need advice to get domestic round trip [Summer]
Apr 16, 2013, 4:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 821
need advice to get domestic round trip [Summer]
I have points in SPG (20K), Aeroplan (16k) and US airways (50k), live in Vancouver Canada (can fly from seattle), looking for one single round trip to Las Vegas, New York, DC in Summer time for me and my wife...........need some help which airline I can get for domestic round trip with some stops and less points/fees 
for my understanding most of airlines need 25K points and no stop for same zone flight?
Thank you for your advice !
for my understanding most of airlines need 25K points and no stop for same zone flight?Thank you for your advice
!
Last edited by ecgz88; Apr 17, 2013 at 3:50 pm
Apr 16, 2013, 5:46 pm
#4
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,536
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Finding low-level "Saver" awards on popular routes during the Summer might prove challenging, but if you can, then you could fly BLI/SEA-LAS on AS for 7,500 BA Avios; LAS-JFK on AA for 12,500 Avios; and DCA-SEA on AS for 12,500 Avios.
Take Amtrak or Bolt Bus/Megabus from NYC to WAS.
Finding low-level "Saver" awards on popular routes during the Summer might prove challenging, but if you can, then you could fly BLI/SEA-LAS on AS for 7,500 BA Avios; LAS-JFK on AA for 12,500 Avios; and DCA-SEA on AS for 12,500 Avios.
Take Amtrak or Bolt Bus/Megabus from NYC to WAS.
Apr 16, 2013, 5:52 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
Your post wasn't clear - are you hoping for separate trips or to do this all as one trip?
You will not find domestic award tickets allowing stopovers - you cannot fly YVR-LAS-NYC-YVR on a single award.
Also, Air Canada is the only airline with domestic "zones" where some flights are less money. I'm not sure if YVR-LAS is "short-haul" for lower miles. AC has high fees, but that's just life.
You might consider something like YVR-LAS on an AC award, if it's "short-haul" it will be only 10K miles and probably about $100 in fees. Then look for an "open jaw" LAS-NYC-YVR. You will not be able to do a single award to fly LAS-NYC and then return to YVR from WAS. If you want to include New York and Washington on the same trip, you might have to just get a separate ticket (air or train) from NYC to Washington and back.
SPG will transfer to a number of airlines at 25,000 air for 20,000 SPG.
Except for AC, you will not be too bad off in fees, but USAir does have an award redemption fee. You still have the problem of finding availability. IIRC, SPG will transfer at 25:20 to US and AA, but I think it only transfers at 50% to UA, so UA is not a viable option for SPG points, but it might be for AC.
It would help if you said how many points you have, and precisely what kind of trip you're contemplating.
You will not find domestic award tickets allowing stopovers - you cannot fly YVR-LAS-NYC-YVR on a single award.
Also, Air Canada is the only airline with domestic "zones" where some flights are less money. I'm not sure if YVR-LAS is "short-haul" for lower miles. AC has high fees, but that's just life.
You might consider something like YVR-LAS on an AC award, if it's "short-haul" it will be only 10K miles and probably about $100 in fees. Then look for an "open jaw" LAS-NYC-YVR. You will not be able to do a single award to fly LAS-NYC and then return to YVR from WAS. If you want to include New York and Washington on the same trip, you might have to just get a separate ticket (air or train) from NYC to Washington and back.
SPG will transfer to a number of airlines at 25,000 air for 20,000 SPG.
Except for AC, you will not be too bad off in fees, but USAir does have an award redemption fee. You still have the problem of finding availability. IIRC, SPG will transfer at 25:20 to US and AA, but I think it only transfers at 50% to UA, so UA is not a viable option for SPG points, but it might be for AC.
It would help if you said how many points you have, and precisely what kind of trip you're contemplating.
Apr 17, 2013, 3:49 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 821
Thank you so much for your input! ^ Really Appreciate
I update my first post, yes, it will be one trip, Air Canada YVR-LAS is " long haul "
so........ I think Aeroplan or US airways allow 1 stop over? so maybe Vancouver (seattle)-Vegas (stop)- NewYork (destination) -Vancouver? and take Amtrak round trip between NEW YORK-dc ?
I update my first post, yes, it will be one trip, Air Canada YVR-LAS is " long haul "
so........ I think Aeroplan or US airways allow 1 stop over? so maybe Vancouver (seattle)-Vegas (stop)- NewYork (destination) -Vancouver? and take Amtrak round trip between NEW YORK-dc ?Your post wasn't clear - are you hoping for separate trips or to do this all as one trip?
You will not find domestic award tickets allowing stopovers - you cannot fly YVR-LAS-NYC-YVR on a single award.
Also, Air Canada is the only airline with domestic "zones" where some flights are less money. I'm not sure if YVR-LAS is "short-haul" for lower miles. AC has high fees, but that's just life.
You might consider something like YVR-LAS on an AC award, if it's "short-haul" it will be only 10K miles and probably about $100 in fees. Then look for an "open jaw" LAS-NYC-YVR. You will not be able to do a single award to fly LAS-NYC and then return to YVR from WAS. If you want to include New York and Washington on the same trip, you might have to just get a separate ticket (air or train) from NYC to Washington and back.
SPG will transfer to a number of airlines at 25,000 air for 20,000 SPG.
Except for AC, you will not be too bad off in fees, but USAir does have an award redemption fee. You still have the problem of finding availability. IIRC, SPG will transfer at 25:20 to US and AA, but I think it only transfers at 50% to UA, so UA is not a viable option for SPG points, but it might be for AC.
It would help if you said how many points you have, and precisely what kind of trip you're contemplating.
You will not find domestic award tickets allowing stopovers - you cannot fly YVR-LAS-NYC-YVR on a single award.
Also, Air Canada is the only airline with domestic "zones" where some flights are less money. I'm not sure if YVR-LAS is "short-haul" for lower miles. AC has high fees, but that's just life.
You might consider something like YVR-LAS on an AC award, if it's "short-haul" it will be only 10K miles and probably about $100 in fees. Then look for an "open jaw" LAS-NYC-YVR. You will not be able to do a single award to fly LAS-NYC and then return to YVR from WAS. If you want to include New York and Washington on the same trip, you might have to just get a separate ticket (air or train) from NYC to Washington and back.
SPG will transfer to a number of airlines at 25,000 air for 20,000 SPG.
Except for AC, you will not be too bad off in fees, but USAir does have an award redemption fee. You still have the problem of finding availability. IIRC, SPG will transfer at 25:20 to US and AA, but I think it only transfers at 50% to UA, so UA is not a viable option for SPG points, but it might be for AC.
It would help if you said how many points you have, and precisely what kind of trip you're contemplating.
Apr 19, 2013, 2:14 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 821
Thanks! can I use Aeroplan or US airways for 1 stop over round trip?
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Finding low-level "Saver" awards on popular routes during the Summer might prove challenging, but if you can, then you could fly BLI/SEA-LAS on AS for 7,500 BA Avios; LAS-JFK on AA for 12,500 Avios; and DCA-SEA on AS for 12,500 Avios.
Take Amtrak or Bolt Bus/Megabus from NYC to WAS.
Finding low-level "Saver" awards on popular routes during the Summer might prove challenging, but if you can, then you could fly BLI/SEA-LAS on AS for 7,500 BA Avios; LAS-JFK on AA for 12,500 Avios; and DCA-SEA on AS for 12,500 Avios.
Take Amtrak or Bolt Bus/Megabus from NYC to WAS.
Apr 19, 2013, 8:49 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
As noted earlier, you will not be able to get a stopover on a domestic award.
Additionally, USAirways only allows round-trip awards, although open jaws qualify. You could not, for example, book a one-way LAS-NYC and then a one-way WAS-YVR.
All Air Canada award tickets will have significant fees.
Your best strategy is probably to buy a ticket to LAS, then fly LAS-NYC, take a train or bus to WAS and back to NYC, then fly NYC-YVR, thus booking an open jaw LAS-NYC-YVR.
Award availability and search on USAirways' website is somewhere between awful and God-awful. I suggest you search on the United site. Anything you find as a saver award should be bookable with US miles. If it is not on US metal, you should be able to call US and they should waive the booking fee, since partner flights cannot be booked online.
I'm not that familiar with AA/BA, but other posted noted that you might be able to convert your SPG points to BA and use them to book the one-way to LAS.
Additionally, USAirways only allows round-trip awards, although open jaws qualify. You could not, for example, book a one-way LAS-NYC and then a one-way WAS-YVR.
All Air Canada award tickets will have significant fees.
Your best strategy is probably to buy a ticket to LAS, then fly LAS-NYC, take a train or bus to WAS and back to NYC, then fly NYC-YVR, thus booking an open jaw LAS-NYC-YVR.
Award availability and search on USAirways' website is somewhere between awful and God-awful. I suggest you search on the United site. Anything you find as a saver award should be bookable with US miles. If it is not on US metal, you should be able to call US and they should waive the booking fee, since partner flights cannot be booked online.
I'm not that familiar with AA/BA, but other posted noted that you might be able to convert your SPG points to BA and use them to book the one-way to LAS.