Help - flight to Italy
Apr 9, 2013 | 6:39 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: AMEX Plat, AAdvantage Gold, UA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 963
I'm about to go to Italy myself. I'm using AA miles b/c of the off-peak awards and the 10% rebate from using the AA card, so it's only costing me 36k miles. As everyone else has mentioned, you should rely on AirBerlin or AA if you're using AA miles, in order to avoid the BA surcharges.
Since you're originating in NY, you actually have a good chance to take advantage of a free one-way or two. MileValue has a great explanation of all this for AA awards here. It's a great way to increase the value of your award redemption. United is also a great option for free one-ways as well and MileValue has some great articles on that too.
Good luck and have a great time!
Since you're originating in NY, you actually have a good chance to take advantage of a free one-way or two. MileValue has a great explanation of all this for AA awards here. It's a great way to increase the value of your award redemption. United is also a great option for free one-ways as well and MileValue has some great articles on that too.
Good luck and have a great time!
Apr 9, 2013 | 7:12 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 34,988
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Run that by me again? 36k miles?
During AA's off-peak season between North America and Europe (October 15-May 15), a roundtrip, SAAver Coach award costs just 40,000 miles. Holders of most Citi/AA credit cards get a 10% rebate on the miles spent (up to a maximum annual rebate of 10,000 miles per cardholder).
Originally Posted by brooklynmatt
I'm about to go to Italy myself. I'm using AA miles b/c of the off-peak awards and the 10% rebate from using the AA card, so it's only costing me 36k miles. As everyone else has mentioned, you should rely on AirBerlin or AA if you're using AA miles, in order to avoid the BA surcharges.
Since you're originating in NY, you actually have a good chance to take advantage of a free one-way or two. MileValue has a great explanation of all this for AA awards here. It's a great way to increase the value of your award redemption. United is also a great option for free one-ways as well and MileValue has some great articles on that too.
Good luck and have a great time!
Since you're originating in NY, you actually have a good chance to take advantage of a free one-way or two. MileValue has a great explanation of all this for AA awards here. It's a great way to increase the value of your award redemption. United is also a great option for free one-ways as well and MileValue has some great articles on that too.
Good luck and have a great time!
Apr 9, 2013 | 7:59 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: AMEX Plat, AAdvantage Gold, UA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 963
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
During AA's off-peak season between North America and Europe (October 15-May 15), a roundtrip, SAAver Coach award costs just 40,000 miles. Holders of most Citi/AA credit cards get a 10% rebate on the miles spent (up to a maximum annual rebate of 10,000 miles per cardholder).
During AA's off-peak season between North America and Europe (October 15-May 15), a roundtrip, SAAver Coach award costs just 40,000 miles. Holders of most Citi/AA credit cards get a 10% rebate on the miles spent (up to a maximum annual rebate of 10,000 miles per cardholder).
I'm flying in June, but hope to make it NYC-MXP/FCO-DXB-NYC for 70K on * (with a few indirects unfortunately).
Apr 17, 2013 | 5:23 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 34
great experience
I used [email protected]
He was able to find me two flighs NY-CDG-Florence with return Rome-NY for 100,000 miles each ALL flights in business class. Small taxes and fees of only $130 per ticket. He was great to work wit and found things I had no way of finding. When I was ready to book even the airline agent was amazed I had this reservation. I was all very worth his fee on $250 for the two tickets.
He was able to find me two flighs NY-CDG-Florence with return Rome-NY for 100,000 miles each ALL flights in business class. Small taxes and fees of only $130 per ticket. He was great to work wit and found things I had no way of finding. When I was ready to book even the airline agent was amazed I had this reservation. I was all very worth his fee on $250 for the two tickets.
Apr 18, 2013 | 8:22 am
#20
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 27
Just came back from Italy. I took AA from FCO and it was 20K miles. I had gone to Paris as well and had purchased XL Airways France flight to fly into Venice and then took the train from Venice to Florence and then to Rome.
I personally liked Venice, Florence/Pisa/Siena much better than Rome.
I personally liked Venice, Florence/Pisa/Siena much better than Rome.
Apr 18, 2013 | 8:33 am
#21
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 650
I used [email protected]
He was able to find me two flighs NY-CDG-Florence with return Rome-NY for 100,000 miles each ALL flights in business class. Small taxes and fees of only $130 per ticket. .
He was able to find me two flighs NY-CDG-Florence with return Rome-NY for 100,000 miles each ALL flights in business class. Small taxes and fees of only $130 per ticket. .
Apr 20, 2013 | 8:40 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 34
He found various flight options over the course of 5-6 days that i was unable to find myself. We decided to use Delta miles since I have the most there. Yes he charges a fee but well worth it as I was unable to book Biz class all the way through and for only 100k per ticket. Very pleased.
Apr 20, 2013 | 3:28 pm
#23
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 27
He found various flight options over the course of 5-6 days that i was unable to find myself. We decided to use Delta miles since I have the most there. Yes he charges a fee but well worth it as I was unable to book Biz class all the way through and for only 100k per ticket. Very pleased.
MileValue has some good articles on this and which airline sights let you search which airline partners (e.g AA.com searches BA & AirBerlin, but not Qantas or Cathay Pacific IIRC). Wikipedia for airport entries can also be a great way to work backwards from your destination airport or from bottle-neck airports to find out which partners you should be looking for availability on.
Apr 20, 2013 | 4:15 pm
#24
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 41
I'm on my way home from a trip from Rome>Florence>pisa>Rovigo>Venice and have to say that Florence was pretty boring compared to Pisa. I guess it depends on what you want to see - architecture vs. art, but the leaning tower was better than anything I saw in Florence, including the Duomo and David. We didn't have time to explore Tuscany much in the 9 days we had, so that may be a reason to go to Florence. I second the comments about Rome at night, everything looks way cooler in the dark. Except the public transportation. Do yourself a favor and pay the $8 for a taxi ride at night. Drivers don't expect a tip.
Last edited by Fraggable; Apr 20, 2013 at 4:22 pm
Apr 20, 2013 | 6:37 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 650
He found various flight options over the course of 5-6 days that i was unable to find myself. We decided to use Delta miles since I have the most there. Yes he charges a fee but well worth it as I was unable to book Biz class all the way through and for only 100k per ticket. Very pleased.