Has Last-Minute Award Availability Been Drastically Changed?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 63
Has Last-Minute Award Availability Been Drastically Changed?
One thing that's always been handy for me in booking award travel on BA is that my schedule is flexible, and this means I can book very close to the day of a flight -- I've taken several trips that weren't booked until just a few days before departure. In the past, BA has had a fairly reliable practice of releasing available seats anywhere from a few days to two weeks before the day of flight, and so while there's a certain amount of checking-every-day-to-see, seats have usually been available for longhauls from the US to the UK in First or Business, at least in the offseason (and frequently, though less consistently, at busier times).
This year I am seeing a radically different picture. From Seattle they seem to be releasing almost nothing, and as I check around from city to city, the near-term availability is likewise generally nil. Has BA changed its policy? Have they decided they'd rather fly seats empty than get last-minute award bookings? I've never seen so little availability in February, ever.
This year I am seeing a radically different picture. From Seattle they seem to be releasing almost nothing, and as I check around from city to city, the near-term availability is likewise generally nil. Has BA changed its policy? Have they decided they'd rather fly seats empty than get last-minute award bookings? I've never seen so little availability in February, ever.
#2
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,715
BA had a particularly successful sale in January in some markets, selling more tickets than in any previous sale. So it wouldn't surprise me if SEA is running fairly full. SEA has never been an easy route due to the tech industries.
It's always difficult to look at one route, with only a few services, and then try and get an impression out of it. There are something like 150 redemption seats available from JFK today and 300 or so for tomorrow, plenty of them in CW.
It's always difficult to look at one route, with only a few services, and then try and get an impression out of it. There are something like 150 redemption seats available from JFK today and 300 or so for tomorrow, plenty of them in CW.
#3
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: BA silver
Posts: 308
I can't comment on your SEA situation but I have been looking for two upgrades from Club to F from Syd-sin for Feb 2017 for several months and then hey presto a lot become available in a short time within two weeks of the flight departure. In fact there were 7 available for 14/02/17 released last week and that followed two seats released every day for the week previous. This route is normally jammed in all classes so I am not sure what's going on on this route. In fact at OLCI tonight there are still five seats available in F
#5
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London
Programs: Mucci Grandee (Upgraded), BA Silver, AZ MilleMiglia
Posts: 3,107
#6
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,715
#7
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Ancaster, ON, Canada
Programs: BA Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 487
I must admit, I have noticed the same. Last year I had a fairly high (>50%) hit rate of booking WT+ and UuA either at the time of booking or a few weeks before departure.
Since later last year and so far all of this, I've not had any CW seats become available between booking and flying, even with ExpertFlyer saved searches looking for me. The routes I have been on are YYC, DXB, MCO and KWI, so a fairly random (but admittedly small) sample...
Since later last year and so far all of this, I've not had any CW seats become available between booking and flying, even with ExpertFlyer saved searches looking for me. The routes I have been on are YYC, DXB, MCO and KWI, so a fairly random (but admittedly small) sample...
#8
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, CX Gold (OW Sapphire), Hilton Gold, SPG Gold, Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,476
I was able to book Avios seat LCY-EDI last week at just under 48hrs notice, for a Friday night departure, which was a pleasant surprise, considering the cash price of a ticket ... I think there is still last min availability to be had.
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Sin, HKG
Programs: SQ, BA CCR GGL
Posts: 626
#11
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,715
Yes, and with a slightly late Easter I suspect this will continue until at least mid March. February (and November) is always a good time to go ferreting around the inventory and this year is no exception.
#12
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 106
I have been monitoring BAs last minute reward availability in F going to HKG, during the whole of August, a day or two before departure if seats in F were available they would open them up for reward redemption. since the beginning of Sept there has been no reward availability even though most days there have been plenty of F seats on BA31 and 27.
Does anyone know why this is?
Does anyone know why this is?
#13
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,877
I have been monitoring BAs last minute reward availability in F going to HKG, during the whole of August, a day or two before departure if seats in F were available they would open them up for reward redemption. since the beginning of Sept there has been no reward availability even though most days there have been plenty of F seats on BA31 and 27.
Does anyone know why this is?
Does anyone know why this is?