Inter-Greek Island Award
Jun 13, 2018, 9:11 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 222
Inter-Greek Island Award
Which airline program or partner provide the lowest redemption rate for inter-greek island flights? Aegean's seems to charge around 5k miles + 50 Eur, making the revenue cheaper to book. Just wanted to know if there were other options
Jun 13, 2018, 9:53 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,567
Which inter-island flights are you interested in? Most island flights are radial ones out of ATH, and I don't really know many that cost as little as that (e.g. RHO-HER). Moreover most domestic routes in Greece are flown by O3 and are code-shared by A3. Are you aware of this? Judging also from your previous post I have the feeling that you do have to do some research of your own (where, when, etc.) before you ask your general questions that aim at finding something really cheap.
Last edited by KLouis; Jun 13, 2018 at 1:23 pm
Jun 13, 2018, 6:48 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 222
Which inter-island flights are you interested in? Most island flights are radial ones out of ATH, and I don't really know many that cost as little as that (e.g. RHO-HER). Moreover most domestic routes in Greece are flown by O3 and are code-shared by A3. Are you aware of this? Judging also from your previous post I have the feeling that you do have to do some research of your own (where, when, etc.) before you ask your general questions that aim at finding something really cheap.
Jun 14, 2018, 1:03 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: PAS, Paros Greece
Programs: A3 *G
Posts: 1,375
Looking at other airlines, Sky Express fly the route with taxes of 38.80 and Ellinair charge 37.94. I'm not sure how you expect the figure to be any lower, although you shouldn't be paying 50 euro if you are looking at the Aegean site. And these redemptions are not actually "more expensive" than the revenue flights - just quite bad value! The actual "fare" portion of the flights is 15 or 22 Euro (on the cheapest booking classes) - that's a lot of miles to spend to save that much. ATH has fairly high taxes/fees. You will see domestic flights in the other direction, to Athens, with taxes as low as 50c from some places (but still 12:30 Euro from HER). These are a little better value. Going from HER-ATH you save a whopping 29 to 38 Euro for your 5000 miles!
EDIT: I just noticed that there's a "Happy Miles" sale on for August - ATH-HER is 4000 miles + 33.94. Still not great value, but at least it's 1000 fewer miles!
Last edited by Knobbgb; Jun 14, 2018 at 1:13 am
Jun 14, 2018, 3:03 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 222
The taxes on all A3 ATH-HER flights (paid or redemption) are 33.94 Euro and I don't think you'll avoid those taxes with any sort of redemption. Looking at availability through the A3 online portal, the price on the cheapest days is 5000 miles + 33.94 (I'm not sure where you get 50 Euro from).
Looking at other airlines, Sky Express fly the route with taxes of 38.80 and Ellinair charge 37.94. I'm not sure how you expect the figure to be any lower, although you shouldn't be paying 50 euro if you are looking at the Aegean site. And these redemptions are not actually "more expensive" than the revenue flights - just quite bad value! The actual "fare" portion of the flights is 15 or 22 Euro (on the cheapest booking classes) - that's a lot of miles to spend to save that much. ATH has fairly high taxes/fees. You will see domestic flights in the other direction, to Athens, with taxes as low as 50c from some places (but still 12:30 Euro from HER). These are a little better value. Going from HER-ATH you save a whopping 29 to 38 Euro for your 5000 miles!
EDIT: I just noticed that there's a "Happy Miles" sale on for August - ATH-HER is 4000 miles + 33.94. Still not great value, but at least it's 1000 fewer miles!
Looking at other airlines, Sky Express fly the route with taxes of 38.80 and Ellinair charge 37.94. I'm not sure how you expect the figure to be any lower, although you shouldn't be paying 50 euro if you are looking at the Aegean site. And these redemptions are not actually "more expensive" than the revenue flights - just quite bad value! The actual "fare" portion of the flights is 15 or 22 Euro (on the cheapest booking classes) - that's a lot of miles to spend to save that much. ATH has fairly high taxes/fees. You will see domestic flights in the other direction, to Athens, with taxes as low as 50c from some places (but still 12:30 Euro from HER). These are a little better value. Going from HER-ATH you save a whopping 29 to 38 Euro for your 5000 miles!
EDIT: I just noticed that there's a "Happy Miles" sale on for August - ATH-HER is 4000 miles + 33.94. Still not great value, but at least it's 1000 fewer miles!
So your saying the best bet is just to buy the ticket and now use miles?
Jun 14, 2018, 3:43 pm
#8
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: Priority Club Platinum Ambassador, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 264
I think the price for ATH-HER starts from around 40-45 eur in P class the cheapest one
For this ticket the fare price is 5-10 euro + tax so you are paying 4000 - 5000 miles for saving 5-10 euro.
But this in case you can find ticket in booking class P.
So only make sense to use miles when the cost of the ticket is very hi.
If you want to save some money you can try flying from SKG ( Thessaloniki ) around 15 euro tax and they have direct flight to HER and you can save some tax.
Another option it to use Ryanair or similar airline from ATH, they can take you there for 10-15 euro, but still depends how busy will be the flight when you want to fly.
At this moment the prices for Ryanair in August are between 20-60 euro. Keep in mind this is 30-40 min flight from ATH even less if they are in a hurry.
For this ticket the fare price is 5-10 euro + tax so you are paying 4000 - 5000 miles for saving 5-10 euro.
But this in case you can find ticket in booking class P.
So only make sense to use miles when the cost of the ticket is very hi.
If you want to save some money you can try flying from SKG ( Thessaloniki ) around 15 euro tax and they have direct flight to HER and you can save some tax.
Another option it to use Ryanair or similar airline from ATH, they can take you there for 10-15 euro, but still depends how busy will be the flight when you want to fly.
At this moment the prices for Ryanair in August are between 20-60 euro. Keep in mind this is 30-40 min flight from ATH even less if they are in a hurry.
Jun 15, 2018, 2:23 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: PAS, Paros Greece
Programs: A3 *G
Posts: 1,375
I think the price for ATH-HER starts from around 40-45 eur in P class the cheapest one
For this ticket the fare price is 5-10 euro + tax so you are paying 4000 - 5000 miles for saving 5-10 euro.
But this in case you can find ticket in booking class P.
So only make sense to use miles when the cost of the ticket is very hi.
If you want to save some money you can try flying from SKG ( Thessaloniki ) around 15 euro tax and they have direct flight to HER and you can save some tax.
Another option it to use Ryanair or similar airline from ATH, they can take you there for 10-15 euro, but still depends how busy will be the flight when you want to fly.
At this moment the prices for Ryanair in August are between 20-60 euro. Keep in mind this is 30-40 min flight from ATH even less if they are in a hurry.
For this ticket the fare price is 5-10 euro + tax so you are paying 4000 - 5000 miles for saving 5-10 euro.
But this in case you can find ticket in booking class P.
So only make sense to use miles when the cost of the ticket is very hi.
If you want to save some money you can try flying from SKG ( Thessaloniki ) around 15 euro tax and they have direct flight to HER and you can save some tax.
Another option it to use Ryanair or similar airline from ATH, they can take you there for 10-15 euro, but still depends how busy will be the flight when you want to fly.
At this moment the prices for Ryanair in August are between 20-60 euro. Keep in mind this is 30-40 min flight from ATH even less if they are in a hurry.
Yeah the prices I quoted above are for U (15.00 + 33.94) and T (22 + 33.94) class. I rarely see P class on HER or CHQ flights. I think they hold it back - possibly for when the have sales.
I agree with using miles for a redemption only when the ticket is quite expensive, but there rarely seems to be availability once the cheapest tickets have gone. You might get lucky though...
Jun 17, 2018, 5:39 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 222
Thanks for all the info!!
Are there ever flights from CHQ to JTR? I want to stay on that side of the Island rather than Elounda, but I need to get to Santorini and dont want to drive 2 hours to the ferry which seems to be the only option
Are there ever flights from CHQ to JTR? I want to stay on that side of the Island rather than Elounda, but I need to get to Santorini and dont want to drive 2 hours to the ferry which seems to be the only option
Jun 17, 2018, 8:00 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Syracuse, Boston, Athens
Posts: 995
I recently booked an ATH-HER miles redemption, actually.
In my case the ticket price was ~€110, i.e., €76 + 34 taxes. I consider this to be a decent value for the redemption.
There were cheaper fares for that day, but not at the times I wanted. And looking at some random ATH-HER late summer days, there are even €125 fares for some of the most desirable travel times of the day (e.g., the 9:55-10:45 morning flight).
So, yes, you can find €49 or €56 flight with Aegean (or perhaps €38 with Ellinair), but none of them were on the day or the time of the day I wanted.
The value of redeeming miles can not always be judged against the cheapest possible fare for that route, if that cheapest possible fare would not be the fare you would ever pay, due to the time/date constraints I mentioned.
In my case the ticket price was ~€110, i.e., €76 + 34 taxes. I consider this to be a decent value for the redemption.
There were cheaper fares for that day, but not at the times I wanted. And looking at some random ATH-HER late summer days, there are even €125 fares for some of the most desirable travel times of the day (e.g., the 9:55-10:45 morning flight).
So, yes, you can find €49 or €56 flight with Aegean (or perhaps €38 with Ellinair), but none of them were on the day or the time of the day I wanted.
The value of redeeming miles can not always be judged against the cheapest possible fare for that route, if that cheapest possible fare would not be the fare you would ever pay, due to the time/date constraints I mentioned.
Jun 17, 2018, 8:33 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 222
I recently booked an ATH-HER miles redemption, actually.
In my case the ticket price was ~€110, i.e., €76 + 34 taxes. I consider this to be a decent value for the redemption.
There were cheaper fares for that day, but not at the times I wanted. And looking at some random ATH-HER late summer days, there are even €125 fares for some of the most desirable travel times of the day (e.g., the 9:55-10:45 morning flight).
So, yes, you can find €49 or €56 flight with Aegean (or perhaps €38 with Ellinair), but none of them were on the day or the time of the day I wanted.
The value of redeeming miles can not always be judged against the cheapest possible fare for that route, if that cheapest possible fare would not be the fare you would ever pay, due to the time/date constraints I mentioned.
In my case the ticket price was ~€110, i.e., €76 + 34 taxes. I consider this to be a decent value for the redemption.
There were cheaper fares for that day, but not at the times I wanted. And looking at some random ATH-HER late summer days, there are even €125 fares for some of the most desirable travel times of the day (e.g., the 9:55-10:45 morning flight).
So, yes, you can find €49 or €56 flight with Aegean (or perhaps €38 with Ellinair), but none of them were on the day or the time of the day I wanted.
The value of redeeming miles can not always be judged against the cheapest possible fare for that route, if that cheapest possible fare would not be the fare you would ever pay, due to the time/date constraints I mentioned.
Agreed, I am trying to book a 9:55AM flight as well, which is the more expensive one
Jun 18, 2018, 3:57 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: YYZ, HKG, MFM
Programs: AC35K, AS MVP, WS Gold, ITA EP, Marriott Plat, Hyatt-Explorist, IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,019
Last year, I made a last minute A3 redemption for the next day, which was not available online for ATH-JTR. It was 5k+ fee(forgot how much sorry), I remember revenue ticket was over 200 Euros.