I've been saving for 4 J-class seats return from Honolulu to Bangkok at the end of July 2014.

Seems at the beginning of July 2014 it's 360k, but after sometime in mid-July, it goes up to 500k!

Dang it! I knew J class seats were going to cost more points, but thought this wouldn't kick in until flights were being booked in Jan 2014 or later (ie. not just flown in 2014, but the booking itself would have to be made in 2014 for the increased points values to be in effect)

Is this increase a glitch? or for real?

Something else going on here.

You think it might be glitch? Man, I hope so!!!

hold on,

Hawaii-Asia is 90k, even according to the 2014 chart.

So there should be zero increase, or worry.

This is not related to the Jan.1 increases, perhaps something bigger (and stealthier) is in the works.

I would think so.

Halle-freaking-lujah

I was soooo bummed out... thinking if I'd KNOWN it would increase, I'd have changed my plans and gone on the trip sooner. Whew! Now I shall look for that 2014 reward chart!

Found the reward chart, and taking a screen shot... just in case...

https://www4.aeroplan.com/FlightRewardChart.do

You may want to give AE a call to find out if it is real.

Yes, will definitely have to do that!

Thought I should post an update - by the next day, the mileage amounts were back to showing the normal 360k for 4 of us in J class. Whew!

And, I just booked our flights today! Yippee! My first aeroplan redemption successful, in no small part due to the help I've received here!

Thanks so much everybody!

What were the total fees/taxes per person?

Ha... you don't want to know.

$2400 for the 4 of us - that includes taxes, plus the $30 per person telephone booking fee.

Flights are as follows in mid-July 2014:

1) UA from HNL to NRT (4 in J)
- stay overnight in NRT - wanted this to keep our sanity with the kids - everyone will get a good night's sleep this way

2) OZ from NRT to ICN (4 in J)

3) OZ from ICN to BKK (2 in J, and 2 in economy... will try to get those economy seats changed to J if anything becomes available on that flight)

Return flights are just any old thing - will change these because we will be flying our return in May or June 2015 - had no choice but to book whatever random thing now, then pay the change fee and switch those flights to what we really want when they become available (no one-way rewards allowed from Hawaii to Asia, otherwise we'd have done that instead)

So, the return legs we booked for now are:

1) CA BKK to PEK (4 in J)

2) NH PEK to NRT (4 in J)

3) NG NRT to HNL (2 in J) plus 2 on NH NRT to HNL (2 in economy)

Not sure how the fees will change once we cancel the fake return flights and change them to the dates we really want. I told the agent I didn't care what she picked for returns, as long as it was as late as possible (thinking that would give me more time to cancel them and rebook... turns out that didn't matter since I can cancel the returns as soon as I get to BKK, and the ticket will remain open until the 1 year has passed, which would give me all the time I need to book the return leg... oh well... doesn't matter to me at the moment - the agent said if the fees on the new return flight end up less than what I was charged, I will be refunded the difference)

Note: What I was originally aiming for was UA from HNL to NRT in J, stay overnight, then 2 of us on one TG flight from NRT to BKK in J, and the last 2 of us on another TG flight in J that left an hour later. But the TG flights are no longer available for the dates I need.

I also looked at using EVA air via Taipei as another poster had suggested, but nothing available on the dates I need.

Also, I originally wanted to leave HNL between July 29-Aug. 1 - but I was getting nervous that there were no UA flights showing up from HNL to BKK and wondered if they would EVER show up... thought maybe since it was summer and lots of families on holidays, that I'd be out of luck, so caved and booked mid-July instead.

So for now, I've signed up with expertflyer for and alert on 2 more J seats from ICN to BKK on the date I want - will be worth it to us to pay a change fee for the upgrade, but if it doesn't work out, it's not the end of the world.. .just glad this is done!