No availability - my miles are worthless!
Oct 17, 2005 | 6:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
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Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 60,665
No availability - my miles are worthless!
Okay, that headline was a teaser. I've booked a Singapore Air F award (SFO-HKG) with 140,000 Delta miles and a Thailand Air business class award (HKG to Thailand) with 30,000 United miles. Do you know how much those two RTs would cost, even through a discounter? Well, I don't (it's a lot more than I'd be willing to pay), but I'm sure it's a ton of dough.
In three previous years, I booked SFO-LHR RTs on Virgin Atlantic using Delta miles -- Upper Class, mind you!
One can reasonably complain about tight availability here or there. However, to those who start the many threads about miles being worthless, I say hooey.
In three previous years, I booked SFO-LHR RTs on Virgin Atlantic using Delta miles -- Upper Class, mind you!
One can reasonably complain about tight availability here or there. However, to those who start the many threads about miles being worthless, I say hooey.
Oct 17, 2005 | 9:05 pm
#3
Original Poster
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Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 60,665
Originally Posted by mesadler
I agree. If you just try for a while and are flexible and creative, you can normally find what you need.
Just got 2 "impossible" business class NZ tickets booked through US. Just had to get a little creative.
Just got 2 "impossible" business class NZ tickets booked through US. Just had to get a little creative.
Oct 18, 2005 | 5:35 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Orlando, FL, USA
Posts: 2,398
Flexibility, creativity and persistence. Look early and look late. Use those alliances. Last, accept the reality that sometimes none of that will work. I estimate that about 75% of the time I can get where I want to go in the class I want to fly and within time frames close (your definition of "close" may vary) to what I originally wanted.
How about other FTers? What would you say is your success (loosely defined) rate in getting award flights?
How about other FTers? What would you say is your success (loosely defined) rate in getting award flights?
Oct 18, 2005 | 7:23 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: United 1K 2MM / Marriott LTP
Posts: 5,092
Couldn't agree with you more....Here's what I've redeemed in a bit over a year.
SFO-HKG (SQ C) - SIN (UA C) - KIX (SQ C) - SFO (UA C)
SFO-ORD (UA F) - FRA (LH F) - BCN (LH C) - FRA (LH C) - SFO (UA F)
SFO-SIN-KIX-SIN-HKG-SFO (SQ F)
NRT-LHR-DUB-CPH-ARN-LHR-NRT (NH F)
SFO-SIN-SFO (SQ F)
All done with UA miles.
SFO-HKG (SQ C) - SIN (UA C) - KIX (SQ C) - SFO (UA C)
SFO-ORD (UA F) - FRA (LH F) - BCN (LH C) - FRA (LH C) - SFO (UA F)
SFO-SIN-KIX-SIN-HKG-SFO (SQ F)
NRT-LHR-DUB-CPH-ARN-LHR-NRT (NH F)
SFO-SIN-SFO (SQ F)
All done with UA miles.
Oct 18, 2005 | 11:30 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Riverside, CA ONT
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 205
I just got 4 award tickets for my Mom, Daughter, and 2 brothers to Bangkok on United. 2 tickets from Montreal-ORD-NRT-BKK, and 2 tickets LAX-BKK.
Would have really liked to get my Mom into C, but no availability.
I did have to be flexible with my dates.
Would have really liked to get my Mom into C, but no availability.
I did have to be flexible with my dates.
Oct 18, 2005 | 12:03 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: Marriott PL, AA GL, IHG PL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,595
Originally Posted by dhuey
I've booked a Singapore Air F award (SFO-HKG) with 140,000 Delta miles and a Thailand Air business class award (HKG to Thailand) with 30,000 United miles.
Oct 18, 2005 | 12:43 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: AA, SPG
Posts: 108
On Oct. 1st I booked two B-class seats on AA DFW-TPE/HKG for next May. I got just what I wanted, no problem (was pretty surprised-but gee, that's 7 mos. out). Held it for 14 days, changed one day on the outbound, but not enough availability for me to hold another two weeks. AA DFW-LAX CX LAX-HKG/TPE RT.
Oct 18, 2005 | 1:11 pm
#12
Suspended
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: Count Your Blessings
Posts: 1,548
Originally Posted by dhuey
Okay, that headline was a teaser. I've booked a Singapore Air F award (SFO-HKG) with 140,000 Delta miles and a Thailand Air business class award (HKG to Thailand) with 30,000 United miles. Do you know how much those two RTs would cost, even through a discounter? Well, I don't (it's a lot more than I'd be willing to pay), but I'm sure it's a ton of dough.
In three previous years, I booked SFO-LHR RTs on Virgin Atlantic using Delta miles -- Upper Class, mind you!
One can reasonably complain about tight availability here or there. However, to those who start the many threads about miles being worthless, I say hooey.
In three previous years, I booked SFO-LHR RTs on Virgin Atlantic using Delta miles -- Upper Class, mind you!
One can reasonably complain about tight availability here or there. However, to those who start the many threads about miles being worthless, I say hooey.
Then that would give an entirely different meaning to "hooey."
Oct 18, 2005 | 1:59 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: MCO
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Platinum, AA Platinum
Posts: 1,118
I have usually been able to get what I wanted within reason of the dates, sometimes a week or two before or after. Usually I am more concerned with leaving on a Fri for example, than which week it is. When they tell me that I can leave on a Sat night or Sun AM I would not accept that because I cannot take advantage of the weekend that I am not working.
Sometimes I have to call different airlines, fortunately I have miles in several of them, but usually in the end it all works out. I usually book several months in advance.
In booking SPG hotels, however, I have a 100% success rate for my first choice in dates!
Sometimes I have to call different airlines, fortunately I have miles in several of them, but usually in the end it all works out. I usually book several months in advance.
In booking SPG hotels, however, I have a 100% success rate for my first choice in dates!
