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The Definitive "How To Search for Low Tier Business Awards"

The Definitive "How To Search for Low Tier Business Awards"

Old Jul 23, 2010, 2:38 pm
  #136  
 
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Standard tier award is 100K for Bus on DL/AF?

I have used all the methods suggested on this forum/ thread;
DL agent says 100K is the standard tier for Bus - even on AF.

I found seats on AF using the KVS tool for CS+ showing availability.
Am I readng the award charts wrong? They show low tier at 50K and Medium Tier at 100K. I just want to make sure that DL is not misleading me?

Found almost the perfect itin for taking mrs. wnt2run and lil runners to Paris for a surprise anniv vacation.

DTW-YUL-CDG; CDG-IAD-DTW for Sep. Interstingly, they cannot book award mileage on AF partner airline (CityJet) from CDG-FLR.

==============
wnt2run
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Old Jul 23, 2010, 2:59 pm
  #137  
KVS
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Arrow

Originally Posted by wnt2run
I found seats on AF using the KVS tool for CS+ showing availability.
Am I readng the award charts wrong? They show low tier at 50K
It is 50K each way.

P.S. Welcome to FT!
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Old Jul 27, 2010, 12:58 pm
  #138  
 
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Originally Posted by TravelingChef
Noobie here...followed the directions from the OP while looking for a JFK-CDG flight in November. Successfully found 100k J flights on dates that work, all stopping in Madrid.

Upon thinking about it, I said well why not just do a Madrid flight (this is leisure for me and the girlfriend so we're looking at multiple options). When I priced out the direct JFK-MAD flight on same day as originally priced JFK-MAD-CDG flight, it's only listed at 90k and not showing J.

How would I go about getting the JFK-MAD trip for 100k J?
It think I have finally learned to use the system for International travel. You need to be a PM or DM to do it. The proof is that this weekend my wife and I are going to Barcelona from JFK, non stop, in Business for 100,000 miles each round trip - the low level.

First, you try to book for your first choice tickets in coach - just as this thread and others have said. Say that you are flexible. You may get lucky on your dates or near them - searching the options in Business for L-M-H.. If you get something, and then get the dreaded "the flight is no longer available" message, do it again, and get back to the screen. Call Delta. An agent will often force the system to give that deal to you.

Second, book something in the lowest available award category. If getting more than one ticket, do one at a time. You may find you get one for cheaper than the other. Put each on their own record.

Third, keep checking. Award prices go up and down.

In my case, I started at 100k for mine and 200k for my wife. Then I was able to get that to 100 and 150k. This week, 100 and 100k. Prices at one point were as high as 275k.

It appears the Delta prices the tickets up and down just like they do in the market. If there is a fare reduction in $, they lower the award category.

Also, remember to check before you come home. If you see a lower award before you return, Delta will let you switch to it.
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Old Jul 27, 2010, 9:32 pm
  #139  
 
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Originally Posted by OlderGeek

Third, keep checking. Award prices go up and down.
You reminded me to check mine and sure it was down to 100k for the tickets (same date and time) I booked at 150k. ^
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Old Jul 28, 2010, 11:48 am
  #140  
 
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Originally Posted by fandu
You reminded me to check mine and sure it was down to 100k for the tickets (same date and time) I booked at 150k. ^
Glad to help!
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Old Jul 29, 2010, 11:46 pm
  #141  
 
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Originally Posted by fandu
You reminded me to check mine and sure it was down to 100k for the tickets (same date and time) I booked at 150k. ^

So then what happens? They reticket the whole thing, refund the difference in miles, something else? Is there a charge/penalty/fee to be paid?
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Old Aug 1, 2010, 8:11 am
  #142  
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Originally Posted by Denolloyd
I posted this quick guide to Business Award searches in another thread, but after a number of folks mentioned how great it worked for them, I decided to create a separate thread. Also, if anyone else has tips which may be beneficial, please post them as well.

I will be the first to say DL's award engine is horrendous at best, however there are ways around it.

Now for the guide (please note, although this guide was created to assist with travel from the US past AMS/CDG, it is also beneficial for all award bookings):

For awards beyond AMS / CDG in J, the best way to search is the following:

Search for USA - AMS / CDG ONE WAY in Y by Mileage.

In the flights displayed, look for those priced at 100,000, with seating in First / Business.

If you cannot find any 100,000 mile flights with First / Business seating, do another search but search for J this time.

Do this over and over until you find a 100,000 mile one way routing. Generally, it will be Business / First seats within your coach search. I think the problem most have is we tend to search for Business seats by selecting the business drop down. This is a big no no. Always select a coach search first, and seek business within, its often cheaper.

Next, perform another one way search in J for the AMS/CDG - EU. I generally find plenty of EU J inventory available.

Then, perform the same in reverse for your travel back to the US.

Once you find one way itineraries at the low mileage level, you perform a multi-segment award search. Be sure to select the flights you found earlier in the process at the low tiers.

Sometimes you may have to break down the segments even further such as TPA-ATL, ATL-CDG, CDG-OTP, in order to find the lowest available tiers.

One thing I have noticed is that so long as the DL Award Calendar shows J available at the low tier, it is, only you have to search to find it.

This is how I book my award travel in J to OTP. Takes a bit of work, but it can be done.

I am in the middle of packing for my trip tomorrow and will add more details later. Good luck.

Brad...
How do you search by fare class?

Only options are to search by price or schedule and then the menu for either coach or first/business.

Sometimes, searching by price and coach, I get some business and first class flights for SFO-CDG but there's no indication of fare class there.

Has DL.com changed their interface since this guide was written up?
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Old Aug 1, 2010, 9:25 am
  #143  
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Originally Posted by wco81
How do you search by fare class?

Only options are to search by price or schedule and then the menu for either coach or first/business.

Sometimes, searching by price and coach, I get some business and first class flights for SFO-CDG but there's no indication of fare class there.

Has DL.com changed their interface since this guide was written up?
Look here near the bottom under the heading Search for a particular cabin or fare class.

Cabin is the default selection. You may change that selection to Fare Class and choose your desired fare class accordingly.

This functionality has existed for quite some time at www.delta.com.
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Old Aug 1, 2010, 9:28 am
  #144  
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The Fare Class option disappears when you check the "Book Sky Miles Award Ticket" box towards the top.

So if you search for non awards ticket, the choices returned (which are different than the awards ticket options for the same dates, same routes) aren't necessarily going to be available as awards are they?

For instance, if I search for SFO-CDG awards, the AF nonstops do not shop up at all but if I search without that book awards box ticked, you see the AF flights.
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Old Aug 4, 2010, 8:47 am
  #145  
 
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Does anyone know what the change fee is if any on an award ticket to change the date?
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Old Aug 4, 2010, 9:51 am
  #146  
 
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Originally Posted by FreqTrav27
Does anyone know what the change fee is if any on an award ticket to change the date?
If you're GM, it looks like $100 or $150 depending on when you originally booked the award ticket:

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_mi...d_travel_fees/
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Old Aug 4, 2010, 9:55 am
  #147  
 
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Originally Posted by wco81
The Fare Class option disappears when you check the "Book Sky Miles Award Ticket" box towards the top.
If you're searching for an award ticket, why do you need to know the fare class? Isn't the mileage level required all that you need to know?

So if you search for non awards ticket, the choices returned (which are different than the awards ticket options for the same dates, same routes) aren't necessarily going to be available as awards are they?

...
No, but you also won't see every option that's available looking at the search results either. Calling is your best bet for seeing what other options might be available, especially on partner airlines.
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Old Aug 4, 2010, 10:59 am
  #148  
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Originally Posted by trek87
If you're searching for an award ticket, why do you need to know the fare class? Isn't the mileage level required all that you need to know?



No, but you also won't see every option that's available looking at the search results either. Calling is your best bet for seeing what other options might be available, especially on partner airlines.
Because people are referring here in this thread to searching for J awards.

Or are they saying search for J fares and those should be available as awards?
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Old Aug 4, 2010, 11:27 am
  #149  
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Originally Posted by wnt2run
Interstingly, they cannot book award mileage on AF partner airline (CityJet) from CDG-FLR.
Not in my experience
see below

Air France 5101 -1
Reservation: Confirmed Zurich, Switzerland (ZRH)
Gate: N/A
Scheduled: 9:55am
Paris-De Gaulle, France (CDG)
Terminal 2E
Gate: N/A
Scheduled: 11:20am

1 Operated By Cityjet
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Old Aug 4, 2010, 1:40 pm
  #150  
 
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Originally Posted by wco81
Because people are referring here in this thread to searching for J awards.

Or are they saying search for J fares and those should be available as awards?
"J awards" refers to award tickets in business class in the context of this thread.
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