Award booking services - a list and some reviews
|
|||
#136
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 384
Does anyone know if any award booking services have 1k or premier status on united?
I already have an routing made, but with close in ticketing fees and possible rescheduling (changing dates within 21 days) it'd be worth the fee to have someone with status book the award from their account.
Is this even possible for award services? I'd simply pay the cash + transfer the necessary UR points.
I already have an routing made, but with close in ticketing fees and possible rescheduling (changing dates within 21 days) it'd be worth the fee to have someone with status book the award from their account.
Is this even possible for award services? I'd simply pay the cash + transfer the necessary UR points.
#137
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: DFW
Posts: 400
It's hard to explain what I want - but what I think I want isn't very hard to get - but I want to pay someone who knows more than I do to sit and just email back and forth - bounce ideas off of me - not even necessarily who has many tricks. But something like "We have all summer, we want to go some place that we can't drive to in a couple of days, this is what we got as far as points - what do you suggest?" For four people - it seems like fees get up to $600 - where this may take an hour conversation over a few days. Any ideas on lower-cost booking services for newbies when the challenge isn't particularly hard - but it's a first time award booking for them and they want to pay for the handholding/spoon feeding?
#138
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
It's hard to explain what I want - but what I think I want isn't very hard to get - but I want to pay someone who knows more than I do to sit and just email back and forth - bounce ideas off of me - not even necessarily who has many tricks. But something like "We have all summer, we want to go some place that we can't drive to in a couple of days, this is what we got as far as points - what do you suggest?" For four people - it seems like fees get up to $600 - where this may take an hour conversation over a few days. Any ideas on lower-cost booking services for newbies when the challenge isn't particularly hard - but it's a first time award booking for them and they want to pay for the handholding/spoon feeding?
#139
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: DFW
Posts: 400
Is it appropriate to email all of them in essence to low ball them from their original quotes? Are these prices negotiable? Theoretically, some would have no problem charging $800 dollars to book 4 of us directly from DFW to SEA (as an example!)
#140
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360

Especially on larger bookings, you may score a deal.
#141
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DRW
Posts: 5,282
Originally Posted by horseymen:20470800
It's hard to explain what I want - but what I think I want isn't very hard to get - but I want to pay someone who knows more than I do to sit and just email back and forth - bounce ideas off of me - not even necessarily who has many tricks. But something like "We have all summer, we want to go some place that we can't drive to in a couple of days, this is what we got as far as points - what do you suggest?" For four people - it seems like fees get up to $600 - where this may take an hour conversation over a few days. Any ideas on lower-cost booking services for newbies when the challenge isn't particularly hard - but it's a first time award booking for them and they want to pay for the handholding/spoon feeding?
#142
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: DL GM, AMEX Business Platinum, AMEX Delta Reserve, DL SkyClub Member, Choice PM
Posts: 2,218
It's hard to explain what I want - but what I think I want isn't very hard to get - but I want to pay someone who knows more than I do to sit and just email back and forth - bounce ideas off of me - not even necessarily who has many tricks. But something like "We have all summer, we want to go some place that we can't drive to in a couple of days, this is what we got as far as points - what do you suggest?" For four people - it seems like fees get up to $600 - where this may take an hour conversation over a few days. Any ideas on lower-cost booking services for newbies when the challenge isn't particularly hard - but it's a first time award booking for them and they want to pay for the handholding/spoon feeding?
Where do you want to fly and when?
Which airline alliance?
What is your flexibility?
#143
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: DFW
Posts: 400
Summer vacation. Some place cool. Flexibility? May 20th to August 15th. 4 business class tickets. 100k UR, 100k MR, 50k AA, 50k United is what I've got right now.
It seems that going to actual Alaska is my best bet as far as best bang for the miles buck as far as going some place exotic that is an uncomfortable drive.. but maybe I'm missing something.
But maybe one can transfer UR miles to get 2 of the tickets using XYZ redemption on some alliance and one can transfer MR miles to get the other 2 tickets using ABC redemption on the same alliance but different program. These are things that as a rookie, you just don't know! Maybe it opens up other places. There's a value for me in having that kind of dialogue with someone who is super knowledgable. I'm a pretty smart person - but hopefully you can understand the whole idea of 30 airline programs and thousands of destinations for someone who has flown 5 times in his life is a little overwhelming.
Edited to add: This is trending toward its own subject, so I'll move it to its own thread - but it sounds like something like what I'm looking for isn't necessarily best suited for award booking - which is good as we learn the types of things that are and are not suited for award booking.
Last edited by horseymen; Mar 24, 13 at 12:35 pm
#144
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: AA, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 243
Just saw an ad for "Lantern Travel" under the Flyertalk logo on this page. They seem like a new award travel service, maybe 1-2 months old?
#145
Crossposting is not really the best way to get an answer.... Since most of your miles are with US and AA try ONE of those forums and see what kind of answers you get before posting in all forums.
Plenty of threads in the US forum to read what awards to Europe will cost you and how to see what's available.
Plenty of threads in the US forum to read what awards to Europe will cost you and how to see what's available.
#146
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
Updated based on this PM;
"...My URL is http://www.awardbookingservice.com
To prevent spam I do not post my email address on the page but have a simple form located at: http://www.awardbookingservice.com/contact-us/..."
"...My URL is http://www.awardbookingservice.com
To prevent spam I do not post my email address on the page but have a simple form located at: http://www.awardbookingservice.com/contact-us/..."
#147
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 2
I will mention my award booking service as well.
I try to answer within 24 hrs and since its not my FT job, I haven't advertised enough but do get 3-4 customers per week (referrals through friends and family) and if I ever get more than 10 a week, I will advise the customer to either wait or contact other services.
I try to answer within 24 hrs and since its not my FT job, I haven't advertised enough but do get 3-4 customers per week (referrals through friends and family) and if I ever get more than 10 a week, I will advise the customer to either wait or contact other services.
#148
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 203
any suggestions if I already researched and picked out the flights with availability, and just need someone to do the agent roulette routine to do the actual booking?
#149
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DRW
Posts: 5,282
If you've gotten that far just do it yourself I reckon.
#150
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: Marriott, AAdvantage, United, Club Carlson
Posts: 1,661
My signature as well