How Are You Going to Use Your GS Miles?
#33
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Swamps of Jersey
Programs: US Silver, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 376
#34
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Tucson, AZ
Programs: US Gold, PC Platinum, BW Diamond
Posts: 406
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,643
#37
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: AVL
Programs: Hhonors Diamond, Bonvoy LT Plat, TSA vilifier extraordinaire, Once upon a time... US Silver, AA Gold
Posts: 1,284
It looks like I'm just going to hoard mine. I've spent hours (2-3 a day) the last three days on the ANA website trying to find combinations for two tickets to Italy next year. I have pages of notes of flights and connections, and I can either get us there one way in Bus and the other in coach, but not the same. The US non-stop from CLT-FCO? 1 seat available but not two.
And the flight schedules I can find are grueling. One combination of double connects gives me a 6 hour layover at JFK going over a day before I really want to go (extra vacation day) and results in 22 hours of travelling. The return has a 6:50 am departure from Venice, a 3 hour layover in FRA and a 4 hour layover in EWR. Add the two hour drive home from CLT and that is a 23 hour travel day!
I thought with enough miles to book business class this would be easier. It's not. It's <insert choice of animal excrement here>. Bah!
And the flight schedules I can find are grueling. One combination of double connects gives me a 6 hour layover at JFK going over a day before I really want to go (extra vacation day) and results in 22 hours of travelling. The return has a 6:50 am departure from Venice, a 3 hour layover in FRA and a 4 hour layover in EWR. Add the two hour drive home from CLT and that is a 23 hour travel day!
I thought with enough miles to book business class this would be easier. It's not. It's <insert choice of animal excrement here>. Bah!
#38
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 73
#39
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Purgatory
Programs: Too many to list. Status is a half dozen.
Posts: 9,235
It looks like I'm just going to hoard mine. I've spent hours (2-3 a day) the last three days on the ANA website trying to find combinations for two tickets to Italy next year. I have pages of notes of flights and connections, and I can either get us there one way in Bus and the other in coach, but not the same. The US non-stop from CLT-FCO? 1 seat available but not two.
And the flight schedules I can find are grueling. One combination of double connects gives me a 6 hour layover at JFK going over a day before I really want to go (extra vacation day) and results in 22 hours of travelling. The return has a 6:50 am departure from Venice, a 3 hour layover in FRA and a 4 hour layover in EWR. Add the two hour drive home from CLT and that is a 23 hour travel day!
I thought with enough miles to book business class this would be easier. It's not. It's <insert choice of animal excrement here>. Bah!
And the flight schedules I can find are grueling. One combination of double connects gives me a 6 hour layover at JFK going over a day before I really want to go (extra vacation day) and results in 22 hours of travelling. The return has a 6:50 am departure from Venice, a 3 hour layover in FRA and a 4 hour layover in EWR. Add the two hour drive home from CLT and that is a 23 hour travel day!
I thought with enough miles to book business class this would be easier. It's not. It's <insert choice of animal excrement here>. Bah!
#42
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,489
Probably next summer's Northeast U.S./Canada trip.
I know that's a rather mundane use of miles, but (a) that's where US flies, (b) those tix are *always* around $500 a pop for us, (c) the CC enables them for 20,000 miles or - more typically with one direction in the mid-tier award - 27,500 miles each, and (d) we're using BA for our primary and longest international trip next year.
If we find a fare deal, then we'd buy that trip and hoard the US miles for a 2013 award to Asia on *A. I'd likely have enough for a couple of J awards...
I know that's a rather mundane use of miles, but (a) that's where US flies, (b) those tix are *always* around $500 a pop for us, (c) the CC enables them for 20,000 miles or - more typically with one direction in the mid-tier award - 27,500 miles each, and (d) we're using BA for our primary and longest international trip next year.
If we find a fare deal, then we'd buy that trip and hoard the US miles for a 2013 award to Asia on *A. I'd likely have enough for a couple of J awards...
#43
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 668
I think that's a great use pinniped ^
With the CC 5,000 mile discount you save most miles on the lowest awards.
E.g. if you book 5 domestic coach roundtrips you save 25,000 miles total (100,000 miles instead of 125,000). But a 100,000 business r/t to Europe you save only 5% (95,000 instead of 100,000).
One of the best deals with this in mind is off-peak econ roundtrip to Europe for 30k miles. From the West coast to budapest that's a ridiculous redemption, only 5k more than a standard redemption to NYC for instance.
With the CC 5,000 mile discount you save most miles on the lowest awards.
E.g. if you book 5 domestic coach roundtrips you save 25,000 miles total (100,000 miles instead of 125,000). But a 100,000 business r/t to Europe you save only 5% (95,000 instead of 100,000).
One of the best deals with this in mind is off-peak econ roundtrip to Europe for 30k miles. From the West coast to budapest that's a ridiculous redemption, only 5k more than a standard redemption to NYC for instance.
#44
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: A lovely little town filled with cows
Programs: US2, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,284
The closest you could get in the off season would be Munich.
#45
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PIT
Programs: HHonors Diamond, SW A-List Preferred
Posts: 378
I'm using the miles for two trips to LHR to visit a good friend that's in grad school at UCL. The remainder of my balance will be used in 2012 for a *A business class trip to either Kenya or somewhere in northern Asia.
And I've already started preparing for GS2012 by stocking up on eMiles and eRewards points.
And I've already started preparing for GS2012 by stocking up on eMiles and eRewards points.