Frequent Flyer Strategies

[TomMMD]

It is getting to the time when we can book our flight from the U.S. to Rome for a cruise next September. I am looking at three options

 

1) Standard FF for Business (the premium FF for business is about double what the standard level is)

 

2) Buying an upgradeable ticket and using points to upgrade

 

3) Use Standard FF for Coach (groan)

 

I have move points in United right now but I can transfer points from my Marriott account to about a dozen airlines. Any thoughts on the relative probability of getting one with

OneWorld (American, British Air)

Star Alliance (United, US Airways, Lufthansa)

Sky Alliance (Delta, Continental, Northwesst, Air France)

 

Will they let me book the flight in anticipaton of moving the points into my account?

[ab0si]

I'd be shocked it any let you book without having enough points in your account at the time fo booking.

[JJPNYC]

It is getting to the time when we can book our flight from the U.S. to Rome for a cruise next September. I am looking at three options

 

1) Standard FF for Business (the premium FF for business is about double what the standard level is)

 

2) Buying an upgradeable ticket and using points to upgrade

 

3) Use Standard FF for Coach (groan)

 

I have move points in United right now but I can transfer points from my Marriott account to about a dozen airlines. Any thoughts on the relative probability of getting one with

OneWorld (American, British Air)

Star Alliance (United, US Airways, Lufthansa)

Sky Alliance (Delta, Continental, Northwesst, Air France)

 

Will they let me book the flight in anticipaton of moving the points into my account?

 

 

To answser the last question first: No, you must have the points in your account before you can do anything.

 

With that though, I know for Continental that you can purchase a coach ticket and use miles to upgrade to business class. As this is a 2-step process, you can purchase your coach seat first and then when your miles have posted, call the OnePass desk to ask for an upgrade (do know that mileage upgrades are capacity controlled and that you may have to call a few times until a seat becomes available for upgrade). I did this this spring when I was flying from EWR to Beijing on Continental. Also in this case a co-pay will most likely be in effect dependent on which booking code your ticket is (i.e. a deeply discounted coach seat will have a $450 co-pay, a full-fare coach seat will have no co-pay). It's not a very straightforward process but if you play it right, you can use your miles to upgrade.

 

As for going for the standard FF rewards for biz class, be patient about this as there are not going to be many seats made available in this classification. It sounds like you're on the right path though of being able to book the moment you can which should up your odds of getting a standard reward ticket though.

[jimc_usa]

It is getting to the time when we can book our flight from the U.S. to Rome for a cruise next September. I am looking at three options

 

1) Standard FF for Business (the premium FF for business is about double what the standard level is)

 

2) Buying an upgradeable ticket and using points to upgrade

 

3) Use Standard FF for Coach (groan)

 

I have move points in United right now but I can transfer points from my Marriott account to about a dozen airlines. Any thoughts on the relative probability of getting one with

OneWorld (American, British Air)

Star Alliance (United, US Airways, Lufthansa)

Sky Alliance (Delta, Continental, Northwesst, Air France)

 

Will they let me book the flight in anticipaton of moving the points into my account?

 

I am a NW FF and I can book online and check off a box that allows me to book a flight and an upgradable ticket but it's not cheap! Only the 2 most expensive coach seats are upgradable. You can do the same with United if you go to advance options.

It may be better to book an award travel up front. But certainly try it both ways.

[greatam]

If you call ($15.00 fee), AA will allow you to hold an award ticket for 24 hours. You may have to call more than once-some agents will just hold it and some won't. But the "rules" allow you to hold for 24 hours-MAY be enough time to transfer the miles.

 

Other options to explore:

 

All Partner Award-BA-fly out of Dulles to Heathrow and on to Rome-90,000 miles Business-no peak/off peak differences in mileage. I just got an All Partner business ticket RT LAX to Lima for 60,000 miles. I really need to be in Santiago, but for that low mileage amount, I can pay for the ticket on LAN (more miles-yippee!) to Santiago.

 

One World Award-AA and two other carriers- BA and Iberia (for the short hope-1 flight per day from Rome to London-12:35PM) or BA and SN Brussels with a connection in Brussels (again 1 flight per day that might work-12:30PM) 90-11500 miles, based on Zones-again no upcharges for a Business class ticket-peak vs off peak.

 

My first choice is ALWAYS use the miles to upgrade (better value-generally). The miles you get on your paid ticket often pretty well offset the upgrade miles. However, on AA, if you are not an elite status flyer, you cannot upgrade from the discount economy fares. So that would make it a pretty expensive proposition.

 

Second choice would be the All Partner Award on BA. BA can be notoriously stingy with its allotment to AA of business seats. But if you call early enough (like the first day you can), you should be able to get an All Partner Award.

[Desert Cruisers]

If you have the time, think about flying in and out of Milan. There is far less demand for award seats on this route than into Rome. :)

[critterchick]

My first choice is ALWAYS use the miles to upgrade (better value-generally). The miles you get on your paid ticket often pretty well offset the upgrade miles. However, on AA, if you are not an elite status flyer, you cannot upgrade from the discount economy fares. So that would make it a pretty expensive proposition.

 

We were able to upgrade on a discount ticket for next summer, by paying an additional $500 pp round trip in order to do so. So it wasn't a cheap fare, but for a 10 hour flight will be well worth it, IMHO. Our TA told us that there were only 3 seats available for upgrading, so booking early is important.

[JJPNYC]

We were able to upgrade on a discount ticket for next summer, by paying an additional $500 pp round trip in order to do so. So it wasn't a cheap fare, but for a 10 hour flight will be well worth it, IMHO. Our TA told us that there were only 3 seats available for upgrading, so booking early is important.

 

The number of seats available for FF rewards are constantly in-motion, just like fares. With that, no FF rewards may be available one day but then the next day the whole plane is available for FF rewards.

 

And as always a last minute option if you are stuck in coach, the airlines typically offer paid upgrade at check-in time if seats are available. They may not be cheap, ranging from $100-$1000, but this is often considerably cheaper than buying a biz class seat up front.

[greatam]

We were able to upgrade on a discount ticket for next summer, by paying an additional $500 pp round trip in order to do so. So it wasn't a cheap fare, but for a 10 hour flight will be well worth it, IMHO. Our TA told us that there were only 3 seats available for upgrading, so booking early is important.

 

Direct from the Elite Advantage booklet:

 

AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum and AAdvantage Gold members may upgrade from any individual published coach ticket to the next class of service. Non-elite AAdvantage members must purchase a full-fare Economy Class ticket (fares booked in Y or B) to be eligible for an upgrade.

 

However, since AA instituted the $250.00pp each way + mileage for international mileage upgrades, they are allowing anyone to book the INTERNATIONAL mileage upgrades. Booking a high fare class is the only way to use miles for a domestic upgrade (including Hawaii, Alaska, San Juan, Mexico, Canada and most of the Caribbean). Deep discount fare classes I,O and Q to Asia, Europe and South America are NOT eligible for mileage upgrades by ANYONE, including EXP's.

 

THE very best source of seat availability (shows ALL hidden fare classes for US airlines-those hidden classes are the ones you need for award tickets) is Expertflyer.com. https://www.expertflyer.com/

 

Sure, it costs a fee-$9.95 monthly (you need the premium service). But you can sign up for a month, find your airline tickets, call your airline to book your award tickets. I use it EVERY time I have a tricky itinerary, be it an award ticket or F international upgrade. It has never failed to get me the seats I need at the times I need them.

[critterchick]

Direct from the Elite Advantage booklet:

 

AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum and AAdvantage Gold members may upgrade from any individual published coach ticket to the next class of service. Non-elite AAdvantage members must purchase a full-fare Economy Class ticket (fares booked in Y or B) to be eligible for an upgrade.

 

However, since AA instituted the $250.00pp each way + mileage for international mileage upgrades, they are allowing anyone to book the INTERNATIONAL mileage upgrades. Booking a high fare class is the only way to use miles for a domestic upgrade (including Hawaii, Alaska, San Juan, Mexico, Canada and most of the Caribbean). Deep discount fare classes I,O and Q to Asia, Europe and South America are NOT eligible for mileage upgrades by ANYONE, including EXP's.

 

That only applies to the upgrades you purchase for $30 in 500 mile increments, not the upgrades using frequent flyer miles. We upgrade domestically from the cheapest fares without paying an additional fee, too. It takes more miles to upgrade from the discounted fares (15k vs. 5k each way), but you can still do it - I just checked the awards chart.

[TomMMD]

:)

Thank you for the helpful comments and suggestions.

 

They indeed would not talk to me about avialibility before I got my FF points into my account. I called Marriott on Monday afternoon to make the transfer and they said it would take 3 days. Wednesday morning I checked my United account and they were there.

 

Couldn't find availbility on the non-stop Washington to Rome itenerary. (not surprised)

 

I checked availaility into Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich. There were business class seats available

 

Next step was to call (and talk to a live person) at the Star Alliance phone number and in less than 5 minutes I was confirmed on Lufththansa to Rome (via Frankfurt on the way out and Munich on the way back.)

 

With taxes and live-person fees it is costing us just under $200.00

 

Very pleased and satisfied.

 

I am surprised they didn't book me on United for the leg to Frankfurt.

 

Last year when I did this on Delta they made me fly to Atlanta (on Delta) and then fly a Delta flight to Frankfurt before I was able to switch to Air France (even thoug Air France flys from Washtington to Europe.)

 

:)

[JJPNYC]

glad to hear that everything worked out. While I've never flown Lufthansa, I've heard great things about them.

[jimc_usa]

glad to hear that everything worked out. While I've never flown Lufthansa, I've heard great things about them.

 

My Chicago based, German born Mother-in-law swore by Luftansa, and athough she could fly NW cheaper, she said she would rather pay for the better service!