Suggestions for an award vacation
 

I am in the beginning of planning a vacation for winter 2003-spring 2004 time period. I would like to take the Mrs from IAD/BWI to Thiland...but I would also like to stop over at one, two, or three other places if it can be worked out. The other places are AMS, SFO, and SIN.

We have @270,000 on Delta...160,000 on CO...and 295,000 with Marriott.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to which airline would make this most doable?

Either business class or coach would work for us.

Thanks

Buzz?

Your first option is likely to be redeeming Delta miles for awards on Singapore Airlines.

Your second option (though the destinations will be a little more limited) will be to use your Continental miles for an award on Northwest. (Using awards for CO metal are tough, and NW has more of a network in Asia). Here is a good site for checking NW award availability.

The above site also works for checking KLM availability, which will satisfy your AMS longing.

Note, though, that it's a bit early to be booking much of Winter 2003/2004 travel. You can generally only book 330 days out.

Finally, while it's good to plan early, recognize that alot of award availability becomes open only as travel dates get closer.

There are some seats that open up right away, and more that come online later.

This may get frustrating, because what you're looking for (SQ awards, CO miles for awards to Asia) aren't the easiest thing in the world to come by.

The one thing that does make it much easier is that you're willing to fly in Coach. You're a much heartier person than I! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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More Room Throughout Coach: the Website of Free Miles and Free Markets

You're going to have a problem making that many stopovers (other than <24 hr stopovers) on an award ticket other than an around the world award ticket (ATW).

You definitely have enought for 2 coach ATWs. This would allow all of your stopovers. You might have enough for 2 business, but not sure.

What might work well for you is to use DL miles for award tickets on Singapore for a SE Asia award. To SE Asia, for each ticket, it's 70k coach, 95k biz, 130k fc on SQ with Delta miles. Much less costly than the ATW awards.

On this ticket, you can have a stopover (>24 hrs) in SIN en route to Thailand and go via the SFO gateway - stopping there for less than 24 hours.

You'll fly Delta domestically - either the Biz or FC awards will put you in First/BE on Delta - IAD/CVG/SFO or something like that.

I've found getting the business class awards on SQ to be doable if you're either booking early or a bit flexible on the days. Sounds like you'd be both.

I HIGHLY recomend using at least the 95k biz award on SQ. By the time of your trip, they'll have the business class beds installed across the US fleet. (Old business class is very nice, too.) If you do this, ask for seats upstairs - much more private and quiet.

If you want to splurge, do the FC award. You've got enough DL miles for this. These seats are tougher to come by - only 2 per flight - and drawn on by SQ/UA/Other Star Alliance in addition to Delta. I got these seats once - FC on SQ is better than flying private (once you're on the plane).

Have a good trip.