trekwars2000

I just made PE today - which means I will have it on the website tomorrow. I plan on looking at a few routes for award travel and taking snapshots at the GE level and then doing it tomorrow at the PE level to see how much more avaliablity there is.

Are there any suggestions on good routes to use? Like, where does the PE status make the biggest difference, etc?

Any other suggestions would be welcomed...

rwill11

try sea-fco you will be pulling your hair out after 3hrs

channa

The PE availability is only for NW metal. The website, also, isn't the best about showing partners.

So while you may be looking to see if it helps on NW metal, network-wide, the benefit may be insignificant, since NW is only a small portion of the SkyTeam and partner network you have access to.

avidflyer

We should actually do a coordinated test. We have all levels here on the FT board and could easily look at a city pair and see what the differences are between Silver, Gold, Plat.

trekwars2000

avidflyer that would be good to do... I just looked at LAS-NRT and LAS-FRA in WBC on varius months.

Results as GE:
LAS-NRT in June:
Outbound:
PerkSaver Coach Avaliable: 1-8, 11, 13, 18, 21-23, 29, 30
PerkSaver WBC Avaliable: 27, 28
Perksaver All Classes Avaliable: 10, 12, 14-17, 19-20, 24-26
None: 9th
Return:
PerkSaver Coach Avaliable: 3, 9, 11, 17, 22, 24-29
Perksaver All Classes Avaliable: 1-2, 4-6, 8, 10, 12-16, 18-21, 23, 30
None: 7th

So LAS-NRT looks pretty good. Clicked on two dates and could get a WBC ticket from LAS-LAX-NRT-LAX-LAS for 120K miles... Most direct route as well so I was happy.

LAS-FRA in June:
No outbound avaliable at PerkSaver... On the return 25 and 26th had WBC at Perksaver levels.
LAS-FRA in Oct - None for both ways at PerkSaver.
LAS-FRA in Jan
Outbound:
PerkSaver Coach Avaliable: 13, 18, 27, 30
PerkSaver WBC Avaliable: 1, 3, 31
Perksaver All Classes Avaliable: 16
None: A lot
Return:
PerkSaver Coach Avaliable: 13, 17, 19
PerkSaver WBC Avaliable: 1, 10, 12, 14, 22
Perksaver All Classes Avaliable: 16, 23
None: A lot

Now, while there was a lot of no dates for PerkSaver travel, there is enough that I could probably get a trip.

humanoid94

I would volunteer to assist in the test. I noticed a significant improvement in award availability when I went from Silver to Gold.

slippahs

The only problem with these tests is that availability is so volatile. Taking a snapshot might really be insignificant in the greater scheme of things, especially when availability opens up closer to departure.

That said, I'd be willing to test out the availability in and out of HNL, since that's been grossly restricted over the last few years.

avidflyer

Well I am Plat and my results are the same except for one day (bolded) on the 9'th. Not very scientific but it looks like not much of a difference between Gold and Plat. Can someone who is Silver try this? I will look at the rFRA flights now.


Results as GE:
LAS-NRT in June:
Outbound:
PerkSaver Coach Avaliable: 1-9, 11, 13, 18, 21-23, 29, 30
PerkSaver WBC Avaliable: 27, 28
Perksaver All Classes Avaliable: 10, 12, 14-17,19-20, 24-26
None: 9th
Return:
PerkSaver Coach Avaliable: 3, 9, 11, 17, 22, 24-29
Perksaver All Classes Avaliable: 1-2, 4-6, 8, 10, 12-16, 18-21, 23, 30
None: 7th

avidflyer

Some better selections on this one: Bold= different than your findings

LAS-FRA in June:


No outbound avaliable at PerkSaver (I got the 16 available) ... On the return 25 and 26th had WBC at Perksaver levels. (WBC the Same but got 4,5 and 6 available in coach)LAS-FRA in Oct - None for both ways at PerkSaver.
LAS-FRA in Jan
Outbound:
PerkSaver Coach Avaliable: 12,13, 14,17,18, 19,20,22,27, 29,30
PerkSaver WBC Avaliable: 1, 3, 31
Perksaver All Classes Avaliable: 16, 31
None: A lot
Return:
PerkSaver Coach Avaliable: 13, 15,17, 19, 24,30
PerkSaver WBC Avaliable: 1, 10, 12, 14, 22
Perksaver All Classes Avaliable: 12,16, 22,23, 29
None: A lot

avidflyer

Slippahs,

BOS-HNL (First Class = 75K, hmm...I could use a vacation)

For March I get:

Perksaver all cabins outbound: 5-9,11-14,17-22,25-27
Return:1-2,4,6-9,11-15,18-22,25-30

Fist Class Only: outbound:24,28
return: 3,24

trekwars2000

So it looks like the biggest difference was on the TATL in the next month flight. That is intresting - perhaps an early inaccurate conclusion at this time. We need more data. I'll run the HNL-BOS now...

trekwars2000

For my gold search: I get the exact same results. Odd.

avidflyer

BTW, NOT logged in (general member) I could only get that same itinerary (BOS-HNL Dep=3/5 Ret = 3/15)for 150,000 miles (perkpass). BIG difference from GM to Plat. I am curious what a Silver would get.

avidflyer

Boy, I gotta tell you, I am having a hard time closing out that BOS-HNL (fc Bos-MSP, WBC MSP-HNL) award ticket screen that is staring at me now. 75K seems sweet. Are there any good Hilton properties in HNL? I think I am going to pull the trigger...

avidflyer

That is odd but I have always wondered if Gold/Plat were close/same. I THINK the bigger difference should be Silver to Gold.

We should try a few more of these. The "better availability" seems like it is marginal at best.