adamj023

Whatever happened to the consolidator fare database which showed by Fare Class?

I forget which website it was or which firm had it. I realize that doesn't help much and I am not sure if it is still around.

MSPeconomist

Consolidator fares normally aren't upgradeable and don't even earn miles.

fsx222

When is usually the best time to buy cheaper M-class tickets? A month before, a few weeks before, etc?

MSPeconomist

AFAIK M fares don't tend to change much, so it doesn't matter. I would purchase as early as possible in order to get the upgrades, but since there is a change fee, you need to fix your travel dates.

mtkeller

Another joy of flying ex-UK is that M fares tend not to have change fees. Heck, I've seen fully refundable, freely changeable H fares.

muoitrieu

This is generally true, but you'll have to do the homework. I've invariably found that ex-Asia to be much cheaper but this is not going to be helpful IMHO, unless you're a serious MR enthusiast. For example, Thailand has a summer promo right now to the U.S. on L,U,T for roughly 30,000B or 1,000US.

I concur with the previous post re: YYZ. Alternatively, I've found PDX to be a nice option with lots of Z availability, though it used to be equipped with 768 (opposed to A330, but not sure what it is now).

muoitrieu

If you REALLY have the time, and are quite serious about planning your travel and willing to work within a system...

1. You can buy a 1-year long open Y fare on VN for about 1,100 a/in ex-LAX, SFO, SEA (West Coast cities) to SGN with a stopover in NRT. Note you will only get the miles flown both for MQM and award miles. BUT you will NOT get any bonuses (i.e. 150% on Y/B/M only applies to DL not VN) nor Medallion bonuses (i.e. if you're Diamond you're supposed to get 125%).

2. But you will get an open return back to the US. Which leads to two tactics:

2a. Tactic 1: if you're clever about the stopover in NRT, try to use this as your pivot point for further travel ex-Asia. What you're doing is interlacing two r/t fares to cover different places in the world, but also take full advantage of lower "M" fares ex-Asia. This way you can checkout DL's offering ex-NRT and HND. Great promos like HND-PVG for example.

2b. Tactic 2: Besides "interlacing," you can also "nestle" one r/t within the other. Fly your first leg into SGN and keep your return open. Next, complete your ex-Asia r/t, maybe even two or three trips if time and money are your friends, and finally close the loop on the original itin by flying the last leg back home.

For serious MR enthusiasts, this is a good way to "travel the world." But keep in mind, this requires adding hotel costs, surface travel, and really feeling your way around new places, which may be non-trivial to your average traveler. Definitely not for the weary.

MSPeconomist

The above strategy has one flying between the USA and SGN in coach on VN, which is not the idea when people look for M fares. It's about the upgrades. (AFAIK there aren't yet SkyTeam upgrades on VN.)

If you're considering the earlier suggestion of looking for M fares and upgrades on the PDX-NRT_PDX route, be aware that (a) it tends ot use the horrid (non reconfigured) 767-300 with cradle seats, not flat beds, and bad IFE using tiny screens in BE and (b) the return tends to arrive before USA CBP agents are awake and at work, so passengers are typically held on board upon arrival for up to an hour as early connections to which one could otherwise SDC leave with empty seats. Even if you then race to catch the earlier flight, DL staff tend to be unhelpful, for example telling you that the flight is impossible without checking because they're too lazy to bother. When questioned on it, you can enjoy a dialogue along the lines of "I can't put you on that flight because I can't transfer your luggage." "This is all of my luggage; I didn't check anything." "Well, now it's too late." Very frustrating!