Award partner ticket with one segment unavailable
 

Hi, I've never redeemed for an AS award flight but this year I decided to burn up my points and got 2 award tickets from YWG to LIH then back home from OGG, through SEA and MSP. I booked them at the first availability and got what I wanted except for the last segment back to YWG. Since AS doesn't fly to YWG, I had to fly Delta to MSP and then on AS. There was no seats on Delta back from MSP to YWG but the agent said to keep on trying.

Well, it's been 300 days and there is still no availability! The flight back from OGG is on Mar. 30. Has anyone had a similar issue? Will any seats open up at the last minute? If not, the last agent I talked to said without that segment, I have an invalid itinerary since I'm not returning to my starting airport. If we get desperate enough, I can have one of our kids pick us up in Minn. and we'll drive back but I don't want to have my tickets canceled because the itinerary is not valid. I'd appreciate some advice from knowledgeable FTers who have experience with MP. Thanks.

Because you already have an open jaw in Hawaii, lacking the MSP-YWG segment you have two one-way tickets.

You need Delta's Low award band to book with Alaska miles. The DL award calendar shows Low availability for two MSP-YWG in coach on each of five days before your return travel, but not on your date (or the two following days). Many on the DL forum have observed that Delta is opening up more award inventory closer to travel dates but your need is very specific.

I don't see many good solutions:

- kill the Hawaii open jaw by using LIH or OGG for arival and departure
- drop the YWG-MSP segment and originate from/return to MSP
- keep waiting until the very last minute and hope for luck on DL (or forgiveness by AS)