Gosh, it does sound like a challenge. But do not lose hope! I am sure someone on here will have a plan which can help you.
What are you studying? I hope it’s not Economics!
You do seem very focussed on getting transatlantic – don’t forget there are significant costs for the other elements of your trip getting from the US to Jamaica, and probably from Bergen to a hub which can get you to the US. You need to take all this into account when consider the value of your “free” mileage redemption. Plus the cost of maybe an overnight stay in NYC and feeding yourself etc during your trip.
And remember you still have to pay some of the taxes on the redemption flights, so it’s not completely nil cost option.
It does look like mileage redemptions will be tricky that time of year, but once you have explored a clearer, better researched framework within which to ask your question and put that to the test with an agent, and if you are still unsuccessful, you should have a back up plan.
With not much effort I already mentioned I had found a fare London-Montego Bay direct for $1000 round trip. Now I am sure with some digging you can get a similar flight cheaper, especially if you explore the charter market.
Ask your friend to look in local newspapers and travel agents for bargain deals, especially as you may well get accommodation thrown in free for less than $1000 all in – which would mean you could put the $200 you are planning on paying for a hostel towards a charter flight on the dates you both want and get a proper hotel with pool. You will probably end up paying about $100 in taxes and fees on a redemption.
Have you actually been to Jamaica before – a hostel would not I think be a very safe place to leave valuables of any kind eg a camera for wedding pics? You might as suggested below find a better deal in a package and/or via
www.priceline.com. And the road trip between Montego Bay and Kingston is both arduous and dangerous, especially if you plan hitchhiking.
So already you have $300 to put towards a paid for flight/hotel package. That means you have to find $700 between now and when you have to pay for the trip. Now between the two of you I am sure you can come up with $700 – I bet even if you went round a decent neighbourhood you could get that washing/valeting cars within two or three weekends between you. Though it would be nice for an award to open up, I am afraid you maybe out of luck here, and the better plan would be to look to earn a couple of hundred dollars somehow in the coming weeks.
Other cheap purchase options are flights like Air India London-New York (usually very cheap) and Icelandair used to be a great deal, though you have to stopover in Iceland.
If you can't earn the money, then maybe someone on here can find a way to increase you mileage balance quickly so you can try out for a business award whcih might be easier to come by?