ORD-CPH business class award availability
Jan 20, 2017, 5:34 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 115
ORD-CPH business class award availability
I was hoping to use Air Canada Aeroplan miles to fly SAS nonstop from Chicago to Copenhagen on August 22. My timing is not very flexible as I have relatives visiting me in Chicago until August 21 and I have to be in England for a wedding on September 2. I'm hoping to get a nice 10 day trip to Scandinavia (route TBD...Denmark and Norway maybe?) which I've never been to before.
I thought I saw availability for this route during August when I looked a few months ago, but now there appears to be close to 0 availability on that route for most any day unless I look out to November. If I'm patient and wait, is SAS likely to release more seats? The best alternative looks like United to Dublin in a crappy configuration, then a long layover before continuing to Copenhagen on SAS. Not very appealing.
I could be talked into flying to Stockholm instead of Copenhagen, seeing as I haven't been to either, but there's no nonstop award availability on that route either.
I thought I saw availability for this route during August when I looked a few months ago, but now there appears to be close to 0 availability on that route for most any day unless I look out to November. If I'm patient and wait, is SAS likely to release more seats? The best alternative looks like United to Dublin in a crappy configuration, then a long layover before continuing to Copenhagen on SAS. Not very appealing.
I could be talked into flying to Stockholm instead of Copenhagen, seeing as I haven't been to either, but there's no nonstop award availability on that route either.
Jan 20, 2017, 6:32 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,169
I was hoping to use Air Canada Aeroplan miles to fly SAS nonstop from Chicago to Copenhagen on August 22. My timing is not very flexible as I have relatives visiting me in Chicago until August 21 and I have to be in England for a wedding on September 2. I'm hoping to get a nice 10 day trip to Scandinavia (route TBD...Denmark and Norway maybe?) which I've never been to before.
I thought I saw availability for this route during August when I looked a few months ago, but now there appears to be close to 0 availability on that route for most any day unless I look out to November. If I'm patient and wait, is SAS likely to release more seats? The best alternative looks like United to Dublin in a crappy configuration, then a long layover before continuing to Copenhagen on SAS. Not very appealing.
I could be talked into flying to Stockholm instead of Copenhagen, seeing as I haven't been to either, but there's no nonstop award availability on that route either.
I thought I saw availability for this route during August when I looked a few months ago, but now there appears to be close to 0 availability on that route for most any day unless I look out to November. If I'm patient and wait, is SAS likely to release more seats? The best alternative looks like United to Dublin in a crappy configuration, then a long layover before continuing to Copenhagen on SAS. Not very appealing.
I could be talked into flying to Stockholm instead of Copenhagen, seeing as I haven't been to either, but there's no nonstop award availability on that route either.
Jan 21, 2017, 1:03 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,848
I agree, don't count on an award seat becoming available - it is unlikely once gone. And as you are only able to travel on 22 Aug it will be like finding a needle in hay stack - not going to happen. You need to rethink your options.
Mar 23, 2017, 3:16 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 115
Conclusion to this story:
I booked an award flight that went from ORD->JFK in the morning on United then EWR->ZRH->CPH in the evening on Swiss. It was the best availability I could find, and I figured at least I could spend the day with a friend in New York City before the EWR->ZRH segment.
However, when I booked the Aeroplan operator told me that changes were only $100 Canadian, so I put a reminder in my phone to check every week and see if something better opened up. Well, today it did! A business class award seat on the nonstop SAS flight from ORD to CPH became available so I switched to it.
Total cost to me for the change was $130 Canadian (about $100 US) since I had to pay $30 Canadian when I booked the original itinerary over the phone with Aeroplan since it's not something that I could put together online. The nonstop flight of course I could have booked without that charge. Still, that's not a horrible cost to have something locked down given my inflexibility and then have the ability to switch to a much better itinerary if it opened up, which thankfully it did!
I booked an award flight that went from ORD->JFK in the morning on United then EWR->ZRH->CPH in the evening on Swiss. It was the best availability I could find, and I figured at least I could spend the day with a friend in New York City before the EWR->ZRH segment.
However, when I booked the Aeroplan operator told me that changes were only $100 Canadian, so I put a reminder in my phone to check every week and see if something better opened up. Well, today it did! A business class award seat on the nonstop SAS flight from ORD to CPH became available so I switched to it.
Total cost to me for the change was $130 Canadian (about $100 US) since I had to pay $30 Canadian when I booked the original itinerary over the phone with Aeroplan since it's not something that I could put together online. The nonstop flight of course I could have booked without that charge. Still, that's not a horrible cost to have something locked down given my inflexibility and then have the ability to switch to a much better itinerary if it opened up, which thankfully it did!
Mar 24, 2017, 2:47 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,935
Conclusion to this story:
I booked an award flight that went from ORD->JFK in the morning on United then EWR->ZRH->CPH in the evening on Swiss. It was the best availability I could find, and I figured at least I could spend the day with a friend in New York City before the EWR->ZRH segment.
However, when I booked the Aeroplan operator told me that changes were only $100 Canadian, so I put a reminder in my phone to check every week and see if something better opened up. Well, today it did! A business class award seat on the nonstop SAS flight from ORD to CPH became available so I switched to it.
Total cost to me for the change was $130 Canadian (about $100 US) since I had to pay $30 Canadian when I booked the original itinerary over the phone with Aeroplan since it's not something that I could put together online. The nonstop flight of course I could have booked without that charge. Still, that's not a horrible cost to have something locked down given my inflexibility and then have the ability to switch to a much better itinerary if it opened up, which thankfully it did!
I booked an award flight that went from ORD->JFK in the morning on United then EWR->ZRH->CPH in the evening on Swiss. It was the best availability I could find, and I figured at least I could spend the day with a friend in New York City before the EWR->ZRH segment.
However, when I booked the Aeroplan operator told me that changes were only $100 Canadian, so I put a reminder in my phone to check every week and see if something better opened up. Well, today it did! A business class award seat on the nonstop SAS flight from ORD to CPH became available so I switched to it.
Total cost to me for the change was $130 Canadian (about $100 US) since I had to pay $30 Canadian when I booked the original itinerary over the phone with Aeroplan since it's not something that I could put together online. The nonstop flight of course I could have booked without that charge. Still, that's not a horrible cost to have something locked down given my inflexibility and then have the ability to switch to a much better itinerary if it opened up, which thankfully it did!
Enjoy your vacation in Denmark/Norway. Great time of year. Good chances on good weather and most people are back at school/work