*A Award Availability Tool?
 

Im US2 trying to get across the pond on LH/SQ/UA in first. The UA site shows first class availability, but when I call US they do not have anything. Obviously, the availability for MR members is different than other *A FF members. This forces me to call US all the time to see if anything has freed up and I am getting tired of making that call and waiting 15 minutes to get through.

Is there a website that has a tool that can help me check *A award availability?

I'm sorry if this has already been asked & answered, but the search function is not working and I could not find anything after browsing more than a few pages. Thanks for your help!

-DR

Which pond?

The Atlantic! I'm doing NYC-LON-GVA-NYC and am willing to take a few connections to do it. I actually have UA C on the outbound and LH F on the return on hold. I'm trying to find availability in F on any * airline on the outboind leg since I am already burining the 100k. There is no C availability on the return (or so I'm told) to bring it down to 80k.

Do you know of any tools out there to automate the *award availability process?

Easiest is ringing up your FFP. It may help if you are prepared and know of alternative partner airlines or routings to suggest.

Otherwise there are a number (reducing sadly) of availability tools, which you could use (look up the operating airline rather than your FFP's airline) - but most dont show award availability; and as many have noted the availability may vary depending on which FFP it is being paid for (by miles) and also perhaps by status.

So, sorry I am not aware of anything that could automate your search.

The other option is to use Randy's www.awardplanner.com and let them take care of the hassles for you.

Thanks KF. I called awardplanner and they discouraged me from even trying to work with them. So I guess I'll continue to hit the phones.

Happy ending. Shockingly (to me at least), I got SQ J award JFK-FRA, then on to LHR. All this because I got a phone agent who is as dilligent as I would be if I could look it up on the computer myself. This is only 1 week out from flying...not bad at all.

I'll cross-post this on the US site.

Congratulations!

Why, out of interest, were the ppl at awardplanner not eager to get your business?

I was trying to figure that out myself.

I told them I had a few bookings held (not ticketed) and that my fly date was about a week away. With that they seemed to lose interest. I guess they like to take it from the start of the process, but that doesnt make much sense to me either.

The person I taked to did sound very busy, maybe that was it.

The strangest part was that after a minute or so she started saying things like..."if you have already made the calls, then we wont do much better than that". She wasnt the best saleswoman I have ever run into, that's for sure.

Is there another ?

When I was studying International Relations they used to call the Caribbean the "American Pond".

How about the Pacific? Also, many other seas are called 'the pond', such as the Tasman Sea between OZ and NZ.

I havent heard that one before - ditch yes, but not pond.

Yes (brain lock), you are right Kiwi Flyer, about the Tasman Sea. I do hear people referring to the Pacific (and other waterways) as the pond though, or is that just in my sociolect?

At least with M&M they have the same available awards as shown on the UA site.

BD also have the same availability as shown on the UA award booking site (if you select saver award availability).

But I have to say, after coming back from SFO yesterday on an F UA reward... I most certainly won't be wasting my miles again! And especially not any cash!!! The flight was absolutely appalling.