Award Availability Sites
Jun 3, 2012, 9:30 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Here, there, and everywhere
Programs: PC: Platinum, DL: PM, National: Exec
Posts: 806
You are using Skypesos. Delta seems to be about the worst right now for finding low mileage award tickets. I have had close to 0% success on several I have been looking at.
However, you could get lucky. It happens. Sometime inventory frees up closer to the dates.
However, you could get lucky. It happens. Sometime inventory frees up closer to the dates.
Jun 3, 2012, 9:38 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: Curr Noob, Ex Road Warrior
Posts: 492
If you have not tried the usual methods like trying the individual legs using multi city search or just the atl-bon segment, i would try that first. If you find something, put it on hold and call CS to add the remaining segment. If that doesn't work call CS and you might get lucky to find a good agent willing to work with you.
Other option is finding award availability on partners like Aero Mexico with a different routing. May be their website will be better.
Other option is finding award availability on partners like Aero Mexico with a different routing. May be their website will be better.
Jun 3, 2012, 9:39 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: DL GM
Posts: 640
BON is our favorite winter vacation destination. I've never been able to find coach award tickets for less than 60K. My experience is that the bottleneck is the weekly flights from ATL-BON or BON-ATL, especially during the high season for Caribbean travel. Delta has a lock on this route and only sends one plane a week, so there aren't any other Delta options.
According to the Award Calendar on Delta.com your itinerary shows high-level (35k) on the outbound and medium level (25K) on the return. As mentioned above, that's typical for that time of year. FWIW, it appears that the return leg would price at the high level for return flights in February.
Looking at the award calendar, I don't see any low level availability on any flights between late November and early April. The only time I've seen low level awards appear is close to departure, and only on flights that aren't close to full.
Delta's award calendar seems to accurately reflect award level availability for individual flights. (I never use it to check my complete itinerary.)
I've also found that Delta seems to trickle low/mid level seats into the system one at a time. When I booked award tickets this year the system showed High/Med award level for 2 travelers. When I only entered 1 person it returned Med/Med award level. I called Delta and was told that's because there was only one ticket available at the lower level. I bought one of each, on separate PNRs. The next day there was magically one more Med/Med award ticket available. I used my PM status to exchange it for the other higher mileage award ticket, without a fee.
Hope this is useful. Enjoy your trip!
According to the Award Calendar on Delta.com your itinerary shows high-level (35k) on the outbound and medium level (25K) on the return. As mentioned above, that's typical for that time of year. FWIW, it appears that the return leg would price at the high level for return flights in February.
Looking at the award calendar, I don't see any low level availability on any flights between late November and early April. The only time I've seen low level awards appear is close to departure, and only on flights that aren't close to full.
Delta's award calendar seems to accurately reflect award level availability for individual flights. (I never use it to check my complete itinerary.)
I've also found that Delta seems to trickle low/mid level seats into the system one at a time. When I booked award tickets this year the system showed High/Med award level for 2 travelers. When I only entered 1 person it returned Med/Med award level. I called Delta and was told that's because there was only one ticket available at the lower level. I bought one of each, on separate PNRs. The next day there was magically one more Med/Med award ticket available. I used my PM status to exchange it for the other higher mileage award ticket, without a fee.
Hope this is useful. Enjoy your trip!
Jun 3, 2012, 9:55 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Delta's award calendar seems to accurately reflect award level availability for individual flights. (I never use it to check my complete itinerary.)
I've also found that Delta seems to trickle low/mid level seats into the system one at a time. When I booked award tickets this year the system showed High/Med award level for 2 travelers. When I only entered 1 person it returned Med/Med award level.
I've also found that Delta seems to trickle low/mid level seats into the system one at a time. When I booked award tickets this year the system showed High/Med award level for 2 travelers. When I only entered 1 person it returned Med/Med award level.
A quick check of early December schedules shows a totality of 3 non-stop flights a week by U.S. carriers on all routes USA-Bonaire:
DL ATL-BON Saturdays
UA EWR-BON Fridays
UA IAH-BON Fridays
This does not bode well for low-band award redemptions.
Jun 3, 2012, 12:23 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SUX
Programs: BA Silver; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Points but dirt with everyone else
Posts: 8,050
No sense looking into the Trick it thread, since the necessary feature for the things discussed in that thread does not exist on DL fares to BON.
Jun 3, 2012, 12:29 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: KOA
Programs: DL Gold/MM, HH Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 2,280
Really? What dates and routing? I live in Hawaii and would like to go visit family on the mainland, but can't find a single low level award in Y or FC from now to the end of the calendar.