I've also very recently booked an IST-BKK(stopover)-HKG as a Z2-Z8 award. The agent didn't seem to have a problem with it.

Ok, I'm a little more optimistic now. Maybe I'll try and call them back today and see if I get a different response.

Of course, I'll post the results on here.

Update...
 

Ok, I just called the ICC and spoke to an agent called Deepak who was professional, polite and helpful.

I altered my requirements slightly, as since I last posted I downloaded Littlevoices excel spreadsheet (which is excellent), and nearly spat my tea over my monitor when I saw how much UK departure tax I would need to pay for two people if flying long haul business.

Instead, I asked to go from MXP to BKK to ICN with a two week layover in BKK. Without any prompting the agent said that this was a Z2 to Z8 routing so it would be 37,500 miles per person and he's booked us on direct TG flights for both legs.

Just out of curiosity I asked him how much my original routing of BHX - ZRH - BKK - ICN with a BKK stopover would be - he said it would be 52,500 miles and would count as a Z1 to Z8 routing, which is completely as odds with what I was told yesterday.

Even with the minor inconvenience of getting to MXP we are saving (two people) 30,000 miles and £300 by flying from Z2 instead of Z1.

Anyone any thoughts on LHR-IAH-TPA being a valid route.

Also I notice that on ANA CO are showing biz class availability for US domestic. Will this be bookable as biz or will it be mapped as first???

Thanks in advance

LHR-IAH-TPA should be fine

As for CO, it counts as business class so would be bookable as such.

Thanks, I think I'll look into SIN one way, and HKG on a way back.

Biz, the US domestic F problem only affects US and UA

Manchester to San Fran
 

Hi everyone

My wife and I want to use up our remaining miles on a trip to San fran. We want to fly out using LX via Zurich with a stop over in New York. .So the routing would be:-

Man to ZRH LX Business
ZRH to JFK LX Business.
Stopover
JFK to SFO UA .Business

I believe this route is possible but before calling DC I wanted to sanity check it....:-)

We plan to return from LAX to Man via ZRH..

Thanks

Nick.

Should be no problem. UA do have three class cabin flights NYC-SFO which would allow you to book award seats in business, not sure if all their flights to SFO have p.s. premium service though.

If there is lack of availability on UA, don't forget EWR-SFO on CO which does allow business redemptions in domestic first class.

Depending on when you are travelling, the UK APD for premium flights could be pretty high, well over £100. You might want to consider whether it is worth hopping on easyjet somewhere on the outbound and starting the journey from GVA or MUC or AMS to avoid paying it. Of course timings and baggage fees on a LCC might cancel out any savings.

Zad-puy-zag-muc-pad
 

Hi there.
I'm a total newbie if it comes to redeeming DC miles, and am looking forward to my first encounter with the ICC! I want to book an itinerary from ZAD to PAD in late September. The one I prefer (leaving in the afternoon as opposed to 6am...), however, has 3 changes, and I'm not sure the ICC will manage... I checked the ANA tool and there seems to be availability for all legs in Y and C (at least I hope that's what the "OK" behind the flight is indicating?)

Anyway, attached below is my routing and I hope you can take a look at it and tell me whether I will be able to book it! The Excel calculator tells me it should cost 9750 miles in Y and 14,625 in C plus £115-£140 for taxes. Not sure C is worth it though - I doubt there's gonna much C service on OU's and LH's Dashs and the layovers in ZAG/MUC are hardly worth a lounge visit...
Talking of layovers, the PUY one is pretty tight and has the capability of screwing my entire itinerary over. Having no experiences whatsoever with reward bookings I hope you won't mind my stupid question: what happens if I miss it? Will OU provide me with a hotel and/or alternative flights the same day (though I wouldn't be able to reach my final destination at the same day), or will I have to call the ICC in case I get stuck...

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/2120/itin.jpg


Thanks a bundle and I hope you don't mind my newbie questions too much.

Wow, 30 minutes is an unusual connection time for larger airports these days, but that said it does sounds reasonable for PUY which is a small airport. They sell the route on Croatia's website so it is legal (i.e. doable) and the airport does look very small:
http://www.airport-pula.hr/~airport/...%20hol%29.html

As it's all on one ticket they should accommodate you onto the next flight. I'm not sure what your options would actually be though. And you never know it might be the same aircraft that takes you to ZAG. Personally I wouldn't worry about the 30 minute connection.

I can't comment on whether C is worth it. I don't even know if there are any lounges worth using.

Thanks bcmatt!

Which is better CO or UA for a flight between JFK and SFO? Is business better on UA's PS service?:)

Sadly we will have a few bags with us, so I think it will be cheaper just to accept the UK APD... :(

Don't know, only flown CO. You can compare for yourself here and here.

Boston, Cleveland and New York
 

Apologies if this has been asked before - I tried searching the thread and nothing came up though.

I'm looking at booking two one-way trips from London to the states preferable in first.

Ideally, I'd like to book LHR-ZRH-BOS outbound, which I can't see a problem with. What I'm wondering is whether I can treak BOS as a stopover and add a flight to CLE on the same ticket, so LHR-ZRH-BOS (stopover)-CLE?

Secondly, I understand that cash+miles is no longer an option for LH F, so has anyone ever found F availability on the SQ flight from JFK to FRA? I've spent some time looking at over a hundred days on the ANA tool and haven't turned anything up. Lots of J, but no F.

Welcome to FT James1978!

Yes, one stopover allowed, just not in Europe!

It's SQ, they're a popular choice, and I think their own FFP members get preference with access to awards, so I would not set my heart on finding an F award personally!