First off, very nice response themicah, but then, that's what we've come to expect from you
Originally Posted by themicah
You'll need to call WorldPerks and have them search for availability on AF3949. There's no way you'll find this award on nwa.com. Make sure you're picking the right days, too (it currently operates only on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, but that could change with the season).
Does anyone know if AF3949 is actually AF metal or is it a codeshare of some sort? Usually a high flight number like 3949 means codeshare.
Originally Posted by themicah
Because AF3949 leaves MIA at 9:30am and AF3948 doesn't return until 9:50pm, you'll have to overnight in MIA both ways (the earliest SkyTeam NYC-MIA doesn't arrive until 10am and the latest MIA-NYC leaves at 8:20pm). Awards typically allow stopovers in gateway cities, but I don't know if MIA is considered a gateway for NW award purposes and I don't know if they'd allow stopovers both ways, so this could kill the deal.
It's not a stopover if it's 23h59 or less, or you fly out on the next available flight to your destination. Remember, an overnight is
not necessarily a stopover. That being said the Original Poster (OP) will need to book a hotel room both ways and that will add considerable expense.
Originally Posted by themicah
In the end, unless you're willing to spend 9 hours bouncing around the Caribbean on an AF A320 (and that's after you get to Miami), I'd say you're much better off booking a trip to Central America instead.
I will second this. Although I must admit that flight AF3949 would be an adventure. Kind of like the CO micronesia flights island hopping across the Pacific. If you took this flight on a day with great weather, I bet the views would be unforgettable. Actually, I just might take that flight on purpose someday.
