Help with Mileage Redemption Options
Feb 17, 2015 | 1:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: Early Returns
Posts: 2
Help with Mileage Redemption Options
We are looking to plan a family trip and I am trying to figure out how we could maximize what few miles I have accrued when booking (I realize that some tickets will need to be purchased):
Mileage: 60,000
Passengers: 2 adults, 4 children (1 could be booked as a lap child)
Destination: SLC-DEN-SNA (or LAX) and back
The children are all 10 or under so the priority is booking in a way that we are not separated across the cabin (or only split into 2 groups).
I am not familiar enough to understand how the various redemption options (Standard, Choice or even Companion Redemption with paid tickets would work).
Anyone have any recommendations how to maximize the use of miles to save a few bucks?
Mileage: 60,000
Passengers: 2 adults, 4 children (1 could be booked as a lap child)
Destination: SLC-DEN-SNA (or LAX) and back
The children are all 10 or under so the priority is booking in a way that we are not separated across the cabin (or only split into 2 groups).
I am not familiar enough to understand how the various redemption options (Standard, Choice or even Companion Redemption with paid tickets would work).
Anyone have any recommendations how to maximize the use of miles to save a few bucks?
Feb 17, 2015 | 2:55 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SMF
Posts: 1,251
Welcome to Flyertalk! You didn't state how familiar you are with F9 and whether you've flown them before so let us know if you have additional questions. F9 is now a ULCC (Ultra Low Cost Carrier) so if you haven't flown with them in the past year or so things will be radically different than when you flew before. Make sure you read through their website to get an idea of how much it will cost to check bags, bring a carry on, sit together, etc. Obviously traveling with a family you want to keep things affordable but you don't want it to turn into a disaster.
If you have the Frontier credit card you can get a 5,000 point discount on award tickets with a paid ticket so that would certainly help your miles go farther in this situation. If you want the most bang for your buck I probably wouldn't worry about Choice awards. They can be a good value but you're spending twice as many points so it likely isn't going to be worth it.
In regards to seating please be aware that unless you pay there's no guarantee that you'll be able to sit together, however there is an interesting thread in the Early Returns forum here that discusses the algorithm that F9 uses for their seating assignments based on check-in time. However, since you're traveling with a lap child that won't be particularly relevant since you'll need to check in at the airport anyways. Seating assignments together are $3 per person per segment, so with a family of 5 that would be a total of $60 r/t.
Our family also has an upcoming flight to use of the rest of my points from SFO-MCO this spring and we've decided we're not going to prepay for seats since from what we've heard they'll at least try to keep one parent with each young child. One other thing to mention is that if you're only going from SLC to LAX or SNA it might be advantageous to just book Southwest (WN) and get a direct flight, free checked bags. By the time you pay for seat assignments, checked bags, and take into account the extra 3-4 hours from flying to DEN first, it might be worth it to just pay a little extra to fly direct.
Let us know if you have any more specific questions and we'll try to help you out.
If you have the Frontier credit card you can get a 5,000 point discount on award tickets with a paid ticket so that would certainly help your miles go farther in this situation. If you want the most bang for your buck I probably wouldn't worry about Choice awards. They can be a good value but you're spending twice as many points so it likely isn't going to be worth it.
In regards to seating please be aware that unless you pay there's no guarantee that you'll be able to sit together, however there is an interesting thread in the Early Returns forum here that discusses the algorithm that F9 uses for their seating assignments based on check-in time. However, since you're traveling with a lap child that won't be particularly relevant since you'll need to check in at the airport anyways. Seating assignments together are $3 per person per segment, so with a family of 5 that would be a total of $60 r/t.
Our family also has an upcoming flight to use of the rest of my points from SFO-MCO this spring and we've decided we're not going to prepay for seats since from what we've heard they'll at least try to keep one parent with each young child. One other thing to mention is that if you're only going from SLC to LAX or SNA it might be advantageous to just book Southwest (WN) and get a direct flight, free checked bags. By the time you pay for seat assignments, checked bags, and take into account the extra 3-4 hours from flying to DEN first, it might be worth it to just pay a little extra to fly direct.
Let us know if you have any more specific questions and we'll try to help you out.
Feb 17, 2015 | 9:24 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LAX
Posts: 556
Welcome to Flyertalk! You didn't state how familiar you are with F9 and whether you've flown them before so let us know if you have additional questions. F9 is now a ULCC (Ultra Low Cost Carrier) so if you haven't flown with them in the past year or so things will be radically different than when you flew before. Make sure you read through their website to get an idea of how much it will cost to check bags, bring a carry on, sit together, etc. Obviously traveling with a family you want to keep things affordable but you don't want it to turn into a disaster.
If you have the Frontier credit card you can get a 5,000 point discount on award tickets with a paid ticket so that would certainly help your miles go farther in this situation. If you want the most bang for your buck I probably wouldn't worry about Choice awards. They can be a good value but you're spending twice as many points so it likely isn't going to be worth it.
In regards to seating please be aware that unless you pay there's no guarantee that you'll be able to sit together, however there is an interesting thread in the Early Returns forum here that discusses the algorithm that F9 uses for their seating assignments based on check-in time. However, since you're traveling with a lap child that won't be particularly relevant since you'll need to check in at the airport anyways. Seating assignments together are $3 per person per segment, so with a family of 5 that would be a total of $60 r/t.
Our family also has an upcoming flight to use of the rest of my points from SFO-MCO this spring and we've decided we're not going to prepay for seats since from what we've heard they'll at least try to keep one parent with each young child. One other thing to mention is that if you're only going from SLC to LAX or SNA it might be advantageous to just book Southwest (WN) and get a direct flight, free checked bags. By the time you pay for seat assignments, checked bags, and take into account the extra 3-4 hours from flying to DEN first, it might be worth it to just pay a little extra to fly direct.
Let us know if you have any more specific questions and we'll try to help you out.
If you have the Frontier credit card you can get a 5,000 point discount on award tickets with a paid ticket so that would certainly help your miles go farther in this situation. If you want the most bang for your buck I probably wouldn't worry about Choice awards. They can be a good value but you're spending twice as many points so it likely isn't going to be worth it.
In regards to seating please be aware that unless you pay there's no guarantee that you'll be able to sit together, however there is an interesting thread in the Early Returns forum here that discusses the algorithm that F9 uses for their seating assignments based on check-in time. However, since you're traveling with a lap child that won't be particularly relevant since you'll need to check in at the airport anyways. Seating assignments together are $3 per person per segment, so with a family of 5 that would be a total of $60 r/t.
Our family also has an upcoming flight to use of the rest of my points from SFO-MCO this spring and we've decided we're not going to prepay for seats since from what we've heard they'll at least try to keep one parent with each young child. One other thing to mention is that if you're only going from SLC to LAX or SNA it might be advantageous to just book Southwest (WN) and get a direct flight, free checked bags. By the time you pay for seat assignments, checked bags, and take into account the extra 3-4 hours from flying to DEN first, it might be worth it to just pay a little extra to fly direct.
Let us know if you have any more specific questions and we'll try to help you out.
Feb 18, 2015 | 9:54 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SMF
Posts: 1,251
I had the card until I canceled this month, I'm not sure whether or not the 5,000 mile discount works one one-ways or if its only round trips. You'd have to call to find out. For more information about the card just google it and I'm sure you'll find plenty of bloggers who have reviewed it. I'm pretty sure the no annual fee version of the card doesn't offer the discount though.
Feb 20, 2015 | 6:48 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: Early Returns
Posts: 2
Thanks for the information and things to consider Big4Flyer!
We have been saving and accruing miles hoping for a trip back east. However, it seems like something always happens as soon as we have enough miles (redemption terms change, kids grow up and we need an additional ticket, etc.)
I was very familiar with F9 prior to their first bankruptcy and acquisition by Republic and haven't had the chance to fly on them since then. I have been following them ever since and realize that its not the same F9 anymore and ever more so in the past year since the acquisition by Indigo.
After each major announcement as they filed chapter 11, been sold, merged, sold again) and have struggled through the good part of almost a decade now I have gotten more and more nervous about whether or not I would have the chance to use the miles I have been accruing.
After they outsourced all of the ground jobs at the Outstations I started thinking seriously about cashing them in the next opportunity. Now that they are outsourcing all of the ground jobs in Denver too, I am really starting to question if we are on borrowed time for real this time around...
I started thinking about using the mileage to go west (even with extra "back track" segments) as a better option then never getting to use the mileage at all..
I really hope they are successful and survive and understand/like some of the flexibility and benefits that an ULCC has to offer, but I am not feeling any more comfortable with their current situation and stability than I have felt for the past 7-8 years. It really makes me feel sad..
We have been saving and accruing miles hoping for a trip back east. However, it seems like something always happens as soon as we have enough miles (redemption terms change, kids grow up and we need an additional ticket, etc.)
I was very familiar with F9 prior to their first bankruptcy and acquisition by Republic and haven't had the chance to fly on them since then. I have been following them ever since and realize that its not the same F9 anymore and ever more so in the past year since the acquisition by Indigo.
After each major announcement as they filed chapter 11, been sold, merged, sold again) and have struggled through the good part of almost a decade now I have gotten more and more nervous about whether or not I would have the chance to use the miles I have been accruing.
After they outsourced all of the ground jobs at the Outstations I started thinking seriously about cashing them in the next opportunity. Now that they are outsourcing all of the ground jobs in Denver too, I am really starting to question if we are on borrowed time for real this time around...
I started thinking about using the mileage to go west (even with extra "back track" segments) as a better option then never getting to use the mileage at all..
I really hope they are successful and survive and understand/like some of the flexibility and benefits that an ULCC has to offer, but I am not feeling any more comfortable with their current situation and stability than I have felt for the past 7-8 years. It really makes me feel sad..