I know it's early but... award flights near Christmas?
May 16, 2017, 4:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Portugal
Programs: *G, VS Silver, HH Diamond
Posts: 631
I know it's early but... award flights near Christmas?
Does anything open up for this? Out of curiosity. Everything is currently blocked out from mid-December to mid-January for flights CPH-IAD. I've not checked other routes but I'm guessing they'd be the same.
I'm trying to get me and the boyfriend to/from Malmř to either DC or Florida. Just trying to figure out the best way to get us both there in at least plus one way/business on the return but ultimately hoping business for both directions.
Maybe a different airline?
I have a love/hate with being new to all of this - awards and such
I'm trying to get me and the boyfriend to/from Malmř to either DC or Florida. Just trying to figure out the best way to get us both there in at least plus one way/business on the return but ultimately hoping business for both directions.
Maybe a different airline?
I have a love/hate with being new to all of this - awards and such
May 16, 2017, 6:06 pm
#2
Suspended
Join Date: May 2017
Location: In the Swiss amoeba's head
Programs: Lowest level possible
Posts: 2,829
It's not early, it's late... 
Most airlines release award seats 11 months before the flight dates, so the Christmas-time award seats were released in late January.
There's a pretty good chance that additional award seats will be released sometime in the future, but it's hard to say when. Some airlines release additional award seats a couple of weeks before departure, while others release award seats at other times.
If you're using SAS points, you can book award flights on Star Alliance airlines, and there are plenty of Star Alliance airlines that have transatlantic flights. Finding award seats for the nonstop Copenhagen-Washington or Copenhagen-Miami SAS flights would probably be preferable, but you may have to settle for itineraries with a connection in Europe or the US.
I have had pretty good luck finding award seats for the Copenhagen-Toronto (Air Canada) route, but then you would need to find award seats on United or Air Canada to your destination as well.
The easiest way to search for Star Alliance award flights may be to use the United Airlines or Air Canada websites to search for available flights and then call SAS to book it.
Most airlines release award seats 11 months before the flight dates, so the Christmas-time award seats were released in late January.
There's a pretty good chance that additional award seats will be released sometime in the future, but it's hard to say when. Some airlines release additional award seats a couple of weeks before departure, while others release award seats at other times.
If you're using SAS points, you can book award flights on Star Alliance airlines, and there are plenty of Star Alliance airlines that have transatlantic flights. Finding award seats for the nonstop Copenhagen-Washington or Copenhagen-Miami SAS flights would probably be preferable, but you may have to settle for itineraries with a connection in Europe or the US.
I have had pretty good luck finding award seats for the Copenhagen-Toronto (Air Canada) route, but then you would need to find award seats on United or Air Canada to your destination as well.
The easiest way to search for Star Alliance award flights may be to use the United Airlines or Air Canada websites to search for available flights and then call SAS to book it.
May 16, 2017, 9:12 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: EBG4Life, EBD, 1MM
Posts: 1,397
SAS pretty much zeros out award tickets around Christmas, so you have missed your chance. As previously mentioned, check other *A airlines. If you can find a 1-way award ticket, you can sometimes find cheap 1-ways to MIA using TP or DY. Can't say either airline is great, but it might help.
If you have enough points, another option is to find a cheap cash or award ticket to another destination in the US/Canada and then try and find an award ticket on UA as they don't charge YQ.
We usually book our Christmas plans 11 months out, so keep that in mind for next year. You might still find a mistake fare in the coming months, so don't give up looking. Last year we had an unexpected trip to the Philippines as we found a mistake fare to HKG, this year we travel to Honduras after finding a cheap fare from MIA to CPH.
If you have enough points, another option is to find a cheap cash or award ticket to another destination in the US/Canada and then try and find an award ticket on UA as they don't charge YQ.
We usually book our Christmas plans 11 months out, so keep that in mind for next year. You might still find a mistake fare in the coming months, so don't give up looking. Last year we had an unexpected trip to the Philippines as we found a mistake fare to HKG, this year we travel to Honduras after finding a cheap fare from MIA to CPH.
May 17, 2017, 4:54 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,083
I know a lot of people book their F/J award seats when it's available to book, i.e. 11 months ahead. I have booked *A award flights and it's very different than OW. OW (in the case of redeeming a CX flight from 2 separate OW programmes) has plenty of award seats (to the extend that award seats are available when paid tickets are sold out). However when I look at *G it was pretty difficult to find award seats.
Christmas is the travelling season here - the weather is bad and kids are off from school.
Christmas is the travelling season here - the weather is bad and kids are off from school.
May 17, 2017, 9:06 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: May 2017
Location: In the Swiss amoeba's head
Programs: Lowest level possible
Posts: 2,829
Itinerary for 2 passengers available for the moment (found it using the United award search page):
December 20: CPH-LIS-MIA (CPH-LIS in economy, LIS-MIA in business) on TAP Portugal.
December 31: MIA-ZRH-CPH (business) on Swiss
December 20: CPH-LIS-MIA (CPH-LIS in economy, LIS-MIA in business) on TAP Portugal.
December 31: MIA-ZRH-CPH (business) on Swiss
May 18, 2017, 12:04 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Portugal
Programs: *G, VS Silver, HH Diamond
Posts: 631
It's not early, it's late...
Most airlines release award seats 11 months before the flight dates, so the Christmas-time award seats were released in late January.
There's a pretty good chance that additional award seats will be released sometime in the future, but it's hard to say when. Some airlines release additional award seats a couple of weeks before departure, while others release award seats at other times.
If you're using SAS points, you can book award flights on Star Alliance airlines, and there are plenty of Star Alliance airlines that have transatlantic flights. Finding award seats for the nonstop Copenhagen-Washington or Copenhagen-Miami SAS flights would probably be preferable, but you may have to settle for itineraries with a connection in Europe or the US.
I have had pretty good luck finding award seats for the Copenhagen-Toronto (Air Canada) route, but then you would need to find award seats on United or Air Canada to your destination as well.
The easiest way to search for Star Alliance award flights may be to use the United Airlines or Air Canada websites to search for available flights and then call SAS to book it.
Most airlines release award seats 11 months before the flight dates, so the Christmas-time award seats were released in late January.
There's a pretty good chance that additional award seats will be released sometime in the future, but it's hard to say when. Some airlines release additional award seats a couple of weeks before departure, while others release award seats at other times.
If you're using SAS points, you can book award flights on Star Alliance airlines, and there are plenty of Star Alliance airlines that have transatlantic flights. Finding award seats for the nonstop Copenhagen-Washington or Copenhagen-Miami SAS flights would probably be preferable, but you may have to settle for itineraries with a connection in Europe or the US.
I have had pretty good luck finding award seats for the Copenhagen-Toronto (Air Canada) route, but then you would need to find award seats on United or Air Canada to your destination as well.
The easiest way to search for Star Alliance award flights may be to use the United Airlines or Air Canada websites to search for available flights and then call SAS to book it.
As far as connections, our ultimate destinations are both Norfolk, VA and Jacksonville, FL... And I loathe Newark and Orlando airports enough to try to avoid them with connections. It's a tricky trip to plan.
May 18, 2017, 12:04 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Portugal
Programs: *G, VS Silver, HH Diamond
Posts: 631
Yeah I was totally unaware how far in advance these tickets become available