The Reclusive, Lesser Spotted AE mini-RTW or There and Back Again F Reward Itinerary
Jun 14, 2012, 8:33 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Alberta, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 1,013
The Reclusive, Lesser Spotted AE mini-RTW or There and Back Again F Reward Itinerary
These mini-RTW, or the longer, there and back again trips in F are becoming harder to find than Bigfoot.
We are totally flexible with our dates and every year we like to go to Southern Thailand (YYC-HDY) for 4+ weeks anytime during the Jan to March period (ideally Feb-Mar), but try finding something in F these days... Thanks to recent promos we have enough miles for another F trip there next year. As usual thank you Amex, Rexall, Sobeys and other's ^. After getting a taste of the LH refurbished 747 (SFO-FRA and FRA-ORD) that was absolutely amazing with the bed, we really want to do another!
Unfortunately, based on ANA research tonight, what appears to be the practical loss of LH and LX is a huge hit to putting together these amazing AE F rewards. Likely a result of the US Air mile buying and the AE "sale" after which a high ranking LH officer was quoted as saying: "We kicked out all this garbage from our First Class". We'll really miss the FCL and FCT in FRA if this is the case.
Unless you are willing to risk your trip and hope that seats become available at the last minute (not guaranteed based on reports I've read) it's becoming hopeless. And it doesn't matter whether you are a MM SE or a bottom feeder like me.
How is UA F these days? That and TG seem to be the only easy to find F on the ANA tool or am I missing some other good *A carriers? We are trying to book one now so would like to hear from fellow "maximizers" in the same boat vs. folks (like us) that recently have recently done one that was booked months ago.
We are totally flexible with our dates and every year we like to go to Southern Thailand (YYC-HDY) for 4+ weeks anytime during the Jan to March period (ideally Feb-Mar), but try finding something in F these days... Thanks to recent promos we have enough miles for another F trip there next year. As usual thank you Amex, Rexall, Sobeys and other's ^. After getting a taste of the LH refurbished 747 (SFO-FRA and FRA-ORD) that was absolutely amazing with the bed, we really want to do another!
Unfortunately, based on ANA research tonight, what appears to be the practical loss of LH and LX is a huge hit to putting together these amazing AE F rewards. Likely a result of the US Air mile buying and the AE "sale" after which a high ranking LH officer was quoted as saying: "We kicked out all this garbage from our First Class". We'll really miss the FCL and FCT in FRA if this is the case.
Unless you are willing to risk your trip and hope that seats become available at the last minute (not guaranteed based on reports I've read) it's becoming hopeless. And it doesn't matter whether you are a MM SE or a bottom feeder like me.
How is UA F these days? That and TG seem to be the only easy to find F on the ANA tool or am I missing some other good *A carriers? We are trying to book one now so would like to hear from fellow "maximizers" in the same boat vs. folks (like us) that recently have recently done one that was booked months ago.
Jun 14, 2012, 8:39 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,379
You are down to TG, CA and UA basically, with an occasional sprinkling of NH and OZ (except their extensive blackout periods)
Out of those only UA and CA will be scamcharge free.
Of course by the time LX (or LH) open up - you will have to pony up $101.90 to change - even as a super duper elite.
Out of those only UA and CA will be scamcharge free.
Of course by the time LX (or LH) open up - you will have to pony up $101.90 to change - even as a super duper elite.
Jun 14, 2012, 9:45 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Alaska MVP, Marriott Titanium / Lifetime Platinum, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 4,612
I do believe that this "monitoring of inventory" is a de-facto, unpublished devaluation of the program.
I concur that it is nearly impossible to get the seats that you want on overseas routings, without massive amount of reroutes, or restricting your trip to specific cities.
I don't think that it was all the US DM Maximizers that were ruining this for everyone - costs and other program devalations are happening everywhere - across all airline alliances.
This is the generation of spending more and getting less - it's happening everywhere across Star Alliance, to the gas station to the services you get from your city council.
The flying of 15 years ago was fabulous. It is no more.
I concur that it is nearly impossible to get the seats that you want on overseas routings, without massive amount of reroutes, or restricting your trip to specific cities.
I don't think that it was all the US DM Maximizers that were ruining this for everyone - costs and other program devalations are happening everywhere - across all airline alliances.
This is the generation of spending more and getting less - it's happening everywhere across Star Alliance, to the gas station to the services you get from your city council.
The flying of 15 years ago was fabulous. It is no more.