Last minute award booking
Dec 11, 2009, 8:58 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Silver, UA 1K, HHonors, Hertz Gold
Posts: 253
Last minute award booking
Due to bad weather forecasted for Reno tomorrow night - I fear I may have to overnight in SFO. I have enough HHonors points for a free room at a nearby Hampton Inn. My quesiton is - my flight gets into SFO around 8 p.m. and my RNO flight isn't scheduled to depart until 10:30 p.m. - can I make an award booking this late? I'd greatly appreciate your advice!
I looking through the sticky at the top of this page but didn't see a thread related to this. I apologize if I missed it.
I looking through the sticky at the top of this page but didn't see a thread related to this. I apologize if I missed it.
Dec 11, 2009, 11:38 am
#2
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Not sure of the answer, but if you want a fast one call HHOnors.
But, off topic yet not, SFO has had horrid delays due to weather - we were due in at 10:25 PM and endured an ground ATC hold at MIA, arriving SFO after 1:00 AM. When bad weather hits SFO, they must close one of the two runways of each runway pair and use the one for takeoffs and landings - the runways were built with less than standard separation, requiring this safety measure anytime weather affects visibility - SFO has fog and rain at this point.
Weather tomorrow is predicted to be worse than today's. Check with your airline for possible options, and HH for a stay at the Hampton, very close to the airport.
And as Kathy says, hotels at SFO can be cheap, on weekends especially; this weekend the pricing was Doubletree Burlingame $69 plus taxes, Embassy Suites $79, Hampton and HGI SFO North $89. Others slightly higher (e.g Hilton $109), HGI Burlingame not available.
But, off topic yet not, SFO has had horrid delays due to weather - we were due in at 10:25 PM and endured an ground ATC hold at MIA, arriving SFO after 1:00 AM. When bad weather hits SFO, they must close one of the two runways of each runway pair and use the one for takeoffs and landings - the runways were built with less than standard separation, requiring this safety measure anytime weather affects visibility - SFO has fog and rain at this point.
Weather tomorrow is predicted to be worse than today's. Check with your airline for possible options, and HH for a stay at the Hampton, very close to the airport.
And as Kathy says, hotels at SFO can be cheap, on weekends especially; this weekend the pricing was Doubletree Burlingame $69 plus taxes, Embassy Suites $79, Hampton and HGI SFO North $89. Others slightly higher (e.g Hilton $109), HGI Burlingame not available.
Last edited by JDiver; Dec 12, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Dec 11, 2009, 9:12 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)
Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel
Posts: 17,575
First, award rooms are not really "free" -- you're spending your hard-earned points. 
There's an opportunity cost.
Second, there are a lot of HHonors hotels near SFO, and some of them are so cheap (at least on weekends) that redeeming an award stay could be a really poor use of points. I.e., low cash rates, but high points redemption rates.
I would only redeem if 1) I had plenty of points to burn (didn't have plans to spend them on anything better) and/or 2) it was really important to me to conserve my cash.
When you phone the hotel(s) to check on rates/award redemption, be sure to check their airport shuttle schedule (both directions) as well!
There's an opportunity cost.Second, there are a lot of HHonors hotels near SFO, and some of them are so cheap (at least on weekends) that redeeming an award stay could be a really poor use of points. I.e., low cash rates, but high points redemption rates.
I would only redeem if 1) I had plenty of points to burn (didn't have plans to spend them on anything better) and/or 2) it was really important to me to conserve my cash.
When you phone the hotel(s) to check on rates/award redemption, be sure to check their airport shuttle schedule (both directions) as well!