Lomapaseo

As a lifetimer medalion

In the last month everyday I go into the Delta site and search available awards "O" RT Europe from the East coast 331 days out (low tier 100k miles). I'm starting to get a feel for the stats.

For Delta iron there are very view BE seats offered and as the number of passengers rises above 2 the chances are about zero at 4 seats and extremely slim for 3. If you open the selection process up to include all flights (AF & KL mostly) the chances increase greatly.

However, as soon as I get to a weekend Sat or Sun zero flights over the pond show up for partners like AF, KL. I can't believe that their "O" load factors change that much compared to Delta iron for the weekend so is there a computer quirk or some other reason?

3Cforme

Each carrier manages its own award inventory according to algorithms that are not disclosed. ExpertFlyer will search AF, KL and AZ award inventory (and that of more than a dozen additional SkyMiles partners), showing availability count by class and segment.

mnredfox

But if you keep it short you can read each page a lot faster.

PETERPNYC

And if you get lucky and find a benevolent member you may get the answer
You need without reading more than page one.

Since I am subcribed to this thread I have probably read every post . But I still ask sometimes and get helped by some good Samaritan. WTG FT

Lomapaseo

I finally got my booking for 4 in business cl to Europe 330 days out using Delta miles on Air France at saver fares. About the only other way was to split the group and take different flights arriving at different times at the destination. That split makes Delta flights available since they apparently don't make more than 3 seats availble 330 days out. Of course one could always keep calling back over the 330 days and try to get the family group together before the actual week of flight. But I don't like paying a $150 change fee per ticket to do this.

The better news is that I may deplete my Delta mileage in a year or so and be done forever with this lousy gamemanship.It kind of reminds me of the mileage bank runs of old when an airline was in danger of closing shop or changing their award structure.

beagleflyer1977

Guys, I'm looking to go SFO - SVO in October or November, and trying to go maybe SFO - AMS - SVO on KLM or SFO - CDG - SVO on AF. I'm trying to go X economy, don't see availability for anything out of SFO direct to Europe. Any thoughts????

3Cforme

There are only two flights a day across Skyteam (indeed, all SkyMiles redemption partners) non-stop SFO-Europe. If you have conducted thorough searches on ExpertFlyer or Flying Blue for the SFO-CDG and SFO-AMS flights, expand your acceptability criteria to use a connection or set ExpertFlyer flight alerts.

msp2anywhere

Just booked RT TATL in C for 4 in June of next year, on our first choice of dates, with only 2 segments in Y (each less than an hour of flight time- MSP-ORD).

Had originally planned on an August vacation, but fortunately had a heads-up for a major conflict in August, and had to scramble for June time off and flights. Originally was going to use AAdvantage miles there and United back, but that would have involved a shortened trip.

Total time on flyingblue and delta.dumb: about 10 hours. Time on phone: about 15 minutes. I had absolutely no trouble finding seats on AF to CDG from multiple midwest and east coast locations. $800 in taxes/fees.

So, there's gold in them thar hills, just gotta dig for it.

Props to GLeff, TPG, and other posters for their guidance.

Burj

Thanks for sharing and congrats on finding award tickets that work for you!

Um..TEN HOURS does not seem too motivational to me! Don't get me wrong I am glad you got them and it is great to know that it is possible and in that sense your success is good to know....

BUT if we take a step back...should it REALLY take 10 yours of the customers time to find award tickets to Europe?! I mean it wasn't like you were trying to go someplace exotic from some remote origin...(i.e. Nome Alaska to Male)

3Cforme

It shouldn't take ten hours, but I suspect four Business award tickets is exponentially more difficult than one or two and even in discounted 50-day advance Business TATL that could be $14000 cash or more, so value for time is there.

mtkeller

I'd also say that the amount of time required goes down once you've done it once. You know which tools to use, what routes have your best chances, etc. It's very slow going until you figure out what you're doing, and then the only thing that will slow you down is exploring for multiple options to find the best one.

Lomapaseo

My booking for 4 in C out of JFK was $500 for total fees/takes

keloutwest

All,

I've spent too long now reading and re-reading this thread, and I'm still confused.

First, this appears to be all about flying to Europe using parter airlines. I'm looking to fly to TLV on DL metal in C.

The website makes no sense to me. The calendar shows "low tier" availability, which should be 120K miles r/t according to the fare chart. In fact, it's spitting out 175K. (I need to book for 2 people, but this is true for 1 person as well). I've tried searching in Y and switching to J and it's all the same.

I called DL 3 times (plat desk x 2, online desk x 1) and received the following comments: "the award calendar is just a guide. It won't actually tell you if there are low seats available, even if it shows as available". "the calendar doesn't work; a new website with new award engine is expected out by the end of the month" "the award calendar shows green 'low' seats are available when at least 1 flight/leg is available at the low tier. However, it will not tell you if all flights in a trip are available".

I am trying to go from USA-TLV for 7-10 days anytime in Jan-March. I need 2 seats at 120K miles each in C on DL metal through JFK. How do I do this?

thehowieee

Search from JFK-TLV, one-way on the days that are acceptable for you. Once you find it from JFK, then find a return from TLV-JFK. After you find those segments in low then add whatever you need to get to / from JFK.

HarryLime

I can't find a thing for roundtrip from CDG to NYC September 26-September 28th (short trip, I know). Am I doing something wrong?