Lower Tier Mileage Awards No Longer Seem to Exist...
Jan 16, 2010, 8:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 446
Lower Tier Mileage Awards No Longer Seem to Exist...
Any hints or secrets to finding lower tier awards? I have been on the phone for hours and there seem to no longer be any available, especially for SFO/JFK (which I suppose is now something fancy like Business Elite).
Do they just no longer exist and they are a fiction?
UPDATE: This was for first or business.
Do they just no longer exist and they are a fiction?
UPDATE: This was for first or business.
Last edited by thaitraveller; Jan 17, 2010 at 9:56 am
Jan 16, 2010, 8:23 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 446
Update...
I just asked the nice agent to check when next available lower tier award seat from SFO was from tomorrow.... checked through the entire available booking ticket and there were zero (none, zippo, nada) seats at all.
What is up with that.
What is up with that.
Jan 16, 2010, 8:42 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: at 35,000 feet
Programs: WN A-List; Hyatt Glob: CC/HH Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 1,473
If you are talking Y class then the prices are around $230. If you are Gold/Plat/Reserve you can use miles at 1c/mile to purchase a ticket. That should come out similar and you'd have all LUT fares available. Not a very good use of miles though.
Jan 16, 2010, 10:50 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,377
Delta.com sucks, and DL isn't overly generous with its award availability, but there is low tier availability on the nonstops SFO-JFK. I plugged in two sets of random dates (Jan 23-Jan 30 and Feb 9-Feb 16) and found low Y availability on the nonstops and connecting flights and low F availability on connecting flights.
Tell us when, where, and in what class and maybe you'll get specific suggestions. It's not impossible.
Tell us when, where, and in what class and maybe you'll get specific suggestions. It's not impossible.
Jan 16, 2010, 11:01 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Programs: DL PM, HH Diamond, Fairmont Prem, SPG Gold, Priority Club Plat/IC Amb, AmEx Plat
Posts: 10,839
I was able to find PLENTY of flights SFO-JFK for the upcoming months. A few days here and there showing Medium. For example, JFK-SFO on President's Day/Valentine's Day/Lunar New Year weekend & 2 spring break weekends in March.
So it isn't impossible. If you posted your travel dates, others could possibly help.
Jan 16, 2010, 11:11 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2005
Location: FLL
Programs: DL ♦M MM|HH♦|Marr Slvr|CO UA AA US|Pri Cub Plat|SPG|Avis 1st|Htz 5*
Posts: 5,044
"Gold" and "Plat" have a long history on the Delta forum of being words that are confusing if they aren't followed by "Medallion" or "Amex".
Jan 16, 2010, 11:13 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K, LA, WN, SPG Plat, MR Gold
Posts: 730
Just tried on Delta.com using the Award Ticket Reservations search. I was not logged-in (in fact this computer has never visited DL.com). So there is no question as to Elite availability or any of that nonsense.
I was able to find PLENTY of flights SFO-JFK for the upcoming months. A few days here and there showing Medium. For example, JFK-SFO on President's Day/Valentine's Day/Lunar New Year weekend & 2 spring break weekends in March.
So it isn't impossible. If you posted your travel dates, others could possibly help.
I was able to find PLENTY of flights SFO-JFK for the upcoming months. A few days here and there showing Medium. For example, JFK-SFO on President's Day/Valentine's Day/Lunar New Year weekend & 2 spring break weekends in March.
So it isn't impossible. If you posted your travel dates, others could possibly help.
Jan 16, 2010, 11:26 pm
#10
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
I have a screen shot on my computer from four years ago when I manage to find a 25K Y award on the dates and times I wanted. And things weren't nearly as bad back then...
Jan 17, 2010, 7:21 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: AA EXP2M, DL 1MM DM ext, UA PP <=> HH G/Marr PE/Hyatt G/IHG P FT RA ( Recovering Addict)
Posts: 4,596
I too have snapshots of leisure awards from months ago, but DL does have some good points. Last minute travel is often 25k, but planning ahead it is very rare to get 25k. AA and UA had only standard awards at 50k. YMMV.
Jan 17, 2010, 7:37 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: Delta
Posts: 203
Much as I have trouble PLANNING low level awards on DL, last week when I had to fly a family member on the death of her father, I got an award in Y for 25k cross country 6 hours later. I also made a mistake in booking and the DL (not NW) agent cancelled my flight and allowed me to rebook the award on an earlier ticket.
I too have snapshots of leisure awards from months ago, but DL does have some good points. Last minute travel is often 25k, but planning ahead it is very rare to get 25k. AA and UA had only standard awards at 50k. YMMV.
I too have snapshots of leisure awards from months ago, but DL does have some good points. Last minute travel is often 25k, but planning ahead it is very rare to get 25k. AA and UA had only standard awards at 50k. YMMV.
Jan 17, 2010, 7:56 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: AA EXP2M, DL 1MM DM ext, UA PP <=> HH G/Marr PE/Hyatt G/IHG P FT RA ( Recovering Addict)
Posts: 4,596
Have you ever connected the availability of last minute award tickets with the "fees" that they then charge for last minute award ticketing.... again raising income by "fees" raising it's head in the allocation of award tickets. On the other hand with the tightning of total seats there are fewer and fewer empty seats thus the airline(s) I would suspect have fewer seats to allocate than was previously the case. It's a real catch 22 for everyone now. Long term plans for travel are sadly just not as simple as they once were.
DL awards are free from charges, while US, AA, UA charge me fees.
But I agree with you, it is harder to plan ahead and cheaply on DL.
AA, UA still charge awards like regular tickets, far out, a few savers, close in standard only as availability changes.
UA AA types of charges
Far out paid tickets moderate, awards low
medium term paid tickets low, awards low or high
near term paid tickets high, awards high / low based on space.
DL charges differently
Far out paid tickets moderate, awards moderate
medium term paid tickets low, awards moderate to high
near term paid tickets high, awards low to medium.
Jan 17, 2010, 9:58 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 446
This was for first or business elite...
For coach, there may be availability. But, try to find seats for low level first/biz from SFO to JFK. They no longer seem to exist. Can anyone else find them? As noted elsewhere, for some long hauls, they also dont exist. It is more than Sydney and Joburg. They don't exist for many other routes.
Jan 17, 2010, 10:02 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 446
EXACTLY. IS J class the new O/R class for that route?
An agent searched and did not find a single biz class seat nonstop from SFO to JFK in lower mileage tier. Not a single one on any date going out all the way to furthest date.
