bou hunter

This might be a little long, I wanted to share our experience getting award tickets for the first time, wondering if this is typical. My wife and I each have enough miles for our destination, but will have to buy the ticket for our daughter. For this reason, I felt it would be best to handle it by phone instead of online, not wanting to get awards or her purchased tickets seperately and gamble we could match up the flights. So I go online, and standard (35,000 mile) awards are available to SJU for our dates. Price a ticket for my daughter, lots of options available for 699.00. Immediately call NWA. Yes, awards are available at 35,000 miles, sure you can purchase a third ticket - 1,100.00!!! I declined, figured I'd call back later and try again. Check awards online later, now 60,000 miles....oh well we're flexible, and moving back a day they're at 35,000 miles. Call in, no award seats available that day(there were online 5 minutes ago ), but if you want to fly a day later (our original preference) they're 35,000 miles(they were 60,000 online 5 minutes ago ). The daughters ticket is 670.00. Book it Dano - here's my credit card #. I'm put on hold. She comes back on - computer has crashed. Will call back 5-10 minutes. Never calls back that night. Next day I call - they say I cancelled those reservations (which I didn't, of course). Nothing they can do. After 45 minutes on the phone we're rebooked, now daughters ticket is 550.00 and ours are 35,000 miles. So this morning I pull up the three reservations and print them. Our 6 year old is on a different return flight I call AGAIN, oh yes sir I'll move her to your flight - the ticket will be 660.00! I said that is unacceptable - I was sold that ticket yesterday for 550.00. She said sorry, that's all I can do. I stood my ground, and after 10 minutes on hold her ticket is changed at the original price.
I've left out some details probably, it was 3 days and close to 3 hours on the phone.

Given our desire to purchase 2 award tickets from 2 seperat accounts and buy a third with all of us flying together, would there have been a better way to accomplish this? Oh well it took some time, but we're going to SJU, 3 of us for a total of 550.00!!

HeelLaw

Is there a reason you didn't book the tickets online when you saw the availability you wanted?

michaelr

This has happened to me several times with the online search engine. Flights seem to appear and disappear. However, usually a slight detail changed in the result set and the saver award can be found by selecting the original standard award flight by schedule. Once I find one, I print out the details in case it doesn't come in the next search.

UpgradeMe

Unless your daughter flies as much as you do, you should have given her the free tickets and bought a ticket for yourself to earn the miles.

Standby4321

Amen!

dab

I wouldn't have thought of that.

slippahs

I can't understand why so many don't...

It's just an unusual hum-bug of booking award tickets and purchasing a ticket. I for one would have booked everything online when I saw the availability. Would have saved me an additional $5 as well .

aloha

wonderer

One time I booked 2 awardtickets from Anc to Grr for my son and 6 year old granddaughter. I booked hers with my NW miles, then I had to call Alaska Air, to book his using his Alaska miles to fly NW. The hardest one to do was the Alaska Air reward. They didn't want to do it, but I kept saying his daughter was already on the plane and they finally relented. I was amazed they let me do it.

notsosmart

Sounds to me like the OP got what he wanted... and more.

bou hunter, remember, you have until midnight to cancel a paid ticket, and you can always cancel an award (albeit for $50 if you're not platinum). This means that next time you see an opportunity online - grab it! It can always be fixed later.

bou hunter

notsosmart,
You're right, we did get what we needed and more (her ticket ended up at 550.00 instead of the 699.00 online price). The ability to cancel in 24 hours probably would have let us accomplish what we needed online, one way or another. I tried to handle it by phone to be SURE we were all on the same flight.

As for buying our daughters ticket, she and my wife fly 1-2 times per year, myself 2-4, so there isn't much difference. She's 5 now and has 19,000 miles, this trip to SJU will probably put her at a standard award!

hnechets

And don't forget, bou hunter, that one's own frequent flyer card is a surefire crowd pleaser during "Show and Tell" in elementary school!

bou hunter

To the last poster - I think you should go back to elementary school (or maybe you're still there)- especially the class on courtesy and civil behavior. Otherwise get a life, and stay away from this forum, child. If you're not a child, I pity you and it's too bad you're so bitter and angry to make a post like that. Someday you might GET A LIFE and be stop making foolish, mean spirited posts.

Radiocycle

The OP questions were discussed, however personal attacks are not permitted on FT per the TOS.

Please refrain from personal attacks in the future.

Radiocycle
NWA Moderator