Thoughts on getting this Itinerary closer to time?
Jan 3, 2013 | 2:01 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: AMEX Plat, AAdvantage Gold, UA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 963
Thoughts on getting this Itinerary closer to time?
Hi,
I just lost another leg of my reservation with *A making my upcoming trip just not worth it. I have hotels booked and really like the itinerary, but with the changes the tickets I had became pointless. This is the second time that a schedule change has lost me my seat on this reservation and it is very frustrating (especially since they don't inform you of the leg just vanishing from your reservation).
I am wondering if there are any other ways to craft this trip:
3/15 NYC-MLE 4nights
3/21 MLE-CMB- Purchased already 4 nights
3/25 CMB-NRT 4 nights
3/29 NRT-NYC
I have hotels sorted in MLE, CMB,NRT and we are super excited about the trip, but since TK adjusted their flights my tickets got wiped out and it doesn't work any more.
As it is quite far I was hoping for Biz, but United isn't showing anything anymore, and their flights are all now up to about 40hrs.
I have the following:
320K BA (plus companion pass)
260K UA
50K AA
80K MR
Would appreciate any ideas here?
I just lost another leg of my reservation with *A making my upcoming trip just not worth it. I have hotels booked and really like the itinerary, but with the changes the tickets I had became pointless. This is the second time that a schedule change has lost me my seat on this reservation and it is very frustrating (especially since they don't inform you of the leg just vanishing from your reservation).
I am wondering if there are any other ways to craft this trip:
3/15 NYC-MLE 4nights
3/21 MLE-CMB- Purchased already 4 nights
3/25 CMB-NRT 4 nights
3/29 NRT-NYC
I have hotels sorted in MLE, CMB,NRT and we are super excited about the trip, but since TK adjusted their flights my tickets got wiped out and it doesn't work any more.
As it is quite far I was hoping for Biz, but United isn't showing anything anymore, and their flights are all now up to about 40hrs.
I have the following:
320K BA (plus companion pass)
260K UA
50K AA
80K MR
Would appreciate any ideas here?
Jan 3, 2013 | 2:21 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PLAT,PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Gld,Hyatt Disc,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 11,021
Very sorry to hear about this, but I'm a bit unclear. TK canceled your award tix because of its schedule changes? Is there no way to get UA to restore availability for a schedule that suits your needs OR for you to adjust your schedule to accord with the TK changes?
In any event, if in fact there's nothing you can do, I'd suggest a few approaches:
1. While you can of course simply call UA and BA, or check their websites, to see about award flight availability, a possibly more efficient way to approach this is to turn to the very efficient awardnexus.com site, which is great for award flight searches. For some limited, initial use it is free for FTers. That might even be sufficient for your needs. But if not, for $50 you get significantly expanded use, plus the ability to get email alerts if award availability opens up on flights you designate.
2. IF seats are available, your BA miles can get you NYC-LON-MLE on BA and then CMB-HKG-NRT on CX (or conceivably CMB-NRT non-stop on JL, if it flies that route). BUT lots of problems with the BA option: I believe award availability LON-MLE is very limited, plus could be that LON-MLE goes from Gatwick after you arrive in LON in Heathrow, plus BA has surcharges of at least a few hundred dollars for award tickets.
3. A better option might well be taking CX to get to HKG from the USA and then on to CMB (and then a short hop on Sri Lankan Airlines to MLE), and then as per #2 taking CX and/or JL to get to NRT and back to NYC. You'll avoid the BA award fees even though you'll have to pay for the CMB-MLE flight and you have enough miles to fly CX F transpacific, which is one of the great commercial flight experiences one can have. (So good that I'd consider flying NRT-HKG-USA in CX F if that's an option.) Of course, this hinges on CX F (or J) availability. But CX F availability does come and go, so it's not out of the question. Also, you'd want to leave a big gap between your CX arrival and Sri Lankan departure, to allow for delays, etc.
4. Other variations on these themes using your BA miles include taking AA as far as LON or exploring options with other OW partners. But this brings me back to using awardnexus.com to research what is or could become available.
5. By the way, I assume that your CMB leg includes a bit of time exploring Sri Lanka. If you're just planning on spending four days in CMB, you're better off spending those extra days in the Maldives or Japan.
Hope it all works out!
In any event, if in fact there's nothing you can do, I'd suggest a few approaches:
1. While you can of course simply call UA and BA, or check their websites, to see about award flight availability, a possibly more efficient way to approach this is to turn to the very efficient awardnexus.com site, which is great for award flight searches. For some limited, initial use it is free for FTers. That might even be sufficient for your needs. But if not, for $50 you get significantly expanded use, plus the ability to get email alerts if award availability opens up on flights you designate.
2. IF seats are available, your BA miles can get you NYC-LON-MLE on BA and then CMB-HKG-NRT on CX (or conceivably CMB-NRT non-stop on JL, if it flies that route). BUT lots of problems with the BA option: I believe award availability LON-MLE is very limited, plus could be that LON-MLE goes from Gatwick after you arrive in LON in Heathrow, plus BA has surcharges of at least a few hundred dollars for award tickets.
3. A better option might well be taking CX to get to HKG from the USA and then on to CMB (and then a short hop on Sri Lankan Airlines to MLE), and then as per #2 taking CX and/or JL to get to NRT and back to NYC. You'll avoid the BA award fees even though you'll have to pay for the CMB-MLE flight and you have enough miles to fly CX F transpacific, which is one of the great commercial flight experiences one can have. (So good that I'd consider flying NRT-HKG-USA in CX F if that's an option.) Of course, this hinges on CX F (or J) availability. But CX F availability does come and go, so it's not out of the question. Also, you'd want to leave a big gap between your CX arrival and Sri Lankan departure, to allow for delays, etc.
4. Other variations on these themes using your BA miles include taking AA as far as LON or exploring options with other OW partners. But this brings me back to using awardnexus.com to research what is or could become available.
5. By the way, I assume that your CMB leg includes a bit of time exploring Sri Lanka. If you're just planning on spending four days in CMB, you're better off spending those extra days in the Maldives or Japan.
Hope it all works out!
Jan 3, 2013 | 2:30 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: AMEX Plat, AAdvantage Gold, UA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 963
Very sorry to hear about this, but I'm a bit unclear. TK canceled your award tix because of its schedule changes? Is there no way to get UA to restore availability for a schedule that suits your needs OR for you to adjust your schedule to accord with the TK changes?
In any event, if in fact there's nothing you can do, I'd suggest a few approaches:
1. While you can of course simply call UA and BA, or check their websites, to see about award flight availability, a possibly more efficient way to approach this is to turn to the very efficient awardnexus.com site, which is great for award flight searches. For some limited, initial use it is free for FTers. That might even be sufficient for your needs. But if not, for $50 you get significantly expanded use, plus the ability to get email alerts if award availability opens up on flights you designate.
2. IF seats are available, your BA miles can get you NYC-LON-MLE on BA and then CMB-HKG-NRT on CX (or conceivably CMB-NRT non-stop on JL, if it flies that route). BUT lots of problems with the BA option: I believe award availability LON-MLE is very limited, plus could be that LON-MLE goes from Gatwick after you arrive in LON in Heathrow, plus BA has surcharges of at least a few hundred dollars for award tickets.
3. A better option might well be taking CX to get to HKG from the USA and then on to CMB (and then a short hop on Sri Lankan Airlines to MLE), and then as per #2 taking CX and/or JL to get to NRT and back to NYC. You'll avoid the BA award fees even though you'll have to pay for the CMB-MLE flight and you have enough miles to fly CX F transpacific, which is one of the great commercial flight experiences one can have. (So good that I'd consider flying NRT-HKG-USA in CX F if that's an option.) Of course, this hinges on CX F (or J) availability. But CX F availability does come and go, so it's not out of the question. Also, you'd want to leave a big gap between your CX arrival and Sri Lankan departure, to allow for delays, etc.
4. Other variations on these themes using your BA miles include taking AA as far as LON or exploring options with other OW partners. But this brings me back to using awardnexus.com to research what is or could become available.
5. By the way, I assume that your CMB leg includes a bit of time exploring Sri Lanka. If you're just planning on spending four days in CMB, you're better off spending those extra days in the Maldives or Japan.
Hope it all works out!
In any event, if in fact there's nothing you can do, I'd suggest a few approaches:
1. While you can of course simply call UA and BA, or check their websites, to see about award flight availability, a possibly more efficient way to approach this is to turn to the very efficient awardnexus.com site, which is great for award flight searches. For some limited, initial use it is free for FTers. That might even be sufficient for your needs. But if not, for $50 you get significantly expanded use, plus the ability to get email alerts if award availability opens up on flights you designate.
2. IF seats are available, your BA miles can get you NYC-LON-MLE on BA and then CMB-HKG-NRT on CX (or conceivably CMB-NRT non-stop on JL, if it flies that route). BUT lots of problems with the BA option: I believe award availability LON-MLE is very limited, plus could be that LON-MLE goes from Gatwick after you arrive in LON in Heathrow, plus BA has surcharges of at least a few hundred dollars for award tickets.
3. A better option might well be taking CX to get to HKG from the USA and then on to CMB (and then a short hop on Sri Lankan Airlines to MLE), and then as per #2 taking CX and/or JL to get to NRT and back to NYC. You'll avoid the BA award fees even though you'll have to pay for the CMB-MLE flight and you have enough miles to fly CX F transpacific, which is one of the great commercial flight experiences one can have. (So good that I'd consider flying NRT-HKG-USA in CX F if that's an option.) Of course, this hinges on CX F (or J) availability. But CX F availability does come and go, so it's not out of the question. Also, you'd want to leave a big gap between your CX arrival and Sri Lankan departure, to allow for delays, etc.
4. Other variations on these themes using your BA miles include taking AA as far as LON or exploring options with other OW partners. But this brings me back to using awardnexus.com to research what is or could become available.
5. By the way, I assume that your CMB leg includes a bit of time exploring Sri Lanka. If you're just planning on spending four days in CMB, you're better off spending those extra days in the Maldives or Japan.
Hope it all works out!
I originally had CXJ returning but liked the Openjaw Stopover with UA that got me the NRT stage in there too.
Right now I am sitting on hotels in 3 countries and a flight (paid) from MLE-CMB... I had no idea about JL CMB-NRT route which could be a great solution too!
Lots to consider, thanks again for taking the time.
- Re the TK change - apparently they said the flight changed several times and now there is no J on the leg plus it sticks me in IST for a length of time (around 20hrs layover). I have found a nice TK coach ticket that is better than my original (2 planes not 3) which might be the answer, but I don't like the idea of coach on a long flight/s like that.