black milk

Baby steps: Step-by-Step on how to book a star alliance award ticket with miles and smiles for someone else.

So, I'd like to book a Star Alliance award ticket with my Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles miles, for someone else actually. Here is the step-by-step I would take [right? Everyone comment and please correct me as necessary]

I've read the newbie threads & FAQs, but as a break-it-down-like-i'm-a-10-year-old, I haven't seen anything. And that's the kind of help I need. Many of you are experts here, and you guys know how to do this stuff like its boiling water. I hope this also helps other noobs and rookieflyers too at some point.


Step-by-step:

1. Figure out where you want to go and how many miles it will be by going to:
Before 1st June, 2014 http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-in...d-ticket-chart
After 1st June, 2014 http://www.new-milesandsmiles.com/index_en.html

2. Find out what star alliance flights fly where you want to go. Write down the flight numbers.

3. Go to ANA website and check award availability on those flights.
A useful tip thanks to The Points Guy to use this service is here: http://thepointsguy.com/2011/06/how-...-availability/

You may also bookmark this page, which is the log-in page to search for awards.
https://aswbe-i.ana.co.jp/p_per/sky_...20110314031408

or

3. On using your United MileagePlus FF account, login to United.com, enter your desired route and click on "Award Travel".
UA has two columns for every class of service: "Standard Award" and "Saver Award".
Availability in the "Saver Award" column for your desired class of travel should translate into available Star Alliance redemption seats visible to TK. However, there is no guarantee that the flights you searched for will be available through TK M&S. While I am not aware of TK blocking certain airlines, some airlines might not release all award inventory to TK.

Here is comparison and useful post on how to use both tools depending on your route and destination:http://thepointsguy.com/2014/04/how-...on-united-com/

(If I have subscribed to expertflyer would I use that at this stage?)

4. Go to the TK ticketing office in your local area.
See: http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-in...e/sales-office

5. Give them the flight information you want to book.
Use your TK miles on your own account to book the award ticket for someone else.

6. Done!

.

vivamuci

I use the UA website to check for availability. While I have an active UA FF account, one can search for availability without being member of UA MP. With NH you need to sign up first and IIRC NH now requires to have miles on your account in order to search for award flights.

On United.com enter your desired route and click on "Award Travel".
UA has two columns for every class of service.
"Standard Award" and "Saver Award".

Availability in the "Saver Award" column for your desired class of travel should translate into available Star Alliance redemption seats visible to TK.

There is no guarantee that the flights you searched for will be available through TK M&S. While I am not aware of TK blocking certain airlines, some airlines might not release all award inventory to TK.

LH Group premium cabins spring to mind.

sliiide

to get around that, do a search for a route that ANA flies - JFK to NRT for example. After that, all Star Alliance airlines should be available to be searched. If this doesn't work - I don't think the miles in your account have to be tier-miles.

black milk

okay. Seems like mostly I'm on track. Just the question remains, if I can book the award for someone else (rather than transferring miles to their account)?

starflyergold

Yes you can.

merijn

It was very simple i my case.
I send a email to my local TK office with request to book 2 tickets (Myself and for my wife ) on Thai airways with the flight numbers.
The extra advantage of using Thai Airway in my case was the fact that Thai does allow all airports within Thailand as a starting point which gave me 2 free domestic flight to Bangkok.
After a few hours i received a mail from them to confirm and after paying the taxes i received the e tickets within a few hours.
The only problem i had was that they did not accept a credit card to pay the taxes but I had to do it at their office or a transfer via a local ATM machine.

paul00

Just a quick question - is it possible to book award travel in business class on SQ long-haul flights using TK miles? (I know some other *A airlines selectively block SQ premium cabin award travel space for their own members, for example NH blocks SQ A380, B777-300ER and A340-500 flights.)

merijn

I booked 2 business class thickets on Thai with TK miles without any problem.
I used my local TK office for this.

NellieVA

I am looking to book a one-way award ticket on United using my M&S account. I have found a flight with an available seat -- at least using the United website -- but I still do not know how to book the actual ticket. I live near Washington, DC. If I go to the airport, can they book the ticket, or do I need to call M&S? I still can't believe that on-line booking for Star Alliance awards is not available. If anyone knows a relatively easy way to book the seat on United, I would appreciate the recommendation.

Thank you.

trello

I find this very odd too. Can anyone give clarification as to whether you can do *A bookings over the phone? I mean hello, it's 2014.

black milk

Yes. Apparently in another thread, people have called over the phone and they have started to do *A bookings. However, members said that some of the agents are new at this and don't know all the rules, so it can be hit and miss. If it doesn't work the first time... try and call again.

black milk

^^^Actually I can confirm this can happen. I have so far been able to make a booking by phone, on an AC flight. I think you can go to your local TK office to get it issued, or do so by calling the TK hotline.

Woohoo!

adkhiladi

Hi Everyone!

I am new to this forum so excuse me for posting a common and perhaps, repeated question. For the life of me, I can't figure out how can I use my TK miles which expire by end of this year on another Star Alliance airline. When I call United they tell me to go through Turkish. I have called TK many times and spent at least 2 hours each time on the call only to get either transferred, disconnected or have someone who cannot understand what I am trying to ask.

All I want to do is redeem my miles (63k) on a Star Alliance airline. I am in California, so I want to either use them to go to Hawaii (United) or Canada (Air Canada). Is the process to redeem miles from non-US airline really this difficult?

Again, any help would be appreciated. I don't want to use 63k miles.

Thanks!

Ghentleman

First find out the flights (dates/times/flight numbers) of your preference. Check capacity on Flightstats or similar site. Good to have your second/third choice made up, in case there's no availability.
Call the TK number (+90 212 444 0 849) and tell them you want to book a Star Alliance Award ticket.
Should indeed not be hard.

parabone

so i have 45.000 TK miles left and thought i could use them.
i call Call center in Istanbul and book a roundtrip economy ticket with Thai Airways, BKK-SIN, through Star Alliance program.

ok.fine.
now i have to pay fees&taxes and the operator says i need to present(?!!??) myself at a TK office in Denmark(where i reside).in other words i have 1 week left for the booking to be ticketed.

i call their office in Billund(closest to my address) and, finally, they put me through online ticketing where i hoped i could pay the ticket.

wrong, as i find out they cannot accept my payment or my payment cant go through as this is a flight with Thai Airways, thus they cannot collect fees&taxes for another airline.Seems logical and reasonable, but is this same procedure for all airlines within Star Alliance?

no to add that, after few mails exchanged with their office in Copenhagen, my irritation and frustration got even bigger, as it seems they dont have a clue about bookings made within Star Alliance.

i flew several times with TK and been satisfied with their product, but customer service is pretty bad.

safe flights.