Rewardissimo or Month Python Cheese Shop?
 

Is there a secret to booking reward travel that AC doesn't tell Elites? I tried last year to book 2 business class seats to Antigua - phoned in September prior to a planned February vacation and of course nothing was available - Jan, Feb, Mar or Apr. OK I thought - perhaps I waited to long.

This year I called in June for San Juan PR so we could take a cruise on Princess. Once again either nothing was available (business or economy) or they could get us down but back only on Saturday (the day before the cruise was to return) if they could get us back at all. I felt like the old Monty Python Cheese shop routine - "does this cheese shop actually have any cheese?" - maybe it would be easier if you told me what you DO have available instead of me having to guess. The agent was very unhelpful.

Is there a secret? Do you have to book 2 years in advance? Am I better off booking through the cruise line? Are my reward miles totally useless unless I want to fly to Buffalo in February?

It really gets me mad when I see the Rewardissimo ads that shout that a reward is claimed every x minutes! Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

Try 11 months in advance or perhaps UA.

Unfortunately the secret is to accumulate miles with another airline / points program.

Take your pick - pretty much all of them have better availability of business class seats than Aeroplan. All the major US FF programs offer unlimited biz class seat availability to all members through their "no capacity control" programs (for a mileage premium).

PS Welcome to FT

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Saturday nights should be spent with family.

[This message has been edited by Tractor Boy (edited 06-19-2003).]

I think a better analogy to Python might be the dead parrott skit...

Welcome to FlyerTalk hikecdnrckys. The key is to book the maximum number of days in advance allowable. This is especially important in Executive class.

There are very few seats for rewards in exec, my sister who was E used to call 330 days in advance and had a difficult time.

AC send a small aircraft to Antigua in February, and there is no small number of aeroplan members who wish to spend a week there in February!

"Is that Elite member dead?"
"No, he's just pining for a reward seat"

Aeroplan...the reward program with no available rewards (toasters excepted).


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Saturday nights should be spent with family.

A 767 considered a small plane?

fly the extra 65k status miles to get SE. Then you can use your instant KK privilege to convert a revenue seat into... oh wait, they're probably going to take that one away next year too... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif