Redemption Help: Swiss, NZ & United
Jul 7, 2011, 12:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, LH M&M Pleb, VS FC Pleb, Hilton Diamond, IHG Pleb
Posts: 269
Swiss, NZ & United
Morning all,
So last October I was able to book J rewards with NZ to LAX and LX back to MAN, for travel late May early June. Plenty of availability (surprisingly I thought, 7/8 months away from travel) at the time.
Now I'm looking to repeat the trip for next year, for the same times - late May/early June.
LH has PLENTY of seats both there AND back, and LX has plenty going out, to both SFO & LAX, but LX coming back and NZ in either direction is a brick wall. United also has nothing to SFO from LHR or FRA. I'm looking at both the M&M site and Expertflyer, but not ANA as I don't have a balance.
This is really not a "please can somebody find me J returns to LAX/SFO for these dates" thread, rather a question as to whether reward seats get released in drips and drabs nearer to travel date?
If so, am I best off booking the dates with LH, say, and hoping I can rebook to NZ/LX (particularly for the return on a flat bed!) nearer the time (whilst acknowldeging the inherent difficulties in running the ICC gauntlet!)?
I thank you all ...
So last October I was able to book J rewards with NZ to LAX and LX back to MAN, for travel late May early June. Plenty of availability (surprisingly I thought, 7/8 months away from travel) at the time.
Now I'm looking to repeat the trip for next year, for the same times - late May/early June.
LH has PLENTY of seats both there AND back, and LX has plenty going out, to both SFO & LAX, but LX coming back and NZ in either direction is a brick wall. United also has nothing to SFO from LHR or FRA. I'm looking at both the M&M site and Expertflyer, but not ANA as I don't have a balance.
This is really not a "please can somebody find me J returns to LAX/SFO for these dates" thread, rather a question as to whether reward seats get released in drips and drabs nearer to travel date?
If so, am I best off booking the dates with LH, say, and hoping I can rebook to NZ/LX (particularly for the return on a flat bed!) nearer the time (whilst acknowldeging the inherent difficulties in running the ICC gauntlet!)?
I thank you all ...
Jul 7, 2011, 1:06 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Kingdom of Norway
Programs: BA Gold, SK Gold
Posts: 340
Morning all,
So last October I was able to book J rewards with NZ to LAX and LX back to MAN, for travel late May early June. Plenty of availability (surprisingly I thought, 7/8 months away from travel) at the time.
Now I'm looking to repeat the trip for next year, for the same times - late May/early June.
LH has PLENTY of seats both there AND back, and LX has plenty going out, to both SFO & LAX, but LX coming back and NZ in either direction is a brick wall. United also has nothing to SFO from LHR or FRA. I'm looking at both the M&M site and Expertflyer, but not ANA as I don't have a balance.
This is really not a "please can somebody find me J returns to LAX/SFO for these dates" thread, rather a question as to whether reward seats get released in drips and drabs nearer to travel date?
If so, am I best off booking the dates with LH, say, and hoping I can rebook to NZ/LX (particularly for the return on a flat bed!) nearer the time (whilst acknowldeging the inherent difficulties in running the ICC gauntlet!)?
I thank you all ...
So last October I was able to book J rewards with NZ to LAX and LX back to MAN, for travel late May early June. Plenty of availability (surprisingly I thought, 7/8 months away from travel) at the time.
Now I'm looking to repeat the trip for next year, for the same times - late May/early June.
LH has PLENTY of seats both there AND back, and LX has plenty going out, to both SFO & LAX, but LX coming back and NZ in either direction is a brick wall. United also has nothing to SFO from LHR or FRA. I'm looking at both the M&M site and Expertflyer, but not ANA as I don't have a balance.
This is really not a "please can somebody find me J returns to LAX/SFO for these dates" thread, rather a question as to whether reward seats get released in drips and drabs nearer to travel date?
If so, am I best off booking the dates with LH, say, and hoping I can rebook to NZ/LX (particularly for the return on a flat bed!) nearer the time (whilst acknowldeging the inherent difficulties in running the ICC gauntlet!)?
I thank you all ...
Jul 7, 2011, 2:27 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: N.Wales, UK
Posts: 933
You don't need a balence to use ANA. There's a work around (thread somewhere) basically though, do a search for a known ana route ie. LHR-NRT then on the results page, click "search star alliance airlines" (or something like that..) Then search away, like you used to.
Jul 7, 2011, 3:52 am
#4
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,027
Highlighted, in red, at the top of the ANA masterclass FAQ. 
Jul 7, 2011, 1:16 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, LH M&M Pleb, VS FC Pleb, Hilton Diamond, IHG Pleb
Posts: 269
Highlighted, in red, at the top of the ANA masterclass FAQ.
Thanks all. I shall bide my time ...
Jul 7, 2011, 2:47 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: DUB - Ireland
Programs: EI-GCE, BD-G, BA-G, A3*G, TK*G, FB-G, HH-G, Hyatt-Dia
Posts: 8,527
Try regularly. I had a redemption on NZ outbound and 2 stop with US on the return. 
About 3 months out NZ released another seat and I slept like a baby.
About 3 months out NZ released another seat and I slept like a baby.