How do I check reward flight availability?
 

Is there any chance that a reward guru could put together a concept of how to check reward flights on partner airlines within 1W without using a telephone.

For example, I would like to check reward availability from LON to KIV and this route is served by Malev. I cannot check this on AA without a phone call. I cannot check this on QF as the route is not listed, without a phone call. I cannot check this on BA as the partner route bit is down (again).

It might not even be possible, because the final part might be a Malev codeshare on Air Moldova metal. This becomes interesting as a marketing ploy for 1W and all the destinations that they count as being available for flights.

I am the world's worst 1W redeemer of miles. I had 3 million expire in the old days and my only recent redemption was 100,000 BA miles for a MAN-LGW single.

One reason for choosing to redeem to KIV is the high ticket price from LON.

I am aware that it might be a complicated matrix but I am sure that someone on the board knows how to do some of it!

Use the QF account you have stopped using! ;)

The only issue with using the QF account is that you can see beyond the Sabre 330 day limit.

I have a hearing-impaired friend who I helped book a rather elaborate AA Oneworld award itinerary, all in J (F for US domestic) for him and his wife, to wit:

MIA-xBOS-MAD-ATH-xAMM-BKK-HKG-PVG-xHKG-CMB-SIN-PER-BNE-LAX-xORD-BOS-MIA

Resources deployed in order to see availability, all online:

Expert Flyer for AA segments
Iberia FF program for IB segments
BA Exec. Club for RJ segments
Qantas FF for QF segments
Asiamiles/MPC for CX/KA segments

I couldn't see RJ or CX sectors on the QF site, nor any but their own on the CX, IB or AA sites. But put them all together and I hit 100% - if the flight was shown as available on the other airlines' sites, the AA rep had no trouble booking them on the phone. (She was rather shocked that I could walk her through a 16 segment, 6 carrier itinerary in rapid fire pace - the whole thing took 15 min. on the phone once I had everything lined up.)

ETA: MA flights show up fine on the QF website, unfortunately KIV doesn't. I doubt that Moldavian Airlines is eligible for use with any OW mileage plan, but could be wrong.

QF has improved dramatically in seeing other segments lately, but I agree that it is still not great. No prizes for guessing why there is a lack of CX availability which mysteriously becomes available when you speak to an agent.

The other option for the OP is his BA account as BA's new online award booking engine is pretty good. BA picked up their act fairly recently and you can now see most OW availability using their tool.

Malev doesn't serve this route. They only code share to KIV. But don't despair, S7 is flying to KIV 1-2 times daily. But to check this award availability you will need to pick up the phone. Or join S7. And you have some experience with them IIRC.

i've been trying to use the FF tool on the qantas website. I only get Qantas flights, how do I get flights from other airlines like Cathay?

Well the QF site does not have my home airport in the Middle East, or my new home airport in South America.

Used the BA site to check getting to LHR via AMM and of course there is availability to AMM but none to LHR. The ticket to LHR from AMM is more expensive than the ticket including the flight to AMM.

As for KIV, well I know that it is operated by Moldovan on the Saab. Boo hoo, missed the Tu 134 on this route.

Can anyone answer the question about destinations served by oneworld and if these exclude codeshares on non 1W airlines. Is the number claimed including non 1W members. They seem to imply that you can redeem miles to any destination "served".

I find that the best way to check reward seat availability, by far, is the KVS Tool. A small annual donation is required (and I mean small, -- I'm in the top tier, Diamond, for USD$75/year), but it's worth every penny.

It's easy:

http://Help.KVSTool.com/#Classes

[KVS Availability Tool 6.0.2/Diamond - Amadeus: Awards/OneWorld/AU-QFA-SP1]
They do have seasonal codeshares with Aerosvit, and no, those flights are not eligible for OneWorld award redemptions:

[KVS Availability Tool 6.0.2/Diamond - Amadeus: Timetable/NL-BCDF]

I've found an easy way to check the QF OW availability as well as BA is to use AwardNexus.com which is free to FT members.

The QF engine can actually show a lot more airports when accessed by KVS rather than the QF website.
Also, in general you can't redeem miles on none OW airlines unless your Frequent Flyer Program has some special arrangements. So all those codeshares need to be operated on OW metal.


But the OP doesn't want to go to Kiev, he wants to go to Chisinau. And for that you need to check S7 award availability.

Indeed.

Ooops -- wrong city pair. And yes, S7 is the only OW option for the Moldovan capital:

[KVS Availability Tool 6.0.2/Diamond - Amadeus: Timetable/NL-BCDF]
[KVS Availability Tool 6.0.2/Diamond - Amadeus: Timetable/NL-BCDF]

Will give it a spin. Thanks. ^

Many thanks, just remember there is a difference between wanting to go somewhere and needing to go somewhere too! Moldova usually falls into the need category for the business visitors of their 15,000 foreign visitors last year. The want category might be more appropriately stated as "wanton" with the Italian males visiting the local sex dens.

I am not Italian!

I have a feeling that an S7 redemption using QF miles might not be that efficient given the charge per sector length. Anyway, I cannot book anything without using the phone and have to wait for S7 on that route or buy via Malev