

Travel from where? When do you want to go?

Do you have status on any airlines? Any preferred carrier for the flight?

You have enough points to get 4 J/C/F seats on just about any N. America-Europe award carrier that MR partners with, assuming you can find 4 seats available on the same flight. Would you be willing to split up 2+2 to get the seats?

Travel from Shreveport, La or DFW. Gold w/AA (both adults). Prefer a carrier that has superior service. Flexible on travel dates in summer 09. Researching how to pull off both Paris and Greece. [/SIZE][/FONT]Thank you!

you have a personal message

Most carriers allow a stopover and/or open jaw on a US-EU reward ticket. You can redeem US-CDG-ATH-US all on a single redemption for the same price as US-CDG or US-ATH, for example. That will let you get both ATH and CDG in on the single ticket, assuming you find availability.

Based on where you're trying to go, SkyTeam is actually likely the best option in terms of routings and flexibility. AF should get you in to Paris and then on a non-stop from Paris-Athens and a return via a few option one-stopping from ATH that would be convenient.

The problem with all of it is going to be finding 4 seats in a premium cabin on rewards. I found 2 seats DFW-MSP-CDG on NW on 19 June (or other dates in early July) pretty easily, but getting 4 seats wasn't happening.

Thanks for all your help!

Lisa

I have researched the points needed etc and talked to AF today. I would transfer the points and then make the reservation with points. I cannot hold seats The AF rep looked at DFW/CDG CDG/ATH ATH/DFW for me. She said that business class looks good for dates in July 2009, except for CDG/ATH the only availability is in Economy. She pointed out that this may open up.
Also, part of the flights will be on KLM through Amsterdam. For Business, I would need to transfer 90K points x 4 tickets. If you have any opinions or if I should consider another airline, please let me know. I think I am ready to pull the trigger and don't want to make a glaring mistake.
Thank you for your help!
Lisa

I have researched the points needed etc and talked to AF today. I would transfer the points and then make the reservation with points. I cannot hold seats The AF rep looked at DFW/CDG CDG/ATH ATH/DFW for me. She said that business class looks good for dates in July 2009, except for CDG/ATH the only availability is in Economy. She pointed out that this may open up.
Also, part of the flights will be on KLM through Amsterdam. For Business, I would need to transfer 90K points x 4 tickets. If you have any opinions or if I should consider another airline, please let me know. I think I am ready to pull the trigger and don't want to make a glaring mistake.
Thank you for your help!
Lisa

Call Continental and ask them about the exact same flights. They should see the availability the same way and be able to instantly transfer the points and/or hold the tickets long enough for the transfer to happen without risking the points getting stranded. Also, using CO to redeem the points will save you several hundred dollars in taxes/fuel surcharges on the tickets.

Call Continental and ask them about the exact same flights. They should see the availability the same way and be able to instantly transfer the points and/or hold the tickets long enough for the transfer to happen without risking the points getting stranded. Also, using CO to redeem the points will save you several hundred dollars in taxes/fuel surcharges on the tickets.
I've been meaning to ask this, what is CO? Thanks!

Continental Airlines

I've been meaning to ask this, what is CO? Thanks!

Indeed, it is the IATA code for Continental. SQ=Singapore, CX=Cathay, DL=Delta, AF=Air France, etc.

And I spelled it out in the beginning of my post so I was hoping that context would help make the point. :cool:

Indeed, it is the IATA code for Continental. SQ=Singapore, CX=Cathay, DL=Delta, AF=Air France, etc.

And I spelled it out in the beginning of my post so I was hoping that context would help make the point. :cool:
Ah, I see. Actually, since you spelled it out in the beginning of your post, I assumed CO was something different than Continental, lol. I thought you were saying book on Continental, through some third party booking service called "CO". Now I see though, thanks!

As I said in my PM, Lufthansa has plenty of available dates in FIRST CLASS for the same number of miles. A much better deal than Air France or KLM BUSINESS for 100k per person.

As I said in my PM, Lufthansa has plenty of available dates in FIRST CLASS for the same number of miles. A much better deal than Air France or KLM BUSINESS for 100k per person.

Indeed, F on Lufthansa is a better deal than J on AirFrance. The only thing you'll have to deal with is the potential fuel surcharge issues redeeming with Air Canada or ANA. You might have to choose between just paying points or paying points plus several hundred dollars and deciding if that cash money is justified by the Lufthansa experience.

Possible, but hopefully you can get around them with AC. If not, it's still only a couple $100 for a MUCH better experience, with an equal number of miles.

Due to the great information, I have successfully booked our flights! Thank you for sharing.....
Sincerely,
Lisa

What did you end up booking?

What did you end up booking?

Hi,
DFW to CDG via AMs
CDG to Rome
Rome to DFW

KLM and AF. 4 seats on flights all in Business. $508 for fees.

(Also reserved the new Celebrity Soltice sailing from Rome on July 17th) now have to work on an apartment in Paris and other hotels. This is a surprise for my family. I am not telling until Christmas!

Thanks!

Lisa

Not bad for a first time. Especially on the fees being so low.

For future reference, you really should try to do a real international first class product, especially since it's exactly the same number of points.

It should be interesting to see what happens when Continental joins Star Alliance, because right now they only offer business class awards on most of their partners, and attempt to charge for their own business class at the first class level. Not sure that they will attempt to, or be able to, get away with that once they're part of an alliance where a good number of the carriers (most?) have a three-class system.

KLM and AF. 4 seats on flights all in Business. $508 for fees.


Not bad at all. Which program did you redeem from? At $127/ticket it seems too cheap for an AF or DL redemption, particularly with the various airport fees that you have to endure on that routing.

Not bad at all. Which program did you redeem from? At $127/ticket it seems too cheap for an AF or DL redemption, particularly with the various airport fees that you have to endure on that routing.

I took your advice and called Continental. I had some points in that account as well so I did not have to transfer as many as I thought. And you were correct that they let me hold the seats (changed them 3 times while I was working on everything!) until the MR's transferred in. AF had quoted a much higher price on fees when I first talked to them. Everything else I checked did not have 4 seats on the flights (business or first).

Lisa

Not bad for a first time. Especially on the fees being so low.

For future reference, you really should try to do a real international first class product, especially since it's exactly the same number of points.

It should be interesting to see what happens when Continental joins Star Alliance, because right now they only offer business class awards on most of their partners, and attempt to charge for their own business class at the first class level. Not sure that they will attempt to, or be able to, get away with that once they're part of an alliance where a good number of the carriers (most?) have a three-class system.

Yes, I really want to do that. Only have flown AA in First and Business internationally.

I know this is a little off topic but, What is the benefit of airlines joining Star Alliance? What is the benifit to the traveler for flying Star Alliance? Thanks!

I took your advice and called Continental. I had some points in that account as well so I did not have to transfer as many as I thought. And you were correct that they let me hold the seats (changed them 3 times while I was working on everything!) until the MR's transferred in. AF had quoted a much higher price on fees when I first talked to them. Everything else I checked did not have 4 seats on the flights (business or first).

LisaGlad that worked out for you!

I know this is a little off topic but, What is the benefit of airlines joining Star Alliance? What is the benifit to the traveler for flying Star Alliance? Thanks!

Just a different set of partners. In the case of Membership Rewards there are currently no USA-based partners in the alliance so fuel surcharges have a habit of creeping in to redemption rates. With CO moving over to *A redemptions in that alliance should be slightly more accessible for MR members, not that ANA and AC are really all that bad.

Lisa,

Ah, you really should've PMed me, I would've helped you out - beacause I did a look before you posted and saw 4 LH First Class seats in both directions. Oh well. But no biggie, because you definitely did very well, and I'm impressed that you went through the hassle of calling AF and CO and getting quotes before pulling the trigger. CO is definitely the best from a fees perspective of the SkyTeam airlines.

To tack on a bit to the question if why Star Alliance is good, I think this needs to be put in perspective.

The global alliances essentially extend priviliges to members of their respective airlines both in terms of earning and redeeming miles and certain other perks (business/first class checkin, baggage allowance, lounge access). Skyteam, the alliance in which Continental currently resides, has a very limited network in Asia relative to the other two, virtually no coverage of the South Pacific, poor saver award availability on partners, expensive redemption rates, most of the carriers only have a 2-class product, and, AFAIK, all except Continental charge fuel surchages.

The benefit to us of Continental moving to Star is that we will now have many more redemption options, likely including First Class, not just business, will likely still not have to pay fuel surcharges, and we will still have Delta as a US-based Skyteam carrier. Diversification is always a good thing.

Skyteam, the alliance in which Continental currently resides, has a very limited network in Asia relative to the other two, virtually no coverage of the South Pacific, poor saver award availability on partners, expensive redemption rates, most of the carriers only have a 2-class product, and, AFAIK, all except Continental charge fuel surchages.On the flip side, CO has some of the best coverage of Africa, China and South/Central America while *A lacks in those areas. Both are better than OW in Europe, and *A is better in Central Asia thanks to the recent TK addition.

The benefit to us of Continental moving to Star is that we will now have many more redemption options, likely including First Class, not just business, will likely still not have to pay fuel surcharges, and we will still have Delta as a US-based Skyteam carrier. Diversification is always a good thing.
Agreed.

China? Really? With two CN-based airlines in *, I'm not sure I'd agree.

Africa, yea, KL + AF are okay, but SA, LH, and LX aren't bad either. Both have EK.

Europe - agreed.

China? Really? With two CN-based airlines in *, I'm not sure I'd agree.

Africa, yea, KL + AF are okay, but SA, LH, and LX aren't bad either. Both have EK.

Europe - agreed.

CZ has very good coverage as well. But I forgot about Air China. Mea culpa on that one.

KQ trumps SA/MS in Africa.

And technically neither has EK. Some member airlines also partner with EK, but EK is most certainly an independent carrier.

CZ has very good coverage as well. But I forgot about Air China. Mea culpa on that one.

KQ trumps SA/MS in Africa.

And technically neither has EK. Some member airlines also partner with EK, but EK is most certainly an independent carrier.

Sorry, so used to doing the UA/CO comparison, that was in fact what I was spelling out.

Lisa,

Ah, you really should've PMed me, I would've helped you out - beacause I did a look before you posted and saw 4 LH First Class seats in both directions. Oh well. But no biggie, because you definitely did very well, and I'm impressed that you went through the hassle of calling AF and CO and getting quotes before pulling the trigger. CO is definitely the best from a fees perspective of the SkyTeam airlines.

To tack on a bit to the question if why Star Alliance is good, I think this needs to be put in perspective.

The global alliances essentially extend priviliges to members of their respective airlines both in terms of earning and redeeming miles and certain other perks (business/first class checkin, baggage allowance, lounge access). Skyteam, the alliance in which Continental currently resides, has a very limited network in Asia relative to the other two, virtually no coverage of the South Pacific, poor saver award availability on partners, expensive redemption rates, most of the carriers only have a 2-class product, and, AFAIK, all except Continental charge fuel surchages.

The benefit to us of Continental moving to Star is that we will now have many more redemption options, likely including First Class, not just business, will likely still not have to pay fuel surcharges, and we will still have Delta as a US-based Skyteam carrier. Diversification is always a good thing.

Yes, I thought about the PM to you...but I would have driven you crazy! I decided to add another stop to get in the Greek Isles. At first got Venice then changed to Rome when I decided on a definate itinerary. Next time should be more "cut and dried".
Thanks!

Haha, don't worry about it. The idea of the community here is, at least in my interpretation, to foster a spirit of general helpfulness. I personally enjoy sharing advice from my hard-learned experience so that newbies like you maximize the rewards that they've earned. And, pleasantly, there are many, many more around like me. So, please, feel free, it really would be a pleasure.