Booking a seat upstairs on the 747
May 21, 2015, 12:03 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Programs: Delta DM
Posts: 425
Booking a seat upstairs on the 747
Hey everyone. Looking for help/advice on booking a BE seat on the upper deck of a 747 before they're gone. Since it appears I have until the end of next year (at the very latest) I wanted to start researching and saving now. Does anyone have any recommendations on routes where this would be easiest, cheapest, and you get the most time/bang for your buck? I was looking at the DTW-NRT-MNL route at the end of this year and one way award seats are going for 137,500 miles. I figure by flying domestically I can build miles and then, if need be, buy them off the website. That seemed to be a little cheaper then buying a ticket (costing upwards of 5k one way when I checked). Or maybe Delta will have a sale on business class seats to Asia at some point between now and then? The options are endless and I know the question I'm asking has endless answers. Again, just looking for someone to point me in the right direction. Thanks.
OPS
OPS
May 21, 2015, 12:39 am
#2
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: LHR
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May 21, 2015, 2:12 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Programs: Delta DM
Posts: 425
While all those suggested threads are much appreciated, I was looking for members' personal experience with this topic. I already know I want to fly upstairs and I've already looked at the 747 operations thread. I take a look into the third thread a little more.
OPS
OPS
May 21, 2015, 3:33 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
Check the site often. Inexpensive redemptions pop up out of nowhere and disappear quickly. A couple months back, I did a r/t to Asia for 140k SMs. It started as a 190k redemption, with two segments in coach, but by the time I flew, after a couple changes, it was all Biz, including two 747 upstairs, for 140k. The return trip didn't open for the flights I wanted until after I already had flown the outbound, but I was able to get a less direct booking for 25k more SMs before I left.
Granted, status allowed me to cancel and rebook without penalty or fees, but my point is I was checking a couple times a day and the inventory changed quickly and often. Keep checking the site.
Also, remember partner airlines aren't getting rid of the 747. You can fly KE to BKK and fly upstairs in both the awesome A380 and the much less impressive upstairs 747 on the same trip.
Granted, status allowed me to cancel and rebook without penalty or fees, but my point is I was checking a couple times a day and the inventory changed quickly and often. Keep checking the site.
Also, remember partner airlines aren't getting rid of the 747. You can fly KE to BKK and fly upstairs in both the awesome A380 and the much less impressive upstairs 747 on the same trip.
May 21, 2015, 4:59 am
#5
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I have found some low availability in J from HNL to Japan. If you can get to HNL (look for AS redemptions) that would be a good way to save on some miles (though they are relatively short flights).
May 21, 2015, 5:17 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Washington, DC, Chapel Hill, NC (RDU)
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Posts: 5,626
There are 747s flying DTW-AMS and ATL-CDG this summer. Not sure if this will continue into the fall/winter.
I'd guess that DTW-NRT and DTW-ICN are likely to remain 747s until the end of 747 flying.
I just took a quick look for November using flexible dates and found this for 140,000 and $99. There were a number of date pairs that came up at 140,000 miles.
DTW-ICN, Nov 12, DL 159 (747)
ICN-ATL-DTW, Nov 18, KE 25 (380), DL 991.
Granted the KE 380 is 2-2-2 and not flatbed, but getting a 747 and a 380 on the same trip for 140,000 miles in business is not bad. There were a number of date pairs that came up at 140,000 miles.
I'd guess that DTW-NRT and DTW-ICN are likely to remain 747s until the end of 747 flying.
I just took a quick look for November using flexible dates and found this for 140,000 and $99. There were a number of date pairs that came up at 140,000 miles.
DTW-ICN, Nov 12, DL 159 (747)
ICN-ATL-DTW, Nov 18, KE 25 (380), DL 991.
Granted the KE 380 is 2-2-2 and not flatbed, but getting a 747 and a 380 on the same trip for 140,000 miles in business is not bad. There were a number of date pairs that came up at 140,000 miles.