Finnair/AY award/redemption booking/ticket thread
Mar 17, 2022, 11:31 pm
#226
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: TLL
Programs: AY Gold (OWS) TK Elite (*G)
Posts: 198
A few observations from me, I haven't booked any long haul flights with AY since before covid but I have been burning points for the last couple of months on short hauls, for example TLL-HEL-ARN, TLL-HEL, TLL-HEL-LHR and vice versa. There has been Y and J availibility on all my dates and departures, not once have I had to rethink or change my plans.
I have been making these award bookings from a couple of weeks before departure up until sitting in an uber on my way to the airport , for one HEL-TLL that I was thinking to do by ship but at the last second decided I really do not feel like sitting on a boat for 2 hours.
Also upgrades to J have been availible straight in the app with points or voucher for almost all applicable flights.
At the moment I only have one LHR-HEL waitlisted for voucher upgrade next month.
Also adding that up until today every waitlist I have ever had to do have all cleared well before departure. Hoping that my waitlist luck will continue
I have been making these award bookings from a couple of weeks before departure up until sitting in an uber on my way to the airport , for one HEL-TLL that I was thinking to do by ship but at the last second decided I really do not feel like sitting on a boat for 2 hours.
Also upgrades to J have been availible straight in the app with points or voucher for almost all applicable flights.
At the moment I only have one LHR-HEL waitlisted for voucher upgrade next month.
Also adding that up until today every waitlist I have ever had to do have all cleared well before departure. Hoping that my waitlist luck will continue
Mar 24, 2022, 1:20 pm
#227
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,183
Maybe this isn't a new thing, but one needs to stay alert when searching for AY awards.
Business and economy award prices out the same number of points.
But it makes sense. You get 30 minute extra fight time on the second option, so of course you need to pay a bit for for that!
(operated by FinnAtr)
Business and economy award prices out the same number of points.
But it makes sense. You get 30 minute extra fight time on the second option, so of course you need to pay a bit for for that!
(operated by FinnAtr)
Apr 5, 2022, 4:53 am
#229
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,183
So we all know about the Finnair plus rule that awards are not allowed to return same day.
So I was looking to go to LHR over the day and hit something interesting in the search engine.
I can get the same day return as long as I do it as a OW award, ie pay 75k instead of 30k. Now the engine happily combines BA with AY flights. But the points price for that BA flight is interesting. Out of the 75k, make sure most of it stays with Finnair!
So if it had been a Finnair award, Finnair would have charged 15k points and low taxes each way. Now, since it is a oneworld award, let's rob BA of as much money as we can. They only get 12k points while 62k points goes to Finnair.
Neat!
So I was looking to go to LHR over the day and hit something interesting in the search engine.
I can get the same day return as long as I do it as a OW award, ie pay 75k instead of 30k. Now the engine happily combines BA with AY flights. But the points price for that BA flight is interesting. Out of the 75k, make sure most of it stays with Finnair!
So if it had been a Finnair award, Finnair would have charged 15k points and low taxes each way. Now, since it is a oneworld award, let's rob BA of as much money as we can. They only get 12k points while 62k points goes to Finnair.
Neat!
Apr 5, 2022, 5:09 am
#231
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,183
If only I could get that 12k J award on the BA flight...
Oneway is 15k each way for me in AY Y. AY J is 25 and Ba J whopping 45k.
Oneway is 15k each way for me in AY Y. AY J is 25 and Ba J whopping 45k.
Apr 13, 2022, 4:56 am
#232
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,607
No more Lumo sweeties wtr cancels, earlier I have got everything back as courtesy but now taxes and fees collected.
Seems like AY is tapping all remaining courtesies etc, which is fair okay I understand, but I wish they put higher effort in fixing all hickups and errors
Seems like AY is tapping all remaining courtesies etc, which is fair okay I understand, but I wish they put higher effort in fixing all hickups and errors
Apr 14, 2022, 4:19 am
#235
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,758
Apr 23, 2022, 12:20 pm
#237
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: BWI
Programs: Everyone!
Posts: 1,024
Anyone use ExpertFlyer here? I never have and signed up a trial today mainly because I want to monitor for availability of a single AY award ticket opening up....and of course they have an error saying their "data provider is having issues". I have no idea how long they have been having that problem and wonder if anyone has a service that will generate alerts when award fare buckets get filled?
Apr 23, 2022, 2:25 pm
#239
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,790
Anyone use ExpertFlyer here? I never have and signed up a trial today mainly because I want to monitor for availability of a single AY award ticket opening up....and of course they have an error saying their "data provider is having issues". I have no idea how long they have been having that problem and wonder if anyone has a service that will generate alerts when award fare buckets get filled?
Apr 26, 2022, 8:32 am
#240
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,758
Data point from today:
Some time ago, I made a Euro award booking online. The dates I wanted were not available, so I picked dates close to the ones I wanted, and then asked Janica to waitlist my preferred dates. Not trusting the process, I have been monitoring the dates ever since, and today, there was availability on my homebound leg. But the waitlist had not cleared. I sent WA to Janica asking her to grab that seat for me, which she did.
Do not trust the waitlist.
Some time ago, I made a Euro award booking online. The dates I wanted were not available, so I picked dates close to the ones I wanted, and then asked Janica to waitlist my preferred dates. Not trusting the process, I have been monitoring the dates ever since, and today, there was availability on my homebound leg. But the waitlist had not cleared. I sent WA to Janica asking her to grab that seat for me, which she did.
Do not trust the waitlist.