Award ticket questions
 

I know there's some Award Ticket pros on here and I know I'm not one...

I'm taking Missus Shack42 to Hawaii (RDU to LIH) and I need to get a mileage saver ticket in F.

What is the earliest I can call to book an award reservation if I want to fly on Sept 25th, 2010?

How can I find out the other *A partners award rates? The link on the US site is to a .pdf that is "damaged and cannot be read" :(

I've checked out the ANA site, but i'm not smart enough to interpret the results...


~shack42

Try a different browser or computer, or reinstall your PDF reader.

That PDF is valid, I just pulled it up. Here's the location on the new website:
Star Alliance Award Chart for Dividend Miles

The US "saver" rate of 35K economy / 70K biz/first to Hawaii is the same (and only option) for *A carriers. UA in this case, though I suppose you could route up north with AC. There are tons of threads about using the ANA website tool to check *A award availability.

AND, as of the end of October, Continental will be in Star Alliance, making that an additional option to Hawaii. CO is notorious for horrible award availability in the front of the plane, but it's worth a look -- especially since their biz/first is THE best to Hawaii.

Thanks for the replies...

There is no way (that I can tell) on the ANA site if the little circle for award availability is at the "saver" rate or the "standard" rate.

The ANA site states "*It is allowed to see the availability from 330days before the boarding date up until the boarding date.(A_DATE_3A_002A)" which (from today) is 8/21/2010. United's site also allows booking through 8/21, but Usair says its 8/23/2010. Actually.. as I typed this, USAir opened up 8/24/2010 as well :)

Since it seems you have to be able to book your entire itinerary within the 330-333 day window, is it better to book the outbound as a 1-way and then wait two weeks and book the return as a 1-way (for a two week stay)? Saver inventory seems to go quick.

It is often a misconception that award inventory is opened up right at the 330 day mark. While it is possible for the airlines to make some seats available right at the opening window, award inventory is always changing and in many instances, availability opens up closer in to the dates of travel. Just because it can theoretically become available at 330 days, does not mean it will. You just have to keep looking until (or if) they decide to make any seats available. Hawaii is probably going to be a tough ticket to find (especially in F).

As for the saver awards, all star alliance partner awards are at the "saver" rate.

If the little circle appears for a specific partner flight on the ANA tool, it is showing you "saver" availability, as that is all that the tool has access to.

"Standard" is available only to a program's own members, not through a Star Alliance partner redemption, so you will only get the higher level award inventory from that specific airline.

What airlines other then US can I use US miles on to get from Phoenix to Hawaii? Is there a way to fly Hawaiian with US miles on this route? Also what is the ANA tool people keep talking about?





Thanks BBBB

In the "helpful links" sticky at the top of this forum, there is a link to a great thread that talks about the tool. It's used to check award availability across the *A carriers. The tool is indespensible.

There's a ANA how-to thread either in the United or Star Alliance forums as well, and I assume it's linked in the "helpful links" sticky that bitburgr referenced.

You cannot use Hawaiian to get to Hawaii with US miles. You can, however, use United or Air Canada (which might be a good option depending where you are starting from). In the near future, Continental should become an option after *A membership becomes official.

Thanks

Thanks

Stopover allowed to HI?
 

OK, I have my own question about HI awards with US.

I'm a United guy, but a friend is looking to book a trip to HI with US and I'm asking this question on his behalf.

My friend is interested in redeeming his US miles to travel to HI on UA -- US doesn't have any availability for the dates that he wants to travel, but UA has plenty. Does US allow for a stopover on HI awards? I can't quite figure it out via their website.. it looks like they partner with Hawaiian, but I'm not sure on whether or not any stopovers are allowed. Could he fly to HNL on UA and then continue on to another island on Hawaiian, then back to the mainland on some combination?

Search didn't quite find what I was looking for, but any advice on stopovers on a HI award would be appreciated. Thanks.