Jul 17, 2014, 1:23 pm
Last edit by: hillrider
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If you have any questions about using ExpertFlyer or wish to report any issues, please email them at [email protected].
ExpertFlyer.com - Master Information and Updates Thread
Apr 22, 2015, 2:10 pm
#976
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,053
ExpertFlyer earns its fee
I've seen people question here and elsewhere the value of ExpertFlyer subscription fee. I thought I would document two cases where EF has clearly paid for itself...
A few weeks ago I was shopping for a New York to Europe flight in June. I had a specific flight in mind and found fares around the $950 mark. But I didn't act. Two weeks ago I decided to buy and went back to book it... fare had jumped to ~$1400. Ugh. United had zeroed out the lower fare classes. Rather than pay the $1400 I suspected that if I was patient they might release seats at the lower fare -- so I set up an EF alert. A few days ago the alert triggered and I went in and purchased the flight at $950.
Last year I had purchased a business class flight New York to SE Asia, it was pretty pricey, fully refundable. I set up an EF alert for the "discounted" business class fare buckets just in case it became available. Remarkably at about 24 hours before flight time the alert fired... I was able to purchase a new business class ticket on exactly the same flights and then cancel my existing ticket... savings in the order of $2000.
Then there are award seat, upgrade and empty seat alerts to which you cannot attach a specific monetary value. E.g. I know that if a higher tier frequent flyer gets upgraded then their nice aisle or window seat at the front of economy will free up... so I put alerts on those so that I can move myself from further back in economy cabin should anything open.
I don't travel nearly as much as i used to, but I have kept my EF subscription active because it really doesn't take much for the $99 to be worth it.
Keep up the good work guys.
Thank you
DAK
A few weeks ago I was shopping for a New York to Europe flight in June. I had a specific flight in mind and found fares around the $950 mark. But I didn't act. Two weeks ago I decided to buy and went back to book it... fare had jumped to ~$1400. Ugh. United had zeroed out the lower fare classes. Rather than pay the $1400 I suspected that if I was patient they might release seats at the lower fare -- so I set up an EF alert. A few days ago the alert triggered and I went in and purchased the flight at $950.
Last year I had purchased a business class flight New York to SE Asia, it was pretty pricey, fully refundable. I set up an EF alert for the "discounted" business class fare buckets just in case it became available. Remarkably at about 24 hours before flight time the alert fired... I was able to purchase a new business class ticket on exactly the same flights and then cancel my existing ticket... savings in the order of $2000.
Then there are award seat, upgrade and empty seat alerts to which you cannot attach a specific monetary value. E.g. I know that if a higher tier frequent flyer gets upgraded then their nice aisle or window seat at the front of economy will free up... so I put alerts on those so that I can move myself from further back in economy cabin should anything open.
I don't travel nearly as much as i used to, but I have kept my EF subscription active because it really doesn't take much for the $99 to be worth it.
Keep up the good work guys.
Thank you
DAK
Apr 22, 2015, 10:29 pm
#977
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
I've seen people question here and elsewhere the value of ExpertFlyer subscription fee. I thought I would document two cases where EF has clearly paid for itself...
A few weeks ago I was shopping for a New York to Europe flight in June. I had a specific flight in mind and found fares around the $950 mark. But I didn't act. Two weeks ago I decided to buy and went back to book it... fare had jumped to ~$1400. Ugh. United had zeroed out the lower fare classes. Rather than pay the $1400 I suspected that if I was patient they might release seats at the lower fare -- so I set up an EF alert. A few days ago the alert triggered and I went in and purchased the flight at $950.
Last year I had purchased a business class flight New York to SE Asia, it was pretty pricey, fully refundable. I set up an EF alert for the "discounted" business class fare buckets just in case it became available. Remarkably at about 24 hours before flight time the alert fired... I was able to purchase a new business class ticket on exactly the same flights and then cancel my existing ticket... savings in the order of $2000.
Then there are award seat, upgrade and empty seat alerts to which you cannot attach a specific monetary value. E.g. I know that if a higher tier frequent flyer gets upgraded then their nice aisle or window seat at the front of economy will free up... so I put alerts on those so that I can move myself from further back in economy cabin should anything open.
I don't travel nearly as much as i used to, but I have kept my EF subscription active because it really doesn't take much for the $99 to be worth it.
Keep up the good work guys.
Thank you
DAK
A few weeks ago I was shopping for a New York to Europe flight in June. I had a specific flight in mind and found fares around the $950 mark. But I didn't act. Two weeks ago I decided to buy and went back to book it... fare had jumped to ~$1400. Ugh. United had zeroed out the lower fare classes. Rather than pay the $1400 I suspected that if I was patient they might release seats at the lower fare -- so I set up an EF alert. A few days ago the alert triggered and I went in and purchased the flight at $950.
Last year I had purchased a business class flight New York to SE Asia, it was pretty pricey, fully refundable. I set up an EF alert for the "discounted" business class fare buckets just in case it became available. Remarkably at about 24 hours before flight time the alert fired... I was able to purchase a new business class ticket on exactly the same flights and then cancel my existing ticket... savings in the order of $2000.
Then there are award seat, upgrade and empty seat alerts to which you cannot attach a specific monetary value. E.g. I know that if a higher tier frequent flyer gets upgraded then their nice aisle or window seat at the front of economy will free up... so I put alerts on those so that I can move myself from further back in economy cabin should anything open.
I don't travel nearly as much as i used to, but I have kept my EF subscription active because it really doesn't take much for the $99 to be worth it.
Keep up the good work guys.
Thank you
DAK
Last edited by ExpertFlyer Voice; Apr 23, 2015 at 10:46 am
May 25, 2015, 12:53 pm
#978
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: ATL
Programs: DL: DM, 3MM; UA:1K
Posts: 22
Delta data?
Any progress on returning delta data to EF?
May 26, 2015, 8:33 pm
#979
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ORD
Programs: status free since 2017
Posts: 2,188
Jun 20, 2015, 12:44 pm
#980
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,826
At what intervals does EF query the GDS to update award space alerts? More frequently than daily?
Sorry for not reading all 66 pages!
Sorry for not reading all 66 pages!
Jul 1, 2015, 9:57 am
#982
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
DL Award Beta
We have released a DL Award search Beta. There is an in-depth The Points Guy post about it here: http://thepointsguy.com/2015/06/delt...n-expertflyer/ with FAQs and a DL forum thread on the topic here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...-space-ef.html Please email customercare@ directly with any feedback or issues, thanks!
Jul 5, 2015, 2:43 am
#983
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,138
ExpertFlyer.com - Master Information and Updates Thread
Hi EF! Many thanks for finding and alerting me when my aspirational seats became available!
Now, please convince UA to let you find reward space
Now, please convince UA to let you find reward space
Aug 26, 2015, 8:31 am
#984
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,882
Does EF not show all airlines? Was searching REP-DMK and nothing comes up at all (except the PG flight to BKK). There are 4 Thai Air Asia flights a day.
Aug 26, 2015, 9:12 am
#985
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Aug 26, 2015, 9:26 am
#986
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,882
Aug 26, 2015, 9:54 am
#987
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,053
DAK
Sep 6, 2015, 11:24 pm
#988
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 43
Accuracy of Expertflyer
Hello guys! Just discovered expertflyer a week ago and started to explore all the options available.
However, I do have a quick question: How accurate is Expertflyer on seat availability on Emirates from your experience?
Thank you!
However, I do have a quick question: How accurate is Expertflyer on seat availability on Emirates from your experience?
Thank you!
Sep 7, 2015, 12:44 am
#989
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,831
I've seen Y in the 9's J in the 7's F in the 4's and the flight was 30 plus over in Y and went out full.
You know its over booked in Y if Y is 0 or just the Y bucket is 9.
You can not account for stand by tickets ie staff travel or missed connections.
Its a guide nothing more.
Sep 7, 2015, 4:35 pm
#990
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
The Flight Availability results show at least how many tickets and airline is willing to sell in each fare class for a flight. It is not a hard indicator of exactly how many tickets are left due to oversell situations.