jeanlucsf

I'm looking at a trip to Japan next year using ANA in business, and I have a hard time understanding ANA business award ticket availability.
Looking at the return from Kagoshima, there are dates for which I find inventory on NH630 KOJ-HND in Eco, and on NH108 HND-SFO in Eco and Business, but no inventory for the combined KOJ-HND-SFO in Eco+Business (only in Eco for both flights). For other dates, the combined KOJ-HND-SFO appears as expected (first flight Eco, second flight Business). I see the same availability with United and Aeroplan search engines.
Does this make sense? Are there pricing rules that would block combining 2 available segments?

Tofino87

Answer in short - as I understand, yes there are rules in place why you can’t search and book it all in one go.

Basically, with Virgin points (as they’re now known), you can only book domestic flights in economy.

so you’re looking at 15,000 round trip, 7,500 one way domestic.

Plus whatever the international itinerary is you’re looking at.

jeanlucsf

Let me rephrase what you're saying to be sure I understood. I'm indeed familiar with United awards (Star Alliance) but not Virgin Points.

With UA, I can book for example on Mar 9, 2022: NH 630, KOJ-HND (eco for 5.5K) and NH 108, HND-SFO (bus for 88K) separately, or combined KOJ-HND-SFO (mixed cabin, for 88K). It's the same award price whatever destination I choose in Japan.
But with Virgin, I would need 45K+7.5K anyway; it is priced by flight, not by origin-destination. Correct?

With UA, I can book on Mar 8: NH 630, KOJ-HND (eco for 5.5K) and NH 107, HND-SFO (bus for 88K) separately, BUT combined KOJ-HND-SFO is NOT available in mixed cabin (for any rate). That was my concern; I was trying to understand why it's possible on Mar 9 but not Mar 8. Based on your comment, this becomes a UA issue and is not applicable to Virgin anyway. Is this correct?

CPH-Flyer

ANA domestic can only be booked as economy when booking awards, it is not possible to book Premium Class. Though you can upgrade day of departure. So if mixed cabins causes a booking issue, there is never going to be availability to solve the problem. The economy only rule is not just for Virgin, but also for Star Alliance.

jeanlucsf

I'm not concerned about flying eco for the domestic segment.
With UA, I can book an award ticket, with mix domestic eco + business international without any problem (mixed class) - at the price of business international. You're saying it's not possible with Virgin awards in the case of ANA flights - it will cost the price of 2 flights, as if booked separately. Is this correct?

nexusCFX

Yes. It prices segment by segment, as per the rules on the Virgin website:

You're better off using 5k UA miles for the domestic segments, or booking the explore japan (or whatever the name is) fares on ANA and JAL for foreigners which can often be upgraded at check-in for a nominal fee.

Skuldy

Already have my flight booked from LAX-HND in F and J for my wife and I for March 20th. However, i'm seeing basically no availability for flying out of NRT/HND back to LAX/SFO/SJC in April. Checked ExpertFlyer but i'm not seeing anything either. Are these flights just completely booked or have they not released awards for April yet?

Dave510

Likely not yet released, but ex-TYO fares tend to get booked up very quickly (much more so than ex-USA) so I would pay close attention in 2 weeks or so (no point checking too soon, as you are not able to book via VA until 330 days out anyways).

nexusCFX

All but the last few days of April have been released already. I see a few F and J awards on NRT-SFO but many dates are just economy or nothing.

Skuldy

Where are you seeing this? I'm looking and don't see anything.

nexusCFX

Aeroplan, Lifemiles.

Examples:
Apr 06, there's F on NRT-SFO
Apr 25, there's J and F on NRT-SFO

EF seems a bit unreliable here which is somewhat surprising but it has never been the best for ANA awards as it can't even get the bucket count. It's not showing the O space for Apr 6 but I assure you that it's real.

Skuldy

Oh I'm looking to book with VS miles and don't see April 6 as available.

nexusCFX

You can't see ANA availability on the VS website. You have to look it up elsewhere and call.

If you mean with respect to being able to book that far, I said the awards are released, not that VS has opened their calendar to make them bookable with VS miles. Most of these awards have been snatched up by folks booking through other programs. I booked SFO-NRT and HND-LHR for March / April right when they released at 355 days out.

Skuldy

Yeah I know that partner awards through ANA get released 330 days out for VS. Well damn, i'm good with J or F but was hoping for a flight the week of April 4th or April 11th. Any days of those weeks would work but you're not seeing any single flight with J and/or F for any days?

nexusCFX

Well I mentioned April 6 there. There's probably some others, but yes you're at a disadvantage of about 25 days.

You can just use the Aeroplan site and check every day on your routes for those weeks, and then hope that the availability holds until the VS booking calendar opens.

If you're OK with separate flights about an hour apart, on the 3rd and the 4th there's two HND-LAX flights and on both dates there's one J and one F available.

Apr 6th and 8th both have two F seats on one of the LAX-HND flights. Very appealing if they stick around. If I were you, I would grab those if possible, and then if you want to push to later dates, just pay the change fee rather than possibly end up with nothing.

Apr 9 and 10 both have one F on each LAX flight. Apr 12 has two F on both flights. Apr 13 has two J on one flight. Apr 14 has two F and two J on one of the flights.