OAG Guide
 

With the winter season upon us now, and the thought of many postponed and cancelled flights looming in the future, I was wondering how many of our frequent flyer bretheren our there uses or carries an OAG pocket flight guide.

If so, why and is it really a good investment.

If not, why not and what other tools do you use in its place, if any? Maybe you just "wing it" when your flights get cancelled.

Feedback please. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I always have a systemwide paper-version of the actual UA-timetable and downloaded versions of LH's and SR's timetables (Acrobat Reader). If I am booked on another *A-partner on one of my rtw-trips, I will defenetly look for a time-table paper-version of that carrier too.

And in add I have (in my Palm III) on file detailed informations of *Alliance-, SR/Delta-, Priority- and Diners-Club-lounges of all airports worldwide that are of interest to me.

E: I still carry one. I use the on-line services more and more these days to arrange bookings and was ready to cancel my subscription this year, but AmEx sent me an offer for a 6,500 mile bonus for subscribing so I continued on.

I've only used it once it the past few months, when I had a fight cancellation due to a mechanical. It's really helpful in such cases. The agents don't always like to tell you all your options when there's a line 20 deep. But you can easily see what the various flights are on every airline that flies the route you need.

I'm not sure if I'll resubscribe.

I have subscriptions to both the North American & European editions, but will probably not renew, since I seldomly use either in circustances where a paper copy is more useful than taking out the laptop.

This little guide has saved my rear at least twice a year, over the last decade and a half. The most recent renewal cost only around $53 (a special deal last fall, highlighted by a Flyertalker!), and I'd subjectively place its utility value at six times as much.

Yes, my laptop can gather the same data, but finding a place to plug it in is often difficult. FYI, as of the January issue, they have added listing for flights from N.A. to numerous large foreign cities (Tokyo, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris).

If you are looking to recoup some of your costs, they have a special quarterly coupon section. Past coupons include United Airlines and Hertz.

Thanks for the feedback folks...but does anyone know of any current DEALS out there right now (either dollars off or FF miles) for a subscription?

Last July, I received 3000 CO miles when I signed up for OAG. I noticed last night that AMEX was giving 6900 membership reward points for their guide for the $65 yearly price. It was listed on their website.