Originally Posted by
justplanenuts
Hello All,
I'm new to the world of booking alliance award travel, for the purposes of this post, Star Alliance travel with US Airways DM.
As availability across the different partners is somewhat difficult to find and does not always appear at the same time I was curious how and if it's possible to book segments as you find them over a period of time.
For example: I find a Singapore first class seat to x (I know, I know) can I book that leg and over the course of days or weeks keep modifying the award as I find additional segments to fit my schedule. Say Lufthansa opens up a return leg a week later, do I just call to add that segment? Same with the positioning flights, side trips, etc.
Or, do I have to have essentially the entire itinerary in front of me and bookable when I first call.
Thanks for all your help, this part of booking complicated awards has always baffled me as I don't know how people get everything to line up at the same time.
-justplanenuts
you need an entire itinerary.
US does do one way rewards, but they are the same price.
Any hold will only be for three days.
It is usually possible to put together a whole itinerary - you just need to break it down segment by segment.
Look first for your trans atlantic (or trans-pacific) flights. Try different gateways and connections.
Then add flight from your home town to that gateway.
Use the Star Alliance booking tool to give you some ideas on possible routings. For example if you want to go to Rome, it might also be possible on Turkish via Istanbul, or Austrian via Vienna.
Once you have the itinerary then it is a strict three day hold (except for Air China, were instant ticketing is requried).
You can add or change within that three days.
Sometimes agents will let you extend the three days. But not always.
Lufthansa only restricts First class. That is available two weeks prior to departure only.
You should then have an itinerary.