Help! Step-by-Step: How to book a Star Alliance award ticket with Miles & Smiles
#61
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SCQ
Programs: tk gold, lh ftl, ab gold
Posts: 352
Hi! Need a one way award ticket TBS-LED.
Using TK miles for TK flights, the fees are enormous, about 130EUR.
Would the fees be less if i use the miles to buy a partner award (LH or LO)? Or if i use M&M miles to buy TK flights?
Thanks!
Using TK miles for TK flights, the fees are enormous, about 130EUR.
Would the fees be less if i use the miles to buy a partner award (LH or LO)? Or if i use M&M miles to buy TK flights?
Thanks!
#65
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA Gold, TP Silver
Posts: 888
#66
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: UA1K MM, JL JMB SAPPHIRE, Marriott Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,267
Went to TK's Toronto downtown office to redeem my expiring miles today, I'd like to share some experience here. First flight is OW reward within far east operated by TG in I class, the process is painless, done within 5 mins, CAD 17x tax & fees. Second redemption is SEA-BUF OW award operated by UA, this one cost us about 2 hours! Because their system seems couldn't see any X or I availability on UAX, eventually I had to change my itin a little bit to get it ticketed, CAD 38 tax per passenger, not very good value but better than let them expire. Still have 15k left will expire end of 16, enough for a OW I class redemption within NA
#68
Join Date: May 2016
Programs: Oneworld Sapphire (QR Gold), SkyTeam Elite Plus (ITA Volare)
Posts: 100
Hi! Can anyone confirm – does TK allow mixed cabins on one-way Star Alliance awards? Example:
LH OSL-FRA (business)
LH FRA-JNB (first)
Will this combination be ok?
I also have a question about the miles overdraft function for Elite Members. Does it only apply to TK awards? Not for *A awards?
LH OSL-FRA (business)
LH FRA-JNB (first)
Will this combination be ok?
I also have a question about the miles overdraft function for Elite Members. Does it only apply to TK awards? Not for *A awards?
#69
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 9
Need an advice.
I am trying to redeem my TK miles for an award ticket on TG SYD-FRA via BKK. Turkish award chart clearly states that first class limited capacity OW between Oceania and Europe-2 is 80,500 miles. TK phone agent confirmed limited capacity O-class availability & created PNR for me (80,500 miles in total) -- that part went surprisingly well
However my local THY sales office in Sydney now refuses to issue a ticket -- apparently their system calculates total cost as 115,000 miles (which is for 'seat guaranteed' type of O award and not limited capacity).
Their latest explanation is that 80,500 limited capacity is for direct-only flight (Australia-Europe direct - good luck with that) & that the phone agent was wrong.
What can I possibly do in this situation?
I am trying to redeem my TK miles for an award ticket on TG SYD-FRA via BKK. Turkish award chart clearly states that first class limited capacity OW between Oceania and Europe-2 is 80,500 miles. TK phone agent confirmed limited capacity O-class availability & created PNR for me (80,500 miles in total) -- that part went surprisingly well
However my local THY sales office in Sydney now refuses to issue a ticket -- apparently their system calculates total cost as 115,000 miles (which is for 'seat guaranteed' type of O award and not limited capacity).
Their latest explanation is that 80,500 limited capacity is for direct-only flight (Australia-Europe direct - good luck with that) & that the phone agent was wrong.
What can I possibly do in this situation?
#70
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: VA Platinum, SQ Gold, TK Gold, Hhonors Gold, Accor Plus Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Premium
Posts: 1,022
Need an advice.
I am trying to redeem my TK miles for an award ticket on TG SYD-FRA via BKK. Turkish award chart clearly states that first class limited capacity OW between Oceania and Europe-2 is 80,500 miles. TK phone agent confirmed limited capacity O-class availability & created PNR for me (80,500 miles in total) -- that part went surprisingly well
However my local THY sales office in Sydney now refuses to issue a ticket -- apparently their system calculates total cost as 115,000 miles (which is for 'seat guaranteed' type of O award and not limited capacity).
Their latest explanation is that 80,500 limited capacity is for direct-only flight (Australia-Europe direct - good luck with that) & that the phone agent was wrong.
What can I possibly do in this situation?
I am trying to redeem my TK miles for an award ticket on TG SYD-FRA via BKK. Turkish award chart clearly states that first class limited capacity OW between Oceania and Europe-2 is 80,500 miles. TK phone agent confirmed limited capacity O-class availability & created PNR for me (80,500 miles in total) -- that part went surprisingly well
However my local THY sales office in Sydney now refuses to issue a ticket -- apparently their system calculates total cost as 115,000 miles (which is for 'seat guaranteed' type of O award and not limited capacity).
Their latest explanation is that 80,500 limited capacity is for direct-only flight (Australia-Europe direct - good luck with that) & that the phone agent was wrong.
What can I possibly do in this situation?
Do let me know how you go. I'm also in Sydney and about to book SYD-ARN return in business. Your experience with doing this from Sydney will be of great value. Good luck.
#71
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 9
Well.. TK callcentre is a strange place. Out of 6 people I've spoken to yesterday:
- 1 hang up the second he heard words award ticket;
- 2 didn't know what *A award is (no sir you can only redeem miles for TK flights!);
- 1 sent me to TG to get ticketing done (good one!);
- 2 confirmed discounted 'O' availability & total price of 80,500 miles.
I asked one of them to please save correct mask to my PNR so Sydney people could deduct right amount of miles -- let's see how it goes.
The person I am talking to in Sydney is actually very nice & trying to be helpful - although it's obvious they don't deal with award tickets very often here hence all this confusion.
- 1 hang up the second he heard words award ticket;
- 2 didn't know what *A award is (no sir you can only redeem miles for TK flights!);
- 1 sent me to TG to get ticketing done (good one!);
- 2 confirmed discounted 'O' availability & total price of 80,500 miles.
I asked one of them to please save correct mask to my PNR so Sydney people could deduct right amount of miles -- let's see how it goes.
The person I am talking to in Sydney is actually very nice & trying to be helpful - although it's obvious they don't deal with award tickets very often here hence all this confusion.
Last edited by alex1111111; Feb 25, 2017 at 4:26 pm
#72
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: VA Platinum, SQ Gold, TK Gold, Hhonors Gold, Accor Plus Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Premium
Posts: 1,022
I've redeemed points with SQ and AB before and both were simple online or over the phone experiences - but my upcoming TK experience sounds like a real chore.
I continue to look forward to hearing of your experiences as you progress.
#74
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: VA Platinum, SQ Gold, TK Gold, Hhonors Gold, Accor Plus Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Premium
Posts: 1,022
#75
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 9
okay so after 10 days of phone calls and emails back and forth my PNR has finally been ticketed today! yaaaay!
So:
- OW limited capacity ticket from Oceania to Eur-2 does cost 115,000 miles and not 80,500 as their website states;
- Apparently, TK call centre agents are not aware of correct pricing - that is why I was repeatedly told that my ticket should cost me 80,500 miles -- hence all this confusion, finger pointing etc. And me running in circles;
- Eventually TK admitted that this whole situation is their fault & gave me one-off top up bonus so I could purchase the ticket I wanted. Everyone's happy.
@sydunipete my advice to you - start your booking process early & don't trust their website.
Also - contrary to what I read here they don't seem to have any problem combining several *A carriers in one PNR.
So:
- OW limited capacity ticket from Oceania to Eur-2 does cost 115,000 miles and not 80,500 as their website states;
- Apparently, TK call centre agents are not aware of correct pricing - that is why I was repeatedly told that my ticket should cost me 80,500 miles -- hence all this confusion, finger pointing etc. And me running in circles;
- Eventually TK admitted that this whole situation is their fault & gave me one-off top up bonus so I could purchase the ticket I wanted. Everyone's happy.
@sydunipete my advice to you - start your booking process early & don't trust their website.
Also - contrary to what I read here they don't seem to have any problem combining several *A carriers in one PNR.