Quick Question About expertflyer
Jul 31, 2013 | 4:19 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 288
Your exclusionary posts are getting old KVS. AwardNexus has also been mentioned in this thread. Ignoring another screen scraping service won't make it go away.
That's my understanding as well. Screen scraping from AF.com will show awards that SkyMiles members don't have access to, and the DL website can't be trusted to show what SM members should have access to. This is what makes EF interesting for for AF award searching. This has been discussed in other threads like http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...ve-thread.html
Depends as all KVS does is take the award results directly from the DL and AF websites. AwardNexus does the same but it has a free version and is web based. So if you don't want to pay for a few searches or download an app, it may not. Also to consider is that ExpertFlyer has DL upgrade inventory, which no other service has.
I don't know about Award Nexus, but when EF shows availability in the right code, it's supposed to be inventory that is available to SkyTeam partners, not just for FB miles.
If Award Nexus, KVS, etc. are getting their award availability data directly from the AF website, that presumably includes all seats available for FB miles, some or all of which might not be available using DL or other partner miles. (There might be additional AF award inventory available only to FB elites when they are logged into their FF accounts, for example IFC award seats.) My understanding is that when you see 9 (low) award seats in the correct inventory class for AF flights on EF, they should be seats that AF is willing to make available for partners. Of course, there could still be a question whether DL is willing to let you use (low necessarily) miles to get those award tickets.
This phenomena became known as *Net blocking when UA was doing this: not allowing UA customers to use UA miles for partner flights that their partners were willing to make available to UA and other *A FF programs. I'm not aware that DL has ever been credibly accused of doing this. IMO the evidence is that they did not do this for SQ award tickets, even at the very end of that bilateral partnership.
If Award Nexus, KVS, etc. are getting their award availability data directly from the AF website, that presumably includes all seats available for FB miles, some or all of which might not be available using DL or other partner miles. (There might be additional AF award inventory available only to FB elites when they are logged into their FF accounts, for example IFC award seats.) My understanding is that when you see 9 (low) award seats in the correct inventory class for AF flights on EF, they should be seats that AF is willing to make available for partners. Of course, there could still be a question whether DL is willing to let you use (low necessarily) miles to get those award tickets.
This phenomena became known as *Net blocking when UA was doing this: not allowing UA customers to use UA miles for partner flights that their partners were willing to make available to UA and other *A FF programs. I'm not aware that DL has ever been credibly accused of doing this. IMO the evidence is that they did not do this for SQ award tickets, even at the very end of that bilateral partnership.
Depends as all KVS does is take the award results directly from the DL and AF websites. AwardNexus does the same but it has a free version and is web based. So if you don't want to pay for a few searches or download an app, it may not. Also to consider is that ExpertFlyer has DL upgrade inventory, which no other service has.
Aug 1, 2013 | 12:46 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 277
It's very doable as long as you have flexible dates and destinations.
I have spot checked a few TATL BE low awards from Award Nexus and was able to recreate them on DL.com
Good luck. Be sure to post the results!
I have spot checked a few TATL BE low awards from Award Nexus and was able to recreate them on DL.com
Good luck. Be sure to post the results!
Aug 1, 2013 | 1:44 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: DL,US,UA
Posts: 23
I can be completely flexible with dates and destinations.
I will go so far as to say that if Delta can't find me a summer return from Europe for a low-tier award, they can't really do it at all!
(And I'll be sure to post results.)
Thanks again for all the advice.
I will go so far as to say that if Delta can't find me a summer return from Europe for a low-tier award, they can't really do it at all!
(And I'll be sure to post results.)
Thanks again for all the advice.
Aug 2, 2013 | 3:33 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,952
As a matter of policy, we do not discuss the merits (or the lack thereof) of other tools or services.
The OP had a specific question, which we (and other posters) have now answered.
That statement is not accurate, as the KVS Tool has other sources for AF Award Availability.
The OP had a specific question, which we (and other posters) have now answered.
That statement is not accurate, as the KVS Tool has other sources for AF Award Availability.
Aug 2, 2013 | 5:11 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 288
That statement is not accurate, as the KVS Tool has other sources for AF Award Availability.
Aug 5, 2013 | 9:34 am
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: DL,US,UA
Posts: 23
Reporting back with success -- I was able to book 2 low-tier economy returns to ATL from CDG by playing the ExpertFlyer card with a Delta phone rep.
My trip over is in the winter, so getting flights from ATL to EDI was no problem; I reserved those from the website.
I phoned Delta to request assistance with the return portion, asking the rep to specifically check Air France for July 1. She replied by telling me there was indeed space ... in First Class (just like delta.com had said). I said I'd been monitoring AF availability on Expert Flyer, and that it indicated there ought to be some economy seats available. Hey, presto -- she found 'em after all, and I am booked.
Thank you all for helping me out!
Love from a grateful kettle
My trip over is in the winter, so getting flights from ATL to EDI was no problem; I reserved those from the website.
I phoned Delta to request assistance with the return portion, asking the rep to specifically check Air France for July 1. She replied by telling me there was indeed space ... in First Class (just like delta.com had said). I said I'd been monitoring AF availability on Expert Flyer, and that it indicated there ought to be some economy seats available. Hey, presto -- she found 'em after all, and I am booked.
Thank you all for helping me out!
Love from a grateful kettle
Aug 5, 2013 | 10:36 am
#24
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Berlin, Germany
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA PE, HH Gold
Posts: 1,105
I phoned Delta to request assistance with the return portion, asking the rep to specifically check Air France for July 1. She replied by telling me there was indeed space ... in First Class (just like delta.com had said). I said I'd been monitoring AF availability on Expert Flyer, and that it indicated there ought to be some economy seats available. Hey, presto -- she found 'em after all, and I am booked.
Thank you all for helping me out!
Love from a grateful kettle
Thank you all for helping me out!
Love from a grateful kettle
Aug 5, 2013 | 10:49 am
#25
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: TN
Programs: DL LT PL/2.862MM, Global Entry, LT PL Marriott, GHertz
Posts: 6,849
This is as good a place as any to say that an EF alert just got me on a 747 NRT-ATL that I have been wanting for weeks.
Great job EF as it saves me one day and hotel expenses in NRT!
Great job EF as it saves me one day and hotel expenses in NRT!