who has gambled points for awards?
Feb 9, 2016, 2:00 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: California via OAK
Posts: 139
who has gambled points for awards?
I am just asking for personal experiences. I am looking to book from SFO to asia using SQ1 or SQ15. However, it seems like everything is on waitlist. It seems like a huge gamble to transfer points from CSP or TYP and lock it into SQ or at least *A. This is a flexi date to fly but everything else will be sync'ed like hotel,excursions and dinners ETC. If waitlist doesn't clear everything else is non refundable.
Feb 9, 2016, 11:13 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,739
What do you mean by everything else is non-refundable? Your hotel bookings, rental car reservations etc.? It is under your control to make them fully flexible, e.g. booking flex hotel rates (at first) or using hotel rewards redemptions which usually have the same rules than best flexible rates. Sure theses days they also come with 24 or 48hrs cancellation deadlines, but that is manageable given you are trying to clear for your flights first.
Once flights clear and plans become more certain, you can lock in hotels and other bookings as desired. As long as your reservations allow refunds, you should be okay.
Yes a bit more work, but not impossible. No guarantee the flights you want will clear of course, but at least you can control the "damage". The one irreversible commitment is that your miles will be good for 3 years in KF program and you need to use them by then. Your call. YMMV.
Once flights clear and plans become more certain, you can lock in hotels and other bookings as desired. As long as your reservations allow refunds, you should be okay.
Yes a bit more work, but not impossible. No guarantee the flights you want will clear of course, but at least you can control the "damage". The one irreversible commitment is that your miles will be good for 3 years in KF program and you need to use them by then. Your call. YMMV.
Feb 10, 2016, 1:41 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
There is no particular guarantee that any waitlist request will clear, and if it does clear, it may not be until a short time before the trip.
You could consider transferring points, waitlisting all of the possible dates and flights that interest you, and then find other *A awards to book for your trip using the SQ miles. Then, if the SQ waitlists clear, you can pay a small fee to cancel the *A award and use the miles for the SQ flights instead. Between NH, OZ, AC, and (if one must) UA, you should be able to find other *A award options to use while you wait.
I'd recommend booking both the waitlists and the awards as separate one-ways in each direction, to give you maximum flexibility in moving things around and being open to waitlists opening up.
Do note that you may have to pay more points for a *A award than you would for an SQ award, so you may be stuck with some leftover SQ miles if your waitlists do clear. But probably worthwhile, and those leftover SQ miles can be put toward your next award, especially if you live in *A-rich SFO.
You could consider transferring points, waitlisting all of the possible dates and flights that interest you, and then find other *A awards to book for your trip using the SQ miles. Then, if the SQ waitlists clear, you can pay a small fee to cancel the *A award and use the miles for the SQ flights instead. Between NH, OZ, AC, and (if one must) UA, you should be able to find other *A award options to use while you wait.
I'd recommend booking both the waitlists and the awards as separate one-ways in each direction, to give you maximum flexibility in moving things around and being open to waitlists opening up.
Do note that you may have to pay more points for a *A award than you would for an SQ award, so you may be stuck with some leftover SQ miles if your waitlists do clear. But probably worthwhile, and those leftover SQ miles can be put toward your next award, especially if you live in *A-rich SFO.
Feb 10, 2016, 3:04 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: EWR
Posts: 36
Feb 11, 2016, 8:10 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
I did not see what class you were trying to book.
If F or J, would you be okay to go with the lower class?
Personally, we waitlisted from DEL-SIN, and SIN-MNL. We had J booked with F waitlisted. The F eventually came through - maybe a month or so later?
If F or J, would you be okay to go with the lower class?
Personally, we waitlisted from DEL-SIN, and SIN-MNL. We had J booked with F waitlisted. The F eventually came through - maybe a month or so later?
Feb 11, 2016, 9:21 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: Free agent
Posts: 1,296
Similar question, but more quantity related. Is three business class seats a pipe dream? Would be departing on a Wednesday and don't care about routing as long as it's the late night/evening flight from US-SIN then onwards to DPS.
I cleared a waitlist for two F seats a couple of years ago a month in advance, so my experience with WL has been favorable so far, but three tickets might be another story.
I cleared a waitlist for two F seats a couple of years ago a month in advance, so my experience with WL has been favorable so far, but three tickets might be another story.
Feb 11, 2016, 10:55 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: UA 1K, Hertz 5*, IHG RA, Hyatt Diamond, Amex Plat, SPG Gold
Posts: 717
Many times, with large amounts of points transferred. Most of the time it has worked out and the waitlist cleared. The few times it has not, I was still able to use the points on another trip.
Taking it one step further, majority of points are purchased at $0.025/point so I 'risk' $25,000/year buying 1MM points through 2 Amex cards. However, the 1MM points usually yields 10+ one way flights in First/Suites which is a bargain!
Taking it one step further, majority of points are purchased at $0.025/point so I 'risk' $25,000/year buying 1MM points through 2 Amex cards. However, the 1MM points usually yields 10+ one way flights in First/Suites which is a bargain!
Feb 13, 2016, 7:01 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA EXP, UA Gold, SPG Plat
Posts: 386
If you are flexible and able leave mid week. I say your chances are high. I have flown and booked SQ J/F many times with success. I even managed to snag 4 F on SQ15 when it had 8 seats. So definitely possible.
Feb 13, 2016, 10:56 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ, UA, Delta, BMI(RIP), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond (Thanks Amex) Hyatt Discov
Posts: 1,942
Short hauls are easier for premium cabin redemptions, long hauls are the problem. I have had very little success in clearing SIN-JFK or JFK-SIN premium cabin redemptions clear the wait list.
Feb 14, 2016, 8:18 am
#15
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,739
That one is probably the toughest one to clear out there I reckon. LAX is a tad easier I find and SFO has at least two daily flights. IAH can be a hit and miss though I'm not fond of the transit in Moscow.