HELP!
Jun 4, 2003 | 3:44 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LemonThrower:
There are only a couple of award seats on every flight, and some flights have none, so it can be difficult to redeem awards. </font>
There are only a couple of award seats on every flight, and some flights have none, so it can be difficult to redeem awards. </font>
On US, I've almost never had trouble getting ordinary award tickets, sometimes with only a couple of week's notice. If I'm going for international premium, of course, I try to book as far in advance as possible.
Then, too, some airlines have "rule-buster" rates. For example, if you need a domestic ticket, normally 25,000 miles, and you can't get a seat, if you pay 50,000 miles, it's just like buying a ticket - you get it.
I did that once for my daughter, but it was off-peak so the ticket only cost me 40,000 miles.
Hey - get the miles and let the daydreams begin!
Jun 4, 2003 | 5:36 pm
#17
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,784
I, too, have never had trouble getting award tickets, on AA or Delta. I usually, book my reservations as far ahead as possible, many months in advance. I believe this is the key as well as being flexible on your dates of travel. Again business or first class tickets are more difficult to obtain. But, I must say, I've gotten four first and business class award tickets on diffent airlines at different times with no trouble.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LemonThrower:
It "costs" about 25,000 miles for a domestic round trip, 50K to Europe, and 80K to Europe in business class. There are only a couple of award seats on every flight, and some flights have none, so it can be difficult to redeem awards. When you consider these difficulties, the awards are worth less than they otherwise might be. If you fly alot and achieve elite status on an airline, the value of the awards increases because you can redeem awards for first class travel at attractive rates.</font>
It "costs" about 25,000 miles for a domestic round trip, 50K to Europe, and 80K to Europe in business class. There are only a couple of award seats on every flight, and some flights have none, so it can be difficult to redeem awards. When you consider these difficulties, the awards are worth less than they otherwise might be. If you fly alot and achieve elite status on an airline, the value of the awards increases because you can redeem awards for first class travel at attractive rates.</font>
Jun 4, 2003 | 7:08 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Littleton, Colorado
Programs: AA Platinum Executive; One World Emerald; UA Premier Silver
Posts: 571
Availability depends on the class you're seeking, flexibility, and how far out you're willing to book. On the vast majority of my frequent flyer trips, I redeem my miles 11 months in advance. That way I seldom have problems -- of course, you need to have a work situation that allows you to block out time that far in advance.
Jun 4, 2003 | 8:24 pm
#20
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Southern California
Programs: Hertz 5 star, Priceline Hotel bidder. AA PLT, 1MM.
Posts: 2,910
Typically, the airline credit cards will earn 1 frequent flyer (FF) mile for each dollar spent on the card. (cash advances/balance transfers, etc usually don't accumulate FF miles. The cards work best if one is on a cash basis--pay off their balances each month. The interest rate is usually higher than other cards. There is usually an annual fee on the airline cards.
The UA one is not bad because there is a 15K/20K signup bonus. (the 20K bonus is a link on one of the flyertalk threads). Even if someone spends only 5-10K in a year, one could get a free domestic ticket (20K signup plus 5K spending) for the $60. The United airlines card in that case (say 5K spending/year) is not worth carrying for more than a year. The airline cards have an annual fee of $50-100 depending on which card, etc. If one pays the balance off each month & charges alot of things on the card, it makes sense to have a card. If a person is a very heavy user of the card (say around 7-10K+ or more), the card makes sense. Of course, any of the no annual fee cards that earn points may make more sense depending on situation. (Starwood AMEX comes to mind).
The UA one is not bad because there is a 15K/20K signup bonus. (the 20K bonus is a link on one of the flyertalk threads). Even if someone spends only 5-10K in a year, one could get a free domestic ticket (20K signup plus 5K spending) for the $60. The United airlines card in that case (say 5K spending/year) is not worth carrying for more than a year. The airline cards have an annual fee of $50-100 depending on which card, etc. If one pays the balance off each month & charges alot of things on the card, it makes sense to have a card. If a person is a very heavy user of the card (say around 7-10K+ or more), the card makes sense. Of course, any of the no annual fee cards that earn points may make more sense depending on situation. (Starwood AMEX comes to mind).
Jun 5, 2003 | 7:44 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Worcester, MA, BOS, PVD, BDL, MHT, ??ORH??
Programs: Delta Platinum, HHonors Diamond, PC Platinum
Posts: 11,928
For newbies,
Read as much and as many of the flyertalk forums as you can. Don't forget to go to work, sleep, and clean your house, however. It can be addictive.
Then go here
http://www.webflyer.com/
and click all over the left hand side of the page. Start with Program Questions.
Finally, check out how stuff works here
http://money.howstuffworks.com/ff-programs.htm
Good luck.
Read as much and as many of the flyertalk forums as you can. Don't forget to go to work, sleep, and clean your house, however. It can be addictive.
Then go here
http://www.webflyer.com/
and click all over the left hand side of the page. Start with Program Questions.
Finally, check out how stuff works here
http://money.howstuffworks.com/ff-programs.htm
Good luck.
Jun 5, 2003 | 6:40 pm
#22
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 2,545
Since you mentioned that your wife and you would both like to travel more, I wanted to point out one of my favorite features of the Starwood American Express card (free for the first year).
Starwood allows spouses to transfer their Starpoints back and forth between accounts. This allows you to transfer points over to the other's account if he/she needs some more points to top off an airline account. Unfortunately, United is about the only major airline in which Starpoints do not transfer 1:1. Most all others, they do transfer 1:1.
I love this feature because my wife and I can look at our accounts and shore up the lower one by transferring Starpoints - we just did it about a month ago when she donated 2,000 of her Starpoints to my account so I had enough to top off one of my airline accounts.
I believe this is an important feature when trying to build up the accounts of both spouses so you can both travel together.
It's one of the many reasons I favor Starwood over the other hotel programs and I favor the Starwood American Express card over other credit cards. The only obvious drawback is the unfortunate 2:1 ratio when transferring Starpoints to United miles (although this could change eventually, who knows)
[This message has been edited by jmartin (edited 06-05-2003).]
Starwood allows spouses to transfer their Starpoints back and forth between accounts. This allows you to transfer points over to the other's account if he/she needs some more points to top off an airline account. Unfortunately, United is about the only major airline in which Starpoints do not transfer 1:1. Most all others, they do transfer 1:1.
I love this feature because my wife and I can look at our accounts and shore up the lower one by transferring Starpoints - we just did it about a month ago when she donated 2,000 of her Starpoints to my account so I had enough to top off one of my airline accounts.
I believe this is an important feature when trying to build up the accounts of both spouses so you can both travel together.
It's one of the many reasons I favor Starwood over the other hotel programs and I favor the Starwood American Express card over other credit cards. The only obvious drawback is the unfortunate 2:1 ratio when transferring Starpoints to United miles (although this could change eventually, who knows)
[This message has been edited by jmartin (edited 06-05-2003).]