villox

This is a new one for me. Was looking at booking a NYE weekend getaway and decided to check out PVR.

I used miles to book the nonstop return PVR-ORD on Jan 2, and apparently got what are the last two tickets on the flight (standard award - worth it even at 37.5K since the ticket price is running at around $2,000 per person OW). EF now shows zero inventory on the flight.

I then went to select a seat and there are no E+ seats available. I know it's a popular travel date, but I've still never seen a flight sold out this far in advance, and even if it were, I'd expect that most people wouldn't pay for E+.

It's not just the ORD flight either, the DEN flight also looks almost completely booked, but at least there there is E+ available.

Anyone have an explanation? Huge tour group?

PushingTin

Lots of people moving around the last day of Holiday vacation, plus a Monday if people don't have the 2nd off. Seems like a double whammy.

aacharya

While true, the OP's point is that E+ normally is open in those cases, even if no seats can be sold. It is extremely unusual over a holiday weekend (leisure dates from a leisure destination) this far out for E+ to also be unavailable.

villox

Exactly. It's mildly surprising that it's completely booked, but for E+ to be sold out is especially weird. There is only one nonstop flight on the Monday, compared to two nonstops on Sunday, which both look extremely booked even in E+ - only 16 open E+ seats between both flights, which is also surprising.

Duke787

My guess is lots of elites bringing the whole family on vacation which means using the whole allotment they are entitled to (compared to normal when it's just the elite member and maybe a SO).

cfischer

I booked my x-mas flights in early March and the flight I wanted was F2 at the time ... a schedule change later we get the last 2 F seats and flight goes F0 ... 7 months prior to travel. Everything is possible.