Wait for Aegean to open award seats & risk losing rest of itinerary?
Jan 12, 2014, 5:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 4
Wait for Aegean to open award seats & risk losing rest of itinerary?
Hello,
I have been trying to score the following itinerary in Sept-Oct 2014:
EWR -> JTR (Santorini)
ATH -> LIS
LIS -> EWR
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get EWR -> JTR because (I think) Aegean won't be releasing those award seats until March. (Is this a correct assumption?)
Looking for advice from the experts - which of the following do you think is the wise option:
Obviously I'm worried that if I wait, I'll lose the seats that are available now on my other legs (Lufthansa, TAP Portugal).
Thanks in advance for your advice!
I have been trying to score the following itinerary in Sept-Oct 2014:
EWR -> JTR (Santorini)
ATH -> LIS
LIS -> EWR
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get EWR -> JTR because (I think) Aegean won't be releasing those award seats until March. (Is this a correct assumption?)
Looking for advice from the experts - which of the following do you think is the wise option:
- Book the itinerary now, replacing JTH with ATH. Book ATH->JTR separately or pay the change fee later to adjust.
- Wait and book the itinerary in March when the Aegean seats open up.
Obviously I'm worried that if I wait, I'll lose the seats that are available now on my other legs (Lufthansa, TAP Portugal).
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Last edited by cyrisb; Jan 12, 2014 at 6:14 pm Reason: wrong santorini airport code
Jan 12, 2014, 5:49 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: WAS-ish
Programs: UA 1K-MM + UC, Marriott Plat, National Exec
Posts: 1,341
Keep in mind (or be aware!) that award prices are going up on Feb. 1. Check how much your award will cost today vs. in March. If you're booking economy, it may not change. If you're booking a business class award, I would absolutely book now and get a separate ATH-JTR later -- it will be cheaper.
Last edited by QBK; Jan 12, 2014 at 7:30 pm Reason: Spelling
Jan 12, 2014, 6:06 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 4
Keep in mind (or be aware!) that award prices are going up on Feb. 1. Check how much your award will cost today vs. in March. If you're booking economy, it may not change. If you're booking a business class award, I would absolutely book now and get a separate ATH-JTH later -- it will be cheaper.
Jan 12, 2014, 6:12 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
If you can't confirm seats to JTR, I'd plan to confirm seats to ATH and plan to buy ATH-JTR separately if it isn't currently available as an award seat.
Buy in advance — my sense is that Aegean prices very cheap far out, and very expensive close to departure (at least for LON-ATH and LON-JTR).
EDIT TO ADD: Per BostonFlyer1624's notes, there is plenty of *A award space on the ATH-JTR nonstops; it's just not shown online on united.com for some reason. Call it in.
Buy in advance — my sense is that Aegean prices very cheap far out, and very expensive close to departure (at least for LON-ATH and LON-JTR).
EDIT TO ADD: Per BostonFlyer1624's notes, there is plenty of *A award space on the ATH-JTR nonstops; it's just not shown online on united.com for some reason. Call it in.
Last edited by mherdeg; Jan 13, 2014 at 7:03 am
Jan 12, 2014, 9:51 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 4
Jan 13, 2014, 5:35 am
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 643
If you can't confirm seats to JTR, I'd plan to confirm seats to ATH and plan to buy ATH-JTR separately if it isn't currently available as an award seat.
Buy in advance — my sense is that Aegean prices very cheap far out, and very expensive close to departure (at least for LON-ATH and LON-JTR).
Buy in advance — my sense is that Aegean prices very cheap far out, and very expensive close to departure (at least for LON-ATH and LON-JTR).
PS: One alternative is to look at reward seats into Heraklion or Mykonos, as both have fast and frequent connections to JTR by ferry. If you go this route, spend a night or two in Crete or Mykonos, as they are worth a visit and a nice contrast to Thira.
Jan 13, 2014, 6:36 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: Marriott, AAdvantage, United, Club Carlson
Posts: 1,687
Jan 13, 2014, 7:02 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
September 2014
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12… (I stopped hitting the "next day" button but assume inventory keeps going each day).
These flights should be bookable by phone only; call it in.
Jan 13, 2014, 7:04 am
#13
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Costa Rica
Programs: UA 1K, Priority Platinum, Marriot Gold, Delta Platinum
Posts: 308
I had the same issue and ended up buying first to ATH and when JTR opened I called in to add the change. Either way the flight ATH-JTR is approximately $100 RT.
Sep 17, 2014, 5:27 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Ridgecrest, CA
Posts: 157
I am in this same boat.
Looking for SFO-JTR April 7th. 2015
I keep seeing the award seats disappear to ATH but Aegean only just started selling the ATH-JTR legs on their web site yesterday and United still shows no Aegean flights beyond 3/31/15
Any idea when United will load up the flights so I can see if there is any award avalibility. I lost my ANA pin so I can't check if they have been loaded there.
Also any suggestions on a good stop over city. Looks like the SFO-FRA-ATH would be ideal but of course the saver awards all disappeared while i've been waiting for JTR. Id also consider going into Crete but not sure that makes it any easier.
Thanks!
Looking for SFO-JTR April 7th. 2015
I keep seeing the award seats disappear to ATH but Aegean only just started selling the ATH-JTR legs on their web site yesterday and United still shows no Aegean flights beyond 3/31/15
Any idea when United will load up the flights so I can see if there is any award avalibility. I lost my ANA pin so I can't check if they have been loaded there.
Also any suggestions on a good stop over city. Looks like the SFO-FRA-ATH would be ideal but of course the saver awards all disappeared while i've been waiting for JTR. Id also consider going into Crete but not sure that makes it any easier.
Thanks!
Sep 17, 2014, 8:10 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New York NY
Programs: UA Gold, CO Plat, CO Million Miler
Posts: 2,617
I am in this same boat.
Looking for SFO-JTR April 7th. 2015
I keep seeing the award seats disappear to ATH but Aegean only just started selling the ATH-JTR legs on their web site yesterday and United still shows no Aegean flights beyond 3/31/15
Any idea when United will load up the flights so I can see if there is any award avalibility. I lost my ANA pin so I can't check if they have been loaded there.
Also any suggestions on a good stop over city. Looks like the SFO-FRA-ATH would be ideal but of course the saver awards all disappeared while i've been waiting for JTR. Id also consider going into Crete but not sure that makes it any easier.
Thanks!
Looking for SFO-JTR April 7th. 2015
I keep seeing the award seats disappear to ATH but Aegean only just started selling the ATH-JTR legs on their web site yesterday and United still shows no Aegean flights beyond 3/31/15
Any idea when United will load up the flights so I can see if there is any award avalibility. I lost my ANA pin so I can't check if they have been loaded there.
Also any suggestions on a good stop over city. Looks like the SFO-FRA-ATH would be ideal but of course the saver awards all disappeared while i've been waiting for JTR. Id also consider going into Crete but not sure that makes it any easier.
Thanks!