thefixs2

We just received our first couple of awards and just looked on the date that we are traveling and there is nothing avaiable that day. What have your experiences been with when your award has become available? Could you please comment on if the time you were looking for became available as well.
I wish I could put this in real poll form, well here it goes.

Options are:
#1- Award was available the day flights opened.
#2- Award was available 5 months out.
#3- Award was available 4 months out.
#4- Award was available 3 months out.
#5- Award was available 2 months out.
#6- Award was available 1 month out.
#7- Award was available 3 weeks out.
#8- Award was available 2 weeks out.
#9- Award was available 1 weeks out.
#10- Award was available a few days out.
#11- Award never became available for day I was looking for.


Thanks for all the help and info, and for the record we are looking for MCO to ISP on April 1st. I looked and there was no availability from April 1st thru the 7th. This is not looking good.

HPN-HRL

I have had all of your situations #1-10 occur. I suppose #11 should also count, but I don't expect to get an award ticket on a holiday weekend. (Note that you are trying to book NYC-FLA over Easter Weekend - I don't expect that to open up at all.) Between Xmas & New year's, I was able to book an award for CLE-HRL a few days prior (and shocked that it worked out!)

bon95

If you're willing to fly out of TPA there is award availability for TPA-ISP non-stop on the 7am flight April 1st.

admmr

Holiday weekends are difficult. Best advice is to check multiple and I mean MULTIPLE times per day. You never know when your dates might have a seat or two open up. I've had them open a week out, and sometimes as late as the day before. And if the dates you want to travel are that important, buy the flight you want, and if your RR seats come available, cancel the flight you paid for and use the credit later.

thefixs2

I guess I can dream....


Thank you for the leg work. I have a flight out of MCO already.


Yeas I will have to become OCD about this for any shot. I currently have the last flight out paid for. So a couple RR seats would save me a bundle.

thefixs2

If an entire week is unavailable, would there be hope for spots opening as you get closer to departure day? If there are empty seats?

admmr

There may be, but it is most unlikely in that case. I would still check very very frequently, something might change. I would try to buy 8 tickets on a flight, if it won't allow you to buy that many, more than likely they will not open up any award seats. At least that is what I have found in the past.

thefixs2

Thank You.^

Anymore?

honey4life12

It's indirect (and a long day with only a 35 minute connection) but I found MCO to BHM and then BHM to ISP. I tried 1 passenger first but then was able to search and find availability for 3 passengers (that's how many you needed, right?)

Depart Apr 01 Thu 2 MCO-BHM-ISP 3497 Depart Orlando (MCO) at 8:55 AM
Arrive in Birmingham (BHM) at 9:35 AM
2011 Change planes in Birmingham (BHM) departing at 10:10 AM
Arrive in Long Island (ISP) at 3:50 PM

I couldn't find any from MCO to cities with nonstop service into ISP.

thefixs2

Thanks for the research!^ I shutter at the idea of dragging wife and two young kids around, I would cry.


Next question: What dollar value do you put on an award? Would you use in on a $109 fare. $99, $79.......

irabk

That is a personal choice, depending on what routes you fly and how many awards you have. If you mostly fly $79 routes, and are sitting on a ton of awards, with some soon to expire, and more in the pipeline, a $59 fare looks better than spending $50 to reissue it down the road. On the other hand, if you fly $159-$219 routes, and only have a couple, with few in the pipeline, a $109 fare looks wasted.

On average, the value of a one way flight on an award is $150, give or take.

thefixs2

Thank you.

Any more experience or opinions?