Award Ticket Success - Post It Here
Jan 4, 2008, 10:37 am
#646
Join Date: May 2005
Location: FLL
Programs: DL ♦M MM|HH♦|Marr Slvr|CO UA AA US|Pri Cub Plat|SPG|Avis 1st|Htz 5*
Posts: 5,044
2 SkySavers Biz Elite all Delta metal for Labor Day weekend.
1) FLL > JFK > KBP (Kiev) > JFK > FLL - 90K SkyMiles
2) FLL > ATL > SVO (Moscow) > ATL > FLL - 90K SkyMiles
Only one date of the 4 dates desired did I have to be flexible.
Being PM is great because I can cancel with no penalties and 100% refund of taxes as long as I do it on line. Sweet!
1) FLL > JFK > KBP (Kiev) > JFK > FLL - 90K SkyMiles
2) FLL > ATL > SVO (Moscow) > ATL > FLL - 90K SkyMiles
Only one date of the 4 dates desired did I have to be flexible.
Being PM is great because I can cancel with no penalties and 100% refund of taxes as long as I do it on line. Sweet!
Jan 6, 2008, 5:39 pm
#647
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Under an ORD approach path
Programs: DL PM, MM. Coffee isn't a drug, it's a vitamin.
Posts: 12,935
I thought there was an extra fee for booking award tix within the last two weeks before the flight, but no... Just booked for the Gargoylette this week, open jaw ATL-ORD MDW-ATL, got exactly the flights I wanted in SkySaver (and there were lots of other SkySaver choices the both Chicago airports the same days), total fees $5.00.
The minimum purchase price for this flight this week is about $550, so well worth the 25k miles. This was too easy- something must be wrong?
The minimum purchase price for this flight this week is about $550, so well worth the 25k miles. This was too easy- something must be wrong?
Jan 8, 2008, 10:17 am
#649
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/2MM, AA Plat, IC Diam. Amb., Peninsula regular, amanjunkie
Posts: 5,848
Another SQ Premium Class award
One SQ J Award for the week leading up to US Labor Day, pretty much got the dates I wanted and I'm happy enough with the nonstop flights-- will be better still if the A345's get refurbished to the new Business Class in an all-J configuration, as is rumored.
ATL-LAX-SIN-BKK-vv. Bangkok legs booked into Economy, of course, but I hope to get put into Business if there's availability on the day of travel. Waitlisted for First Class on the ATL-LAX leg, but hopefully that will clear.
ATL-LAX-SIN-BKK-vv. Bangkok legs booked into Economy, of course, but I hope to get put into Business if there's availability on the day of travel. Waitlisted for First Class on the ATL-LAX leg, but hopefully that will clear.
Jan 8, 2008, 12:22 pm
#650
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: AA, DL, US, EI, BA
Posts: 6
I have had 100% success getting the exact M fare flights that I want, at reasonable (about $2,100 but not cheap) M fares, with instant and confirmed BE upgrades for 50,000 miles roundtrip to DUB, LGW, OTP, FCO, PRG and NRT with as little as one week and as much as 3 months advance booking, during the last 5 months. M has always been available and has always had the upgrade available.
Jan 8, 2008, 12:59 pm
#651
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Northport, NY
Posts: 1,732
Three Skysavers for JFK-SJO-HPN in April. Non stop down, connect thru Atlanta heading back. Had to go Sun to Sat, would have prefered Sat to following Sun, but it wasn't worth the double miles. Also would have prefered return to LGA ofr JFK, but that wasn't available.
Jan 8, 2008, 1:06 pm
#653
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, United Silver
Posts: 575
IAD-SVO-HEL
SVO-IAD
All on Aeroflot. During the "hold" period Delta seemed to have lost my reservation. I freaked out b/c at that time they said there was no availability left ... but they somehow recovered the intinerary.
Not a bad deal for 50,000 miles and ~$25. June too, while not absolute peak travel time to Europe, still fairly expensive to buy regular ticket.
SVO-IAD
All on Aeroflot. During the "hold" period Delta seemed to have lost my reservation. I freaked out b/c at that time they said there was no availability left ... but they somehow recovered the intinerary.
Not a bad deal for 50,000 miles and ~$25. June too, while not absolute peak travel time to Europe, still fairly expensive to buy regular ticket.
Jan 8, 2008, 3:18 pm
#654
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta; Marriott Silver
Posts: 332
Atl -> Bkk
3 tickets in coach leaving Jan 25th and returning Feb 16th. Booked today and very easy except that they never spell my wifes name correctly on the award ticket no matter how many times I spell it for the agent. Always have to get that changed and even that was relatively painless.
ATL -> SFO on DL
SFO -> BKK (via NRT) on NW
BKK -> ICN on KE
ICN -> ATL on DL
LS
ATL -> SFO on DL
SFO -> BKK (via NRT) on NW
BKK -> ICN on KE
ICN -> ATL on DL
LS
Jan 8, 2008, 3:20 pm
#655
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: Delta-PM Continental-PM
Posts: 214
Another SQ Premium Award
FLL-SFO-SIN-DEL-SIN-LAX-FLL DL/SQ all 1 F and 1 J on outbound + both F on return (different dates due to business)....Absolutely the best use of Delta Skymiles--- 140k for the 1 txt and 130k for the J/F..... took 1 phone call and less than 30mins...probably should try to lottery next...
got these a couple weeks ago...
Jan 8, 2008, 3:47 pm
#657
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta; Marriott Silver
Posts: 332
Agreed! I once did a long layover in NRT and just about died. I was also flying on a buddy pass so had to clear security and make my way to Delta ticketing for standby. Not a fun day but I made it! At least with ICN there are short term hotels and maybe we'll get a bit of shuteye for about 7 hours before the long flight home.
LS
LS
Jan 8, 2008, 4:04 pm
#658
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Under an ORD approach path
Programs: DL PM, MM. Coffee isn't a drug, it's a vitamin.
Posts: 12,935
The Naritasan Temple complex is 20 minutes from NRT. Mrs. Gargoyle had a 7 hour layover a few years back, we scheduled a private tour with one of their volunteer english language tour guides. Within an hour of deplaning she was sitting in the visitors center, sipping tea with the guide.
A couple of her tour photos:
http://stonecarver.com/gargoyles/naritasan.html
The Naritasan Temple website, in English:
http://www.city.narita.chiba.jp/engl...ome/naritasan/
A couple of her tour photos:
http://stonecarver.com/gargoyles/naritasan.html
The Naritasan Temple website, in English:
http://www.city.narita.chiba.jp/engl...ome/naritasan/
Jan 8, 2008, 4:18 pm
#659
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: DL GM
Posts: 998
I thought there was an extra fee for booking award tix within the last two weeks before the flight, but no... Just booked for the Gargoylette this week, open jaw ATL-ORD MDW-ATL, got exactly the flights I wanted in SkySaver (and there were lots of other SkySaver choices the both Chicago airports the same days), total fees $5.00.
The minimum purchase price for this flight this week is about $550, so well worth the 25k miles. This was too easy- something must be wrong?
The minimum purchase price for this flight this week is about $550, so well worth the 25k miles. This was too easy- something must be wrong?
The fee is $75 if award travel booked within 21 days of departure. However, this fee is waived for PM or a PM using miles from his account for another passenger.
What I have also learned, is that when a PM books an award ticket, it is completely 100% changeable, cancellable, and refundable without a fee (minus the $20 phone fee or $5 online fee). In essence, an award ticket for a PM is the exact same as a fully refundable ticket (if the PM is on the itinerary and this applies to other passengers on the itinerary) and hence I have been booking solely award travel tickets this year as my chances of making PM for 2009 are small.....likely will be making only GM next year
Jan 8, 2008, 4:21 pm
#660
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: DL GM
Posts: 998
Follow up to above and more in line with this thread....
I booked two tickets from SAN-PHL for Thanskgiving 331 days out last week and was given the only available flights which were 6am with 2 connections both ways.....waitlisted later flights. Got the "contact Delta" message today Turns out that now (about 325 days out) every single flight from SAN-PHL and back have skysaver eats available for thanksgiving weekend....
I don't get why they don't just open them up exactly 331 days out rather than play this game! Oh and if I wan't PM, it would have cost me $75/ticket to change the itinerary to the now available later departure times.
I booked two tickets from SAN-PHL for Thanskgiving 331 days out last week and was given the only available flights which were 6am with 2 connections both ways.....waitlisted later flights. Got the "contact Delta" message today Turns out that now (about 325 days out) every single flight from SAN-PHL and back have skysaver eats available for thanksgiving weekend....
I don't get why they don't just open them up exactly 331 days out rather than play this game! Oh and if I wan't PM, it would have cost me $75/ticket to change the itinerary to the now available later departure times.