randidliyo

I need to book three award tickets from CHA/ATL to ICN next summer (May - July). I've been looking at tickets and they're asking around 110K miles per ticket. In the last when I was a Diamond, I would book them knowing that I could redeposit for free but now I'm just Gold so redeposit fees are $150 per ticket.

My questions is about the 110K tickets. Is this good? Should I just wait and see if they come down into the 70K to 80K range? Looking for advice.

Thanks
Randidliyo

CPMaverick

Economy class?

Looks like 70-80k RT is possible. Whether you can get three tickets at that price, I'm not sure. It's pretty early for next summer, I'd probably just watch and wait.

xliioper

You don't specify, but I'm guessing you are looking at one-way D1 awards? . Have you checked recently? 110K had been the low-level D1 award on DL metal to Asia (CSV1100) for awhile, but now it's looking like 120K (CSV1200) based on a handful of searches. I suspect they may have raised it recently. The 'V' almost always an indicator of the lowest award level. DL populates the third character of the award fare basis codes for awards on it's metal with letters from it's coach fare classes (well mostly, I've seen a few low-level coach awards with an 'N' there recently) and V is the lowest class from the hierarchy. It also has a 90-day advance purchase requirement (again, also typical of the lowest level). 85K is the lowest level on partner metal (CSMH850) and there looks to be fairly decently availability on KE from ATL to ICN. This award has a 60-day advance purchase requirement. Low-level DL metal awards may go back down again - they did relent on low-level TATL D1 awards after raising them to 105K (CSV1050) for a few months, they reset them down to 80K (CSV800) where they have been for awhile now. However, I doubt they will go back to lower than 110K outside of some award fare sale and the 85K awards on partner metal are very likely to be the cheapest you will see.

If I'm wrong and you are looking as coach roundtrip. Low-level coach awards to ICN are currently 37.5K on partner metal (YSM375) and 52K (YSV520) on DL metal each way. There appears to be some variability for low-level coach Asia awards based on destination. For example, I see low-level coach awards to PEK and PVG on DL metal for 30K each way (YSV300) and 42K (YSV420) for HND. These both require Mon-Thu travel.

randidliyo

Sorry, I'm looking for three coach seats and I live in Chattanooga. I can fly from there or I can do it from Atlanta, especially if I can get a non-stop. I think I'm going to just keep looking for a few months and see what's there.

xliioper

Ah, okay. That helps. Looks like the best you can do out of CHA are the 52K each-way DL metal awards (104K roundtrip). I'm not seeing any of the 37.5K awards on partner metal (typically KE or AM) available from CHA, only ATL. While those partner metal awards do not specify a Mon-Thu travel requirement in the fare rules, in general they are pretty much restricting availability to those days (as well as sometimes on Saturdays). I'm not seeing any availability for Friday or Sunday travel. The other challenge is that those partner metal awards seem to frequently only have 1 or 2 seats available on a flight. While there is sometimes availability on the KE non-stop, you'll often need to make a connection on those awards (AM will always require one obviously). Note that it's possible to mix a partner metal award in one direction with a DL metal in the other for a total of 89.5K. If you have a fair amount flexibility and are willing to travel on Mon-Thu, it looks like there are some dates with partner availability in both directions for a total of 75K. Using the award price calendar (in month view), makes finding them a lot easier.

JKPFlyer

Also look at one or two tickets. You may find lower prices for those and then have to buy one at a higher price. I have done that in the past.

xliioper

The problem is that doesn't work with partner metal awards. There is only one partner level and if there are only one or two seats available, once you have purchased them there will be no more available seats on those flights (unless they choose to release some additional inventory to DL later).

MSPeconomist

Look for flights to/from ATL since often DL award ticket pricing is additive for domestic connecting flights. This will increase the cost in miles if you use CHA, although it could be worth it for the convenience and cost saving for ground transportation or airport parking (or separate positioning tickets). Depending on the arrangements you would make, an open jaw using CHA in one direction and ATL in the other could also work.

There should also be service on MU with connections in mainland China (PVG or PEK), which generally would not cause you to need a Chinese visa but be sure to check carefully. However DL or KE flights are likely to be better IMO.