As I am quite new to the game of miles and booking classes, I have to ask this question:
Is booking late, read just 2 weeks to 2 month before the flight smarter than booking early if you want to get 100% of the flown miles? (CPM=EQM)
When I look for flights 3-8 month before the flight and I am not looking for a Biz or Eco+ fare, there are a huge number of very cheap Eco fares available. But most of them are just giving me 25% of the miles for my OW or ST programs, because these cheap fares are only available in the lowest fare classes. To get 100% (or more) of the miles I would have to book either an flexible Eco fare or an Eco+/Biz fare.
But my feeling is if I wait longer and try to book just in time, some weeks in advance that the lowest fare buckets are already closed, but there are still Eco tix for good value available, just in higher fare buckets. In case of AA or BA lets say M instead of N. Perhaps I pay 100-200 Euro more for my longhaul ticket, but I am getting 100% of my miles and still pay half the price of an flexible ticket.
The only risk is that a flight gets a lot of bookings (on busy routes or at holiday times) and no "golden tickets" remain available.
Airline policies on gaining miles for flights flown on their partners vary greatly and are subject to change. Sometimes you can get 100% mileage on relatively low-priced transatlantic flights.
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
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You should always be able to book a more expensive ticket in any available higher fare class for which you qualify, but you might be forced to call the airline or a travel agent to book this. However, before doing this, make sure that your airline's website doesn't have an "advanced" booking page--sometimes only available when logged into your FF account--that allows you so specify the fare class.
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Programs: 5 years EXP, LT AA PLAT, SPG P, CX G, NEXUS/GE, A3 G, DL KM
Posts: 9,373
It doesn't make a difference whether I'm on a L fare or a Q fare on AA, so I book the lowest fares as instructed by my employer.
I do the same thing for personal trips and don't change them too much anyways.
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You should always be able to book a more expensive ticket in any available higher fare class for which you qualify, but you might be forced to call the airline or a travel agent to book this. However, before doing this, make sure that your airline's website doesn't have an "advanced" booking page--sometimes only available when logged into your FF account--that allows you so specify the fare class.
Thx MSPeconomist, I thought that just some fare classes are available at a time, I read somewhere the higher-priced fare buckets are opening up when cheaper ones are closing. As my FFPs don't have such a advanced booking feature (FlyingBlue and TopBonus) I will call my travel agent.
Quote:
Originally Posted by unavaca
It's also worth noting that if you're booking this on the company's dime, many companies forbid fares that are higher than lowest logical cost.
Flying for my private joy 90% of the time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AA_EXP09
It doesn't make a difference whether I'm on a L fare or a Q fare on AA, so I book the lowest fares as instructed by my employer.
I do the same thing for personal trips and don't change them too much anyways.
Well, it makes a difference for me, the lowest 5 or 6 fare classes in Eco with AA and BA just give me the above mentioned 25%. So I need to book a higher fare class.
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If you are talking about crediting BA flights to the AAdvantage program, then I believe you are mistaken:
Quote:
Originally Posted by CARST
As my FFPs don't have such a advanced booking feature (FlyingBlue and TopBonus) I will call my travel agent.
Sorry for quoting myself, but you see, I mentioned before it is not AAdvantage, but TopBonus (by AirBerlin, member of OneWorld, too).
And I am not focused on AA/BA/AB. The problem comes up most of the times when booking cheap Eco fares. Let's say I book a cheap fare with KE, I will only get 25% of the miles, too, on FlyingBlue (Airfrance/Skyteam). So it boils down to the fact that I should not book the cheapest fare classes if I don't have to.
Would it be worth your while to switch to programs that give you 100% credit on cheap fares, or do the benefits you get from, say, Top Bonus, exceed the benefits that you could get from, say, AAdvantage?
Would it be worth your while to switch to programs that give you 100% credit on cheap fares, or do the benefits you get from, say, Top Bonus, exceed the benefits that you could get from, say, AAdvantage?
I am thinking about switching myself, either to BA or AA.
But I would loose my 17k status-miles with AB. I wanted to get AB Gold until April 2013. Lots of oneworld flights booked and planned. So it would be really bad to loose them and to start over again.
If it would be possible to transfer my AB miles to AA or BA that would change the situation, but I don't thnk that is possible, or is it?
I am thinking about switching myself, either to BA or AA.
But I would loose my 17k status-miles with AB. I wanted to get AB Gold until April 2013. Lots of oneworld flights booked and planned. So it would be really bad to loose them and to start over again.
If it would be possible to transfer my AB miles to AA or BA that would change the situation, but I don't thnk that is possible, or is it?
No, it isn't possible to transfer the miles from AB to AA or BA.
Programs: 5 years EXP, LT AA PLAT, SPG P, CX G, NEXUS/GE, A3 G, DL KM
Posts: 9,373
I don't see why anyone would credit to Flying Poo.
Credit to SkyPesos.
They aren't worth much but at least you get more of them and getting status is easier.
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