Trying to get to VIE from WAS with Conty miles...
Feb 2, 2012, 9:35 pm
#1
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Trying to get to VIE from WAS with Conty miles...
I see the flight is there on Austrian Air, but I cannot book that direct flight through conty.com. Been on hold for over 30 minutes and plan to stay on, but am I crazy? The overall plan is fly west to VIE, then make my way to Munich over land, fly to CDG and eventually CDG back to WAS. Thoughts? Seems I can do something similar for around 60k total, does that make sense? (looking to go in Sept. 12)
Thanks!
Thanks!
Feb 3, 2012, 6:42 am
#2
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Assuming you can find the award inventory, yes, that should be a 60K award in Y, with IAD-VIE, MUC-CDG, CDG-IAD as the segments. You'd have the open-jaw between VIE/MUC and a stopover in CDG.
The only caveat is that VIE is east of WAS, not west.
The only caveat is that VIE is east of WAS, not west.
Feb 3, 2012, 6:58 am
#3
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Thanks for the reply. Yeah sorry I meant fly east to VIE, then make my way back west towards MUC, then CDG, then home. Ended up on hold for and hour and 35 minutes before I finally hung up! This morning I reached someone who said the flight is not available on miles, I just don't get that, the seating chart shows about 4 seats taken on the entire flight right now...does award availability ever open up? I am on the phone with United now to see if somehow they show availability and then I could transfer my conty miles there to buy the ticket.
Feb 3, 2012, 7:23 am
#4
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Depends on the flight and the dates. But the number of seats you see booked on the seat map is not how you should predict whether award seats are available or not. Do you have dates that you're looking at for the trip? There might be other options (i.e. connections) that could make it work.
Feb 3, 2012, 7:48 am
#5
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After 57 minutes on hold with United (they correctly claimed I would be on hold for 60 minutes...at least they are honest) they confirmed none of the direct flights from IAD-VIE are available with miles in the first week of September. Flying with a small child, so really trying to get direct. The overall itinerary would be IAD-VIE, MUC-CDG, CDG-IAD from the first to second week of September. For now I think I am going to wait a bit and see if miles seats will open up on that VIE flight. Anyway to be alerted to open miles seats, other than keep calling and checking the website?
Feb 3, 2012, 8:52 am
#6
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After 57 minutes on hold with United (they correctly claimed I would be on hold for 60 minutes...at least they are honest) they confirmed none of the direct flights from IAD-VIE are available with miles in the first week of September. Flying with a small child, so really trying to get direct. The overall itinerary would be IAD-VIE, MUC-CDG, CDG-IAD from the first to second week of September. For now I think I am going to wait a bit and see if miles seats will open up on that VIE flight. Anyway to be alerted to open miles seats, other than keep calling and checking the website?
Feb 3, 2012, 9:04 am
#7
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I think that AwardNexus might provide alerts; check out that option.
Other than that, if you can get connecting seats now I'd book them and then change to the non-stop later if it opens up. Having something is generally better than nothing unless you're willing to just not take the trip unless the non-stops show up. And so long as you're 21+ days out the change would be free.
Other than that, if you can get connecting seats now I'd book them and then change to the non-stop later if it opens up. Having something is generally better than nothing unless you're willing to just not take the trip unless the non-stops show up. And so long as you're 21+ days out the change would be free.
Feb 3, 2012, 10:36 am
#8
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I find both Swiss and Austrian very hard to find space on for their TATL flights (LH owns both of them). As a 1K I usually would grab whatever is available knowing I can change it at anytime for $0
The problem OP you have if not in that same boat is if you wait for the non-stops and they dont open up will you still beable to find something late in the game. LH usually opens up as they dont sell their seats but what if they sell their seats
its sort of like buying a W fare and hoping Biz clears using a SWU, as Clint would say Do you feel lucky?
The problem OP you have if not in that same boat is if you wait for the non-stops and they dont open up will you still beable to find something late in the game. LH usually opens up as they dont sell their seats but what if they sell their seats
its sort of like buying a W fare and hoping Biz clears using a SWU, as Clint would say Do you feel lucky?
Feb 3, 2012, 12:15 pm
#10
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Thanks all for the updates, good suggestions! Need to discuss the plans with the wifey...but the trip is so far out (Sept.), that I may wait until the end of this month to see if they direct opens up. If not, I can work it a few different ways, including flying into MUC and making my way towards Vienna. Direct would be ideal because of our young son, but no matter what I think it will be great!
Feb 3, 2012, 12:48 pm
#12
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EF inventory for OS will be based on what M&M members can redeem, not for partners. That's why I left them out of my original suggestion.
Feb 3, 2012, 5:39 pm
#13
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http://Help.KVSTool.com/#Classes
Once you save the desired segments to [My Trips], you can periodically re-check Award Availability with just a click, so it is much easier and faster than
Feb 3, 2012, 8:46 pm
#15
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As previously mentioned, out of the two Tools/Services, referred to by wcalvert, only the KVS Tool supports Award Availability for OS/LH (and it further supports both partner and M&M-only Award Availability).