Award Ticket Success - Post It Here
#31
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lihue, HI, USA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K; Delta Silver Medallion (1MM); Hilton Gold; Marriott Gold; National Executive
Posts: 1,111
Here are my recent SkySaver award experience:
December 2005 - Booked 1 ticket TPA-HNL-TPA in First Class for the week before Xmas, I originally booked it back in the Spring.
December 2005 - When Delta added the SLC-KOA flights (August I think), I called Delta and managed to hold 3 First Class tickets for TPA-KOA, HNL-TPA. I ended up only ticketing one of the 3.
December 2005 - In September, after a major schedule change, I managed to rebook my 1 First Class ticket to a very convenient TPA-SLC-KOA-SLC-TPA itinerary.
I list all three of the above even though I only have one ticket because I did find SkySavers for all three trips.
September 2005 - One week before the trip, I booked a coach TPA-SFO-TPA ticket for my baby's au pair (nanny). We had a few days flexibility on each end for her trip. I was not able to get her on any of the flights that my wife and I were traveling on (purchased tickets).
November 2005 - last week (about 5 weeks before scheduled travel), I held an upper class ticket MCO-LGW-MCO on Virgin. This is for a friend over the Thanksgiving Holiday. I had to make his return date one day later than his preferred date.
December 2005 - Booked 1 ticket TPA-HNL-TPA in First Class for the week before Xmas, I originally booked it back in the Spring.
December 2005 - When Delta added the SLC-KOA flights (August I think), I called Delta and managed to hold 3 First Class tickets for TPA-KOA, HNL-TPA. I ended up only ticketing one of the 3.
December 2005 - In September, after a major schedule change, I managed to rebook my 1 First Class ticket to a very convenient TPA-SLC-KOA-SLC-TPA itinerary.
I list all three of the above even though I only have one ticket because I did find SkySavers for all three trips.
September 2005 - One week before the trip, I booked a coach TPA-SFO-TPA ticket for my baby's au pair (nanny). We had a few days flexibility on each end for her trip. I was not able to get her on any of the flights that my wife and I were traveling on (purchased tickets).
November 2005 - last week (about 5 weeks before scheduled travel), I held an upper class ticket MCO-LGW-MCO on Virgin. This is for a friend over the Thanksgiving Holiday. I had to make his return date one day later than his preferred date.
#32
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Germany
Programs: Flying Blue Silver
Posts: 60
I did get for my wife and me for a vacation in New Mexico in the summer of 2006 SkySaver Economy Class TXL-JFK/EWR-CVG-ABQ-ATL-JFK-TXL (with stopover in NYC), all on Delta metal, by reserving 331 days in advance, but I can not get the first leg of this trip now for our daughter, because I called only about 310 days in advance for her. The german SMS says no routing between TXL and NYC at this date anymore at all with all the SkyTeam partners.
#33
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Asheville, NC
Programs: Delta Gold, US Air Gold, SPG Plat, Priority Club Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 153
Originally Posted by TBJKickers
I did get for my wife and me for a vacation in New Mexico in the summer of 2006 SkySaver Economy Class TXL-JFK/EWR-CVG-ABQ-ATL-JFK-TXL (with stopover in NYC), all on Delta metal, by reserving 331 days in advance, but I can not get the first leg of this trip now for our daughter, because I called only about 310 days in advance for her. The german SMS says no routing between TXL and NYC at this date anymore at all with all the SkyTeam partners.
The only thing I think we can conclude so far is something we all already know. Your miles are easiest and most efficiently used for FC/BE International or Domestic.
It will be interesting to watch how this thread evolves as more people post.
For myself:
2 BE to ATL FCO
1 BE to ATL IST
1 BE to ATL LGW
4 AVL DSM Northwest (SkySaver Coach)
4 CLT DEN Continental (SkySaver Coach)
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,677
Originally Posted by odysseusinrtp
I'm not trying to bring a negative tone to a positive thread, but a quick calculation tells me that about 1/3 of the posters so far have obtained SkySaver tickets in coach on domestic routes. The far majority of posts have been FC or BE. It will be interesting to see as more people post.
The only thing I think we can conclude so far is something we all already know. Your miles are easiest and most efficiently used for FC/BE International or Domestic.
The only thing I think we can conclude so far is something we all already know. Your miles are easiest and most efficiently used for FC/BE International or Domestic.
IMO, it's a matter of economics. Savy travelers don't want to spend their miles for a ticket that can be obtained for $250. You aren't going to see a whole lot of people posting that they redeemed 25K miles for a ticket to ATL-BMH in Y.
It should also be noted that in 4 of the last 5 threads complaining about award availability, the OP was complaining that they couldn't get awards to international destinations. The one that was domestic was related to a trip to NC from PDX. In that case, I believe that other poster on the DL board were able to help the OP.
#35
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: newnan, ga, usa PM and 2mm Delta, LPM Marriott, Diamond Hyatt, Diamond Best Western, gold NW, Platinum 6C Priority
Posts: 124
Last week I got two coach Skysavers from ORD to EDI for my kids for the first week in November..outbound on KLM, return on AF
#37
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 257
August 2005--SJC-ATL-FLL-ATL-SFO
August 2005--SFO-JFK/BDL-CVG-SFO
October 2005--SFO-SLC-FLL-JFK-SFO
December 2005-- SFO-ATL-LGW-ATL-SFO
February 2006-- SFO-AMS-CPT-AMS-SFO (via KLM)
All Skysaver...........mixed between Coach and Business.
Had no troubles getting seats near the dates I wanted. Patience and sometimes a good agent goes a long way!!
August 2005--SFO-JFK/BDL-CVG-SFO
October 2005--SFO-SLC-FLL-JFK-SFO
December 2005-- SFO-ATL-LGW-ATL-SFO
February 2006-- SFO-AMS-CPT-AMS-SFO (via KLM)
All Skysaver...........mixed between Coach and Business.
Had no troubles getting seats near the dates I wanted. Patience and sometimes a good agent goes a long way!!
#39
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: ROA
Programs: Amex Centurion, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 74
I was able to get 3 in Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic in June, 2003 (2 originating in GSP, 1 in RIC) with the transatlantic flights the same flight from JFK-LHR and back. Wanted to spend an extra night in NYC on the way back and had no problem doing that. I think I booked the flights in either late 2002 or early 2003 BUT I was extremely flexible with my travel dates.
Best flying experience I've ever had, and that was in the "old" Virgin Upper Class and back in the day when you had to fly in coach domestically on a Virgin Upper Class award since it was regarded as "business" class. (Of course, I got around that somewhat by flying in a business-configured 763 ATL-JFK-ATL on those segments )
Edited to add: It was a SkySaver itinerary all the way!
Best flying experience I've ever had, and that was in the "old" Virgin Upper Class and back in the day when you had to fly in coach domestically on a Virgin Upper Class award since it was regarded as "business" class. (Of course, I got around that somewhat by flying in a business-configured 763 ATL-JFK-ATL on those segments )
Edited to add: It was a SkySaver itinerary all the way!
#40
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Marietta, GA
Programs: Delta MM
Posts: 609
I redeemed a pile of miles for 2 FC RTW awards for my upcoming honeymoon. I was actually able to get FC seats on my first choice on every single segment that offered it except for one (where she is in first and I am in business). ^
#41
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: GNV
Programs: Delta Skymiles, BAEC
Posts: 74
Just to add to all the others. MCO-ATL-JFK (2/26/06) in F on DL. JFK-CDG in AF First on 2/28/06. Return 3/6/06 CDG-ATL-MCO on AF First and DL First. 100k miles and $60. As previous posters stated, the greatest benefit is always derived from international J or F bookngs, no question. The DL Partner desk people were fantastic with the whole procedure taking 20 minutes form start to finish (had to be a little flexible on the dates but got back within 2 days of my original itinerary).
#42
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,547
I've only ever used miles for international flights, but I've successfully reserved the following in Y (didn't end up actually booking them all for various reasons):
JFK-CDG (stopover) - FCO (May)
AMS-KWI (Nov)
AMS-BDS-PRG (Nov)
AMS-BER-FCO
ATL-ZAG (Aug-Sep)
ATL-CAI (Sep)
None of them were reserved more than 3 months in advance.
I've never been completely denied an itinerary - somehow they've always been able to make it work.
JFK-CDG (stopover) - FCO (May)
AMS-KWI (Nov)
AMS-BDS-PRG (Nov)
AMS-BER-FCO
ATL-ZAG (Aug-Sep)
ATL-CAI (Sep)
None of them were reserved more than 3 months in advance.
I've never been completely denied an itinerary - somehow they've always been able to make it work.
#43
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Suffield, Ct. USA
Posts: 112
3 coach and 2 FC with skysavers for August 8, 2006 to HNL returning on August 25, 2006. Originally routed from BDL to ATL to CVG to HNL. With the schedule changes, I was able to negotiated an early departure from BDL to CVG to HNL with an arrival at 2:17 pm. It's what I would have picked if I were paying. Well maybe I would have gone BDL to SLC to HNL and left a little later, but I can't complain. The return is fine. HNL to LAX to ATL and BDL. The kids in coach will route through SLC to BDL. We can't get on their plane, they can't get on ours but we still have 10 months left to wait. I also have them waitlisted.
#44
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MCO
Programs: DL GM/2.7MM, Marriott Lifetime PL, SPG Lifetime PL,Hilton Gold, Natl Lifetime Exec Elite
Posts: 841
July 5-12 two Y ATL/MCO (for my grandaughters)
Oct 27-30 two Y MCO/BGR
Dec 6-11 two F MCO/SLC
Jan 10-24 two J MCO/FRA (MCO-JFK on DL, JFK-FRA on SQ) About 15 minutes with the partner desk to book. Woo Woo!
All were Skysaver awards, In fact I have never used the skychoice option.
Oct 27-30 two Y MCO/BGR
Dec 6-11 two F MCO/SLC
Jan 10-24 two J MCO/FRA (MCO-JFK on DL, JFK-FRA on SQ) About 15 minutes with the partner desk to book. Woo Woo!
All were Skysaver awards, In fact I have never used the skychoice option.