SJU 2 iClub Awards !?!?!
Dec 3, 2005, 12:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,072
SJU 2 iClub Awards !?!?!
Alright granted it is 1570 miles away from IAD so it cost two awards rather than one. What drives me crazy about this is that I am looking at december travel and can fly to PBI for $750 cash or SJU $725 cash. Yet when it comes to award travel i am looking at two awards for SJU and only one for PBI. This is an example of an airline sticking it to their frequent flyers. The 1500 mile rule was deisgned for trans-cons not finding the closest destination over 1500 its very sneaky and is not the indy style of doing biz.
Dec 3, 2005, 2:02 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DCA
Programs: AMC MovieWatcher, Giant BonusCard, Petco PALS Card, Silver Diner Blue Plate Club
Posts: 22,297
If you've got the two awards, use them. What are you waiting for? What do you think they'll be worth holding on to them?
Dec 3, 2005, 2:19 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,072
yeah but i only have one award, and if i had two i would like to go with a friend
Dec 4, 2005, 6:18 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DCA
Programs: AMC MovieWatcher, Giant BonusCard, Petco PALS Card, Silver Diner Blue Plate Club
Posts: 22,297
So go somewhere within the 1500 miles. Those are the rules, and have been from the start. No use complaining about the rules, especially now.
Dec 4, 2005, 7:43 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,072
It may be the 'rules' but the rule is not one that makes sense. It is not consumer friendly. If they charge two awards to go to the west cost that makes sense. charge twice to go some where slightly farther. As a frequent flyer it bothers me that they are chargeing double for frequent flyer redemption when they value the trip less than a trip to west palm beach on the same days.
Dec 4, 2005, 10:36 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2003
Location: RDU
Programs: TSA/INS/FBI Platinum (stopped last 12 of 13 int'l returns - the computer broke once)
Posts: 2,638
OTOH - you can use only half the award needed to go to SJU and get the same dollar value. Getting a $750 ticket for an award that was potentially earned by spending $750 (during double points). There are few other earning/redemption schemes out there that have given value like that.
I would consider that redeeming the award for $300 in value as reasonably good, so if you use it for half off the SJU ticket, that's $363 of value, still a good deal. Maybe the perception should instead be that PBI is significantly overpriced.
The prices get set by supply and demand, so maybe there's a lot more demand for flights to PBI during that timeframe than going to SJU during the timeframe you're looking at. During the majority of the time, I think you'll see that SJU flights are a good bit more than those to PBI.
I would consider that redeeming the award for $300 in value as reasonably good, so if you use it for half off the SJU ticket, that's $363 of value, still a good deal. Maybe the perception should instead be that PBI is significantly overpriced.
The prices get set by supply and demand, so maybe there's a lot more demand for flights to PBI during that timeframe than going to SJU during the timeframe you're looking at. During the majority of the time, I think you'll see that SJU flights are a good bit more than those to PBI.
Dec 5, 2005, 12:17 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,072
Everything you said is 'true.' $700+ tickets for indy is expensive but based on the terms of their program there is no justifying it. SJU is 1570 miles away from IAD it apears to me that they just looked for a city that was just over 1500. Maby I can jump out at 1500 and swim the last 70 miles.
Originally Posted by StSebastian
OTOH - you can use only half the award needed to go to SJU and get the same dollar value. Getting a $750 ticket for an award that was potentially earned by spending $750 (during double points). There are few other earning/redemption schemes out there that have given value like that.
I would consider that redeeming the award for $300 in value as reasonably good, so if you use it for half off the SJU ticket, that's $363 of value, still a good deal. Maybe the perception should instead be that PBI is significantly overpriced.
The prices get set by supply and demand, so maybe there's a lot more demand for flights to PBI during that timeframe than going to SJU during the timeframe you're looking at. During the majority of the time, I think you'll see that SJU flights are a good bit more than those to PBI.
I would consider that redeeming the award for $300 in value as reasonably good, so if you use it for half off the SJU ticket, that's $363 of value, still a good deal. Maybe the perception should instead be that PBI is significantly overpriced.
The prices get set by supply and demand, so maybe there's a lot more demand for flights to PBI during that timeframe than going to SJU during the timeframe you're looking at. During the majority of the time, I think you'll see that SJU flights are a good bit more than those to PBI.
Dec 5, 2005, 8:08 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: between DCA and BWI
Programs: SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, UA Premier, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,652
Every airline has award charts which don't quite make sense. Why is is 25 K on UA to ANC and 35K to MEX when in the summer the cheapest WAS - ANC ticket is $500+ while the cheapest WAS - MEX ticket can be had for 200-250 ?
That's just how the program works, and they make it VERY clear to you when you join it.
Re: the jumping out idea, I was about to suggest it, but you beat me to it
. Let us know how the jump went 
.
That's just how the program works, and they make it VERY clear to you when you join it.
Re: the jumping out idea, I was about to suggest it, but you beat me to it
. Let us know how the jump went .
Originally Posted by ClimbGuy
Everything you said is 'true.' $700+ tickets for indy is expensive but based on the terms of their program there is no justifying it. SJU is 1570 miles away from IAD it apears to me that they just looked for a city that was just over 1500. Maby I can jump out at 1500 and swim the last 70 miles.
Dec 5, 2005, 4:27 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,072
You are right it doesn't always work out, but this is one of the worst situations as far as award travel goes. Usually they make higher mileage awards better deals. Like 120k miles first class anywhere in the world, a cash fair like that could cost $12k, vs. a 40k domestic ticket which may run $400.
All in all I think this is an example of the DH failure. The only reason I ever fly Indy is because they are cheap. You cant get booked on another airline if your flight is cancelled, which has been a major problem for me. I have gotten stuck places and had to buy a hotel room. On top of that they don't even refund the ticket. The real problem with there airline is that they promise too much and never got the basics down. The airline is run by a bunch of novices, who don't know how to handle problems when they come up. If you were at IAD at night anytime this summer it was a mob seen (i was there 6 to 10 times and it was always the same). I must say I wish I ran the bar in the indy terminal because they must of had a great biz. I feel bad for all the employees who were lead to believe it would work. I wish them the best too I truly do. I think the best argument I have is this: in late may I was on a flight and sat next to a indy FA, he was telling me about how they were the laughing stock of airlines no one took them seriously, management said they did not want to be like Virgin. He told me that anyone what mad fun of the airline had a right to do so because they screwed so many things up. When employees are saying things like that you know the company is messed up.
All in all I think this is an example of the DH failure. The only reason I ever fly Indy is because they are cheap. You cant get booked on another airline if your flight is cancelled, which has been a major problem for me. I have gotten stuck places and had to buy a hotel room. On top of that they don't even refund the ticket. The real problem with there airline is that they promise too much and never got the basics down. The airline is run by a bunch of novices, who don't know how to handle problems when they come up. If you were at IAD at night anytime this summer it was a mob seen (i was there 6 to 10 times and it was always the same). I must say I wish I ran the bar in the indy terminal because they must of had a great biz. I feel bad for all the employees who were lead to believe it would work. I wish them the best too I truly do. I think the best argument I have is this: in late may I was on a flight and sat next to a indy FA, he was telling me about how they were the laughing stock of airlines no one took them seriously, management said they did not want to be like Virgin. He told me that anyone what mad fun of the airline had a right to do so because they screwed so many things up. When employees are saying things like that you know the company is messed up.
Originally Posted by yevlesh2
Every airline has award charts which don't quite make sense. Why is is 25 K on UA to ANC and 35K to MEX when in the summer the cheapest WAS - ANC ticket is $500+ while the cheapest WAS - MEX ticket can be had for 200-250 ?
That's just how the program works, and they make it VERY clear to you when you join it.
Re: the jumping out idea, I was about to suggest it, but you beat me to it . Let us know how the jump went .
That's just how the program works, and they make it VERY clear to you when you join it.
Re: the jumping out idea, I was about to suggest it, but you beat me to it
. Let us know how the jump went .
Dec 12, 2005, 11:32 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: TLV now - formerly LAS
Programs: King of Rental Cars, BA Gold, Virgin Gold, AA MM Gold, A3 Gold, SK Gold, Hotel SuperElite
Posts: 7,356
Originally Posted by ClimbGuy
Everything you said is 'true.' $700+ tickets for indy is expensive but based on the terms of their program there is no justifying it. SJU is 1570 miles away from IAD it apears to me that they just looked for a city that was just over 1500. Maby I can jump out at 1500 and swim the last 70 miles.
Additionally, remember that in comparing airfares, supply & demand dictate pricing. If you are booking the end of December on ANY airline, expect to pay a whole lot of $$$ unless you are traveling a routing they have extra availability on.