Buy ticket or use miles to Entebbe.
Jan 17, 2007 | 10:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 114
Buy ticket or use miles to Entebbe.
Will this ought to generate a lot of opinions.
I would like my wife to accompany me on a biz trip to Uganda. I have looked at (but not booked) fares from $1100+ on Emirates, to $1900 on NW/KLM. I am guessing that by the time I end up booking the fare could be about $1500.
On the other had, I have enough miles for an award ticket on AA (75,000 miles), though I haven't checked availability.
The question is, use miles or buy a ticket? Not sure if I buy a ticket I will be able to earn miles for all the segments.
Your ideas will be appreciated.
I would like my wife to accompany me on a biz trip to Uganda. I have looked at (but not booked) fares from $1100+ on Emirates, to $1900 on NW/KLM. I am guessing that by the time I end up booking the fare could be about $1500.
On the other had, I have enough miles for an award ticket on AA (75,000 miles), though I haven't checked availability.
The question is, use miles or buy a ticket? Not sure if I buy a ticket I will be able to earn miles for all the segments.
Your ideas will be appreciated.
Jan 17, 2007 | 10:32 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA PLT->GLD|HH Gold|SPG PLT->GOLD|HGP Gold|MR Silver
Posts: 1,985
As this doesn't appear to be remotely related to a Mileage Run, I'll move it to TravelBuzz for further discussion on the merits of revenue vs. award tickets in this set of circumstances.
Dave, a.k.a. dmfriedman
Moderator, Mileage Run
Dave, a.k.a. dmfriedman
Moderator, Mileage Run
Jan 18, 2007 | 9:03 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 518
Will this ought to generate a lot of opinions.
I would like my wife to accompany me on a biz trip to Uganda. I have looked at (but not booked) fares from $1100+ on Emirates, to $1900 on NW/KLM. I am guessing that by the time I end up booking the fare could be about $1500.
On the other had, I have enough miles for an award ticket on AA (75,000 miles), though I haven't checked availability.
The question is, use miles or buy a ticket? Not sure if I buy a ticket I will be able to earn miles for all the segments.
Your ideas will be appreciated.
I would like my wife to accompany me on a biz trip to Uganda. I have looked at (but not booked) fares from $1100+ on Emirates, to $1900 on NW/KLM. I am guessing that by the time I end up booking the fare could be about $1500.
On the other had, I have enough miles for an award ticket on AA (75,000 miles), though I haven't checked availability.
The question is, use miles or buy a ticket? Not sure if I buy a ticket I will be able to earn miles for all the segments.
Your ideas will be appreciated.
I think checking for One World award availability would be useful at this point - award tickets might not be available on/around the dates you need, so the decision might have been made for you.
Also, do you have flexibility in choosing which airline you fly? I would imagine that you and your wife want to fly together, so that may have some impact on whether you use miles or buy a ticket.
Jan 18, 2007 | 4:20 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 114
Your points are well taken. I did a quick check last night and found some limited availability in the London-Chicago segment which I think is the stickiest as we want to travel around Easter. I should mention that we would like to do a stopover in London.
We have a second routing option on One World and that is via Brussels. I am guessing those flights would have more availability than via London.
I will have to use a US carrier as much as possible (so to Europe). There is some flexibility in carriers if prices are competative for my ticket.
Yes, we would like to travel together. But I will likely be going over by myself some weeks ahead of her. So, if it means for instance that we save $500 by returning on seperate flights or carriers; got to consider that.
So, I concede that at this point the question is hypothetical. But, if I could book an award flight for 75,000 miles is it a "better deal" than buying a $1500 ticket?
We have a second routing option on One World and that is via Brussels. I am guessing those flights would have more availability than via London.
I will have to use a US carrier as much as possible (so to Europe). There is some flexibility in carriers if prices are competative for my ticket.
Yes, we would like to travel together. But I will likely be going over by myself some weeks ahead of her. So, if it means for instance that we save $500 by returning on seperate flights or carriers; got to consider that.
So, I concede that at this point the question is hypothetical. But, if I could book an award flight for 75,000 miles is it a "better deal" than buying a $1500 ticket?