Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave

I've been offered delayed payment too (when I didn't want it) on telephone bookings.

But to the OP, the nature of every frequent flyer scheme I've every known is that first you sort out your requirements, then act swiftly. Your methodology truly doesn't really help in this fast moving world. With Avios you can easily cancel, albeit with a fee if you are not Goldl indeed you have 24 hours to get a full refund. If a redemption goes, it can come back. Book the second best option and keep checking. Redemption happy land is often in the final 2 weeks.