Sabai

NW would usually open up at least one J seat on every flight at the 330 mark; I could snag one, reserve a Y seat, and then check back from time to time to upgrade it (assuming that I wanted 2 J seats).

I haven't figured out DL's availability pattern other than "be flexible" and "book at the last minute for best availability." Very practical advice when trying to work out vacation plans; I've given up entirely on DL and only look at AF/KL for redemption opportunities. Somebody must be snagging all those J award seats to BKK, but it surely isn't me.

pauldepape

First, thanks everyone for sharing your insights. I'm so much farther along after reading and researching and trying your techniques.

I'm going from SEA to EDI for a wedding on Sep 11 and searching for the elusive Biz class. Surprisingly this popped up:

First + Others 100,000 miles + $ 38.30 in tax/fees
OUTBOUND Flight
7:05am SEA 11:05am 11 Sep EDI Multi-stop 20 h 00 m
MSP 3 hr 25 min Layover
CDG 2 hr 40 min Layover
Alaska 36
Delta 220 Air France 50541

Which is OK for the departure.

I say surprisingly because when I use KVSTool and ExpertFlyer, I can only look 10 months in advance for AF flights.

OH, I think I just saw why. Is it because the MSP to CDG is DL 220 and not an AF flight?

Let me confirm some things.
1) If I'm going to use KVS and EF, or even the DL tool, I'll typically see DL flights. And I have to wait until 10 months out before the AF and KLM flights will be viewable and bookable?

2) I could call DL and hold the above booking for 24 hours while I try to find a return, and cancel without penalty.

3) I see an economy return, but I'm guessing I'll have to wait until 10 months to find a Biz (O class) return.

Here's what I'm working on if anyone has suggestions:
Need to be in EDI for a wedding on Sep 11. I can leave SEA on Sep 8, 9, possibly the 10th but that's pretty close to the event. YVR is an optional port.

I'm returning out of LHR or LGW on Sep 15, 14, 16, 13 in order of priority.

I need 3 seats, preferably Business. We're bringing our 5 year old grandson, so I'd like to minimize the layovers. Unfortunately the itinerary above does not have 3 seats.

thx

yashan

I need some help from the experts on this thread. It's a little long-winded so thank you in advance for following along.

Given the following scenario:

Say there are 2 Award tickets in Coach already booked from SJC-ATL over Thanksgiving weekend at 50,000 SM each. [Please no comments about cost per mile. Travel dates/times were in-flexible at time of booking.]

23 Nov 2011 - Direct flight from SJC - ATL [DL1684]
28 Nov 2011 - Connection through SLC [DL1333/DL4733]


There is a direct flight from ATL (DL1684) on Nov. 28 I am interested in substituting for the connection flights.

When I look for award fares via OW search, the ATL-SJC leg comes up at 60,000 SM each.

When I search for a RT on the existing travel dates, the outbound flight shows up at 50,000 SM and the non-stop return shows up at 60,000 SM each. The return I already have with connections is at 50k.

Now... when I search the RT again and select any random outbound at the 40,000 SM level, the non-stop return comes in at 50,000 SM each.

How do I get the agent to see that 50,000 level award on the return so she can change the itinerary? I can't get it via OW search or a RT search with the pre-existing outbound flight. That's what confuses me...

PETERPNYC

Hi guys,

First let me thank everyone on FT for the info I have lerned here, thst got me to ATh RT J Direct for 100k miles, and i am thrilled to be in greece for one of my 2 yearly trips for that cost.

I have a difficult time figuring out the logistics of a spring trip . I will be leaving from NYC to CDG hopefully the 26 April and have my wife fly from ATH TO meet me for 4-5 days at the PH PARIS VENDOMME hotel that hopefully I will get free from the CC THAT I learned about in FT.

I want to travel J and prolly have a choice of DL where I have 340k SMs, or AA where I have 395k miles. Mostly thanks to FT. Which carrier would be better and then can I use my miles to book a RT ATH CDG for my wife.

She would fly from ATH and meet me at airport in CDG and hopefully we could fly back to ATH on the same flight. But if not possible we could travel separately
If it was a reasonable time difference for either one of us to wait for the other when we get back to ATH. MY wife's ticket coud be coach .

I know this is asking a lot, but I can't figure out where to get started. Given that I have to get the hotel and once I do if I cancel I lose my 2 x 2 free nights, I don't know how to approach this

TIA IF anyone can help

ma91pmh

Peter your best place to start is Delta.com. They show Air France award availability. Alternatively create an account on www.airfrance.us and check their too. It is a bit better at showing availability over a calendar of dates. You may also want to splash out on an Expertflyer subscription as they also do a good job of showing Air France availability. As another AA and DL mile rich person, my advice is use DL for this one. You can do one stopover and one open-jaw using DL miles (which you cannot using AA) and Air France availability in business class is excellent. You can go JFK-CDG-ATH and back or vice versa pretty easily with a stopover in CDG one way

PETERPNYC

Thanks for that. Now Can I get my wife who has a different last name an award ticket on the same flight returning from CDG. OR can I get her a ticket on AF using miles from my DL account .

I have Her DL A/C linked to my Amex MR so I could transfer miles to her DL A/C to get her on the same AF flight maybe?


Would getting her an award just ATH CDG RT be the best use of miles,? Or is it better To try and get her a cheap ticket for cash .

darby1970

I am trying to go to MNL in Jan. 2011 using Delta miles, departing sometime between the 12th and the 18th , returning approximately 3 weeks later . Therefore reasonably flexible on the dates.
I checked Korean Air on expertflyer and there appeared to be award inventory . I am novice with expertflyer site . I called DL CS and they say no availablity , that those awards can only be booked by Korean Air .
Is that accurate ? I am trying to get a business class award at low mileage.
Any help is greatly appreciated . Thank you.

ExpertFlyer Voice

ExpertFlyer doesn't show Korean Air Business Award availability, nor does any other source, where did you see business award inventory?

belfordrocks

Try Korean Air's website if you can- however you need a positive mileage balance to make searches and there are reports of them making some space available only to its own members.

tebfunk

Quick question:

Can someone please point me in the direction of how to find availability on AS? I'm trying to book a TATL trip for my in-laws and have the rest of the trip priced out, but they are based in PDX, and I can't seem to get them OUT of there.

Once I find it, I assume I have to call DL to book?

mtkeller

Look for saver award space on the AS website. If you only use DL, AS, AF, KL, and maybe AZ, you can do it online. Search by schedule and use multi-city.

tebfunk

Thanks! I figured out earlier that the reason it wasn't showing up was that I needed "Super Saver" availability.

Winkdaddy

Sorta cross posting as this link in another thread...but its too valubale, so posting here:

The below blog tells you everything you want to know about booking Delta award tickets...its awesome really and very comprehensive

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...-work-for-you/

Jaimito Cartero

Actually some erroneous info. I'd think that most long time DL participants know this info already, and actually have more of the facts correct. I have no problems with Gleff, but often find "Know All" articles have some pretty big errors in them.

Winkdaddy

Ok..well maybe it doesnt have everything and many long time Delta FF already know the info...but it could be very handy to noobies coming in here trying to book an award ticket