HarryLime

I have a companion ticket that expires on April 30th, and am trying to use it for a JFK-SLC flight from 4/14 - 4/18. I checked the prices last night, and everything was fine and dandy. Then today I went to go and actually book the ticket, and I got an alert stating that the flight I'm looking for doesn't match the T&C of the certificate I'm trying to use (thus not even displaying prices or options now). I'm assuming because it's now exactly 7 days until the flight (but still not 7 days exactly, since the flight is at 7:00pm and I was trying to do this at 5:00pm, if that matters). I called the Platinum line and the woman I spoke to seemed clueless, transferred me, and then wasn't able to help me at all. Anyone know anyway to make this work, or is this certificate just going to end up wasted?

Thanks.

MR_MAMA

If it is a coach ticket it has to be a certain fare class, L, U, or T. A week out there might not be any in that are class left. What is the fare class you are trying to book?

MSPeconomist

These fare classes might also have advanced purchase requirements. You might try doing a dummy booking for other dates and then after selecting the flights, click on something like refunds and changes near the price on the right to pull up the fare rules. Clicking farther on Rule 1 etc. Should enable you to ascertain how early the ticket must be purchased.

However, I'm confused on whether seven days means that same time of day or before midnight etc. Maybe someone here can clarify this.

HarryLime

Now that I'm playing around with the website now, it's allowing me to book a ticket for April 11th, which is only a few days away. That date doesn't help me, but at least now I know that there's no real minimum advance time that you need to use the certificate...

HarryLime

Here's what ExpertFlyer is telling me about the flight that I actually want to book:
J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 Y9 B9 M9 S9 H9 Q7 K7 L1 U0 T0 X0 V0 E0
Looks like there's only one L ticket left, and I would need two (assuming I'm reading this right, I'm no ExpertFlyer...expert).

MSPeconomist

That's what I would assume, so you need to find new dates, a different destination, or perhaps look for different flights or routings/connections for the destination and weekend you've been contemplating.

rylan

Yeah either different date, or hope/pray that DL screws with the inventory more and puts more into the lower buckets so that you can grab a seat.

You can try setting an EF alert for L=2 on that flight just in case you get lucky, but I wouldn't count on it unfortunately.