I haven't ever actually done my own award air. Award Planner did it for me once.

How does it work? Since you have a 331 day window, how do you get your return air? Do you secure the outbound with one way award miles and then later do the return with one way award miles, or will they let you hold the return seat until you can book at 331 days??

My experience is with AA and UA - they will let you hold the outbound - usually for a couple weeks - but if you need longer they will extend the ticket date. They don't deduct the miles until you ticket.

I've had similar experiences to Leslie...BUT I've heard that some airlines (maybe all?) are changing this and only letting you put it on hold for something like 3 days! This could make things very tough.

I suppose a call to the airline would answer this, but I usually end up on hold for 30 minutes, only to get an operator who can't speak English and who can't understand me....

I am wondering, though, if you WERE to ticket the outbound at 331 days as a one-way award ticket, then ticket the return at 331 days, would they then consider it a RT award ticket, or would they be stubborn and only consider it 2 one-ways...the difference being, it would probably be more miles. :rolleyes:

?? Don't know but I doubt it would be that easy. I have the most experience with AA and they put the reservation on hold for 2 weeks and if not ticketed, it will self destruct! I have booked a return flight knowing it was on the wrong date and then called to change it. Now that the airlines are charging for everything, there's probably a fee involved but in the past if you were on Biz ticket there was no fee.

Sheri,

You just need to pick up the phone and plan on staying on it for at least an hour. Every airline and alliance is different. I'd do some leg work yourself first and look at possible routes. Sometimes you get a good res agent who can figure it out, sometimes they simply say what their computer screen tells them. You may need to allow some flexibility, use multiple stops or an overnight to get the availability or class of service.

For UA both the outbound and return need to be available for booking, while AA will let you hold outbound until the return is available (within a certain window).

There are even different rules within alliances, depending on the airline. There is no easy answer. It takes time, flexibility and patience. The more status you have, you may get a more senior Res agent.

I think I read on FlyerTalk American wasn't letting you hold it for 2 weeks anymore. I'll see if I can find out some more info.

I've been able to hold a one way on AA for 2 weeks just using their web site - no need to call for he first flight.

I don't think the airlines have one way awards, although you can upgrade one way. If you book a one way award ticket they will charge you all the miles then - and now they are all charging fees to reticket award travel - in the past there used to be no fee if you kept the same itinerary, only if you changed routing.

I would be using Star Alliance with USAIR miles. I believe that USAIR now lets you do one way awards, although I am not sure about internationally. They used to charge you the same miles RT as one-way.

Yes, I believe I will just have to bite the bullet and get on the phone. I have looked at routes (PIT-CPH-PIT), and it looks like I would be USAIR or UA on the domestic leg and either LH or SK or both on the international leg(s)...UA was also an option, but I would much rather a foreign carrier such as SAS or Lufthansa for the international portion....BUT perhaps beggars can't be choosers...and I have no real ff status...my miles aren't "real" air miles.

Sheri, I've done the same thing as Suzanne on American. They let you hold the outbound for two weeks. If there are still outbound seats available when you call back in two weeks they will extend it for another two weeks--as long as there are open award seats. If the award seats are all used, then they will let you set the return at a earlier date than you want. At 331 days from your desired return date, they let you change it to the date you want (assuming a seat is available). They don't charge for this change if you are in Business or First or if you are Platinum or Exec Platinum. I haven't heard anything about them changing to just a 3 day hold period, but I suppose that's possible in this anti-customer service world of the airlines these days. I've found over and over, that if you are a "superelite" member (ie millions of miles) then the rules are easily bent.

It's Delta who is changing their award hold rules:

Delta Award Changes

I haven't read through the entire thread yet, so ymmv.

Of course Delta :b: :b: :b:

AA seems (IMO) the airline we've had the easiest luck booking f.f. seats with. They also allow stopovers in both the USA as well as in Europe and an open jaw.

I think Delta is difficult to work with unless you have elite status like Marc and Peter have. We rarely find any open seats with Delta no matter how far ahead we try. I think the Delta phone line we use must flash "PEON" when it rings!

LOL Marcie!

I've only tried to book domestic award flights with Delta. Had good luck with our trip to Vegas a couple of weeks ago. 2 tickets in First were 90,000 miles and I booked them in early May.

My current goal is to have enough AA miles to get us to JNB in business for ROAR 2. We'll see how that goes!

Delta changed to a two day hold. HOWEVER, they will let you book the outbound and add the return later with NO CHANGE FEE. It amounts to the same system. Actually, it is even better than before as those that would hold multiple seats before deciding which one they wanted won't do that anymore because of cancellation fees (except for PM on Delta).

So Marc am I understanding correctly that you book your outbound flight but wait to book the return flight? What if nothing opens up for the return flight, are you charged for cancelling even if nothing opened up on the dates you need? You don't actually redeem f.f. miles until you have both going and return flights?

United lets you book the outbound, and then they put it on a hold for 3 days past the date the return ticket would be open for sale.

Here is what the systems tells us ( reservations agents )

** UA SAVER / STANDARD AWARDS **

- WHEN A CUSTOMER REQUESTS TRAVEL DATES WHERE THE OUTBOUND DATE IS LOADED IN APOLLO (OPEN FOR SALE)...AND THE RETURN IS NOT LOADED (TOO FAR IN THE FUTURE) PLEASE FOLLOW THIS PROCESS:

1. BOOK THE OUTBOUND FLIGHTS

2. ADD A TIME-LIMIT FOR 3 DAYS BEYOND THE OPEN-FOR-SALE DATE FOR THE RETURN.


* DO NOT BOOK A RETURN - JUST TO HOLD SPACE*


3. ADVISE THE CUSTOMER:
- THE DATE THE RETURN FLIGHTS WILL OPEN-FOR-SALE
- TO CALL BACK ANYTIME AFTER THE OPEN-FOR-SALE DATE
AND BEFORE THE TIME LIMIT ON THE RECORD
- OPEN-FOR-SALE DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE AVAILABILITY
OF THE DESIRED BOOKING CLASS.

I'm told the best way to get a U.S. or Canada based agent is to call, and when the voice mail prompt comes on asking if you want domestic or international, keep saying AGENT. Each question, say AGENT. It is supposed to give you an agent with CTI ( computer-telephone-interface.) Last time I heard from my friends still working in reservations, India doesn't have CTI.

Hope this works. I've done this type of booking when I was in reservations.

Frances

Marcie, no charge if you cancel for lack of return; at least that is how it is supposed to work. I will try this out for first time personally next week with the Fjords air. As we will be leaving the day after you, I expect to hear reports back from all those booking on Monday (Sunday night in CA).

BTW, has anyone ever flown Aeroflot? We might end up flying them Tokyo - Moscow - Copenhagen.

Marc,
Unfortunately I haven't heard anything good! :(
My parents flew that airline once...my mom forgot to take her seatbelt off to go to the restroom...when she went to get up, the entire seat came up!! :eek:
But that was a few years ago, so perhaps they are better now!
Sheri

Frances, UA sounds like it has a good system to help avoid booking a flight just to "hold" it even though it's not even on the right date... Just more people hoarding the seats from those who may really need those dates.

Frances,

Thanks for the very useful information, as we are Mileage Plus members.

I really appreciate your advice on specifying "Agent" after every prompt.

Although we did not use FF miles for tix for a trip we will be taking from SNA to DCA, in Sept., I had a very frustrating situation arise pertaining to our purchased tickets and requesting an adjustment on a drop in fare. I called UAL, using prompts, rather than saying "Agent" as I should have from the start, when I made a call to UAL requesting an adjustment and new e-ticket. We purchased the tix in April for $457 per ticket. Upon checking the fare two weeks ago, I noticed the fare went from $457 down to $408. I called to have a credit voucher issued for the difference and was assured that it would be handled and that I would receive an email indicating that this adjustment was in the works and new e-ticket. No email for almost a week. I then went back onto the United site and saw that the rate had dropped again from $408 to $284! I called again, questioned what had transpired the week before and the fact that no email was generated. Again, I was assured that an email would be sent momentarily, showing the new adjustment and e-ticket. Nothing again!

Both of these calls, which I made over two weekends, were responded to oversees (India) and it was very, very frustrating.

I called on Monday, during regular business hours, kept saying agent, and finally spoke with an agent within the U.S. and got the matter cleared up.

Should be receiving a new e-ticket via email within the next several days and $175 in UAL vouchers within the next two weeks, according to the agent.

I just called Delta to ask a few questions for Copenhagen got the greatest girl - I could understand her and she was so helpful - gave me so much info not sure I got it all down - I was writing like crazy - now I look at my shorthand and say huh??? she gave me some great flights with partners etc - will they be available for 90 thousand points per person vs 250 PP??? to be determined - the FF game I do not do it with ease - while we were chatting I told her about flyertalk she had never heard of it - I told her my BP goes up every time I read about Delta on FT...she said let me give me 5 VIP tips for booking - wish I could have her when it comes time to book!!! Joanna

You were very fortunate, Joanna, to actually get someone on the line who was helpful.

Seems that often times, it's the luck of the draw as to how helpful and knowledgeable that agent is who's on the other end of the line, whether it be for redeeming FF miles or purchasing tix.

You are soooo right - this was my 5th call in 6 weeks and 3 times I hung up -

I've had my share of hanging up when an agent appears to be clueless. Thanks, but no thanks.

Score Denise!!

I know how frustrating all this can be. If I had a nickel for all the hours I've spent on the phone with various airlines checking for available f.f. tix, drops in price after I paid, seat selection etc. I would be a VERY RICH lady and not have to stress over all this!

It is enough to drive you to drink! I suppose I play the "game" as well as anyone but boy does it take patience!

Hi, Sheri - In our experience, if you want to fly SAS on FF miles, you must book the moment the flights become available, as SAS normally sets aside very few seats for FF inventory. (Out of Seattle, where they usually fly full, it is extremely difficult; but it may be easier from ORD or JFK, where they have a couple of flights per day.) If you have the option of flying Lufthansa, it may be better (in terms of quality) than SAS, although not as direct into CPH. If you seem to have encountered an agent who doesn't know the system, it is wise to simply terminate that call and call back, in hopes of getting a better agent. I did that when booking our flights to Buenos Aires for PENGUINS, having the great good fortune to get an agent on the second call who found us a routing that the first agent said did not exist. Sadly, the expertise level of the agents can be astoundingly different, some barely knowing how to access the basic info and some being able to work genuine magic. Cheers, Fred

Frances,
WOW, great info! Thanks!

Fred,
I love your new avitar...very handsome!!! :)

I would prefer to fly LH, but I was reading on Flyer Talk that they are really stingy releasing their award seats ...sounds like, from what you said, that SAS is also stingy.

I have to say that I was impressed with a story about SAS some years back. My parents were travelling with their granddaughter on SAS in coach. I told my mom that it never hurts to ask to be upgraded, although it probably won't happen, especially on a foreign carrier. I guess she sheepishly asked, and the agent just smiled and issued their boarding passes without giving her any answer. When they looked closely at their passes, they realized that she HAD upgraded them for free! Anyway, I thought that was a nice story.

OK - all you Flyertalk lurkers - maybe you guys should start posting there more :)

I actually have posted there several times. On the Singapore Air section I get immediate and very helpful replies. I posted on the USAIR section and have not had one response! :eek:

Peter: I love Flyertalk! I received some great info a few years about flights to Sydney. It is not a warm and fuzzy place but really knowledgable people. A few times I felt I needed a bullet proof vest but I accepted that as a newbie asking questions some on FT thought were self explanatory - Joanna

I too have posted there on occassion. Some times the answers are just great and so helpful, other times I feel a bit blasted...i.e. how could you be so dumb? I think a lot of this has to do with the people who read it on a regular basis. When we jump in with a question that may have been answered a week sooner (but by then is buried)we come across as idiots to the regulars. I have learned so much on flyertalk and really should start reading it more often!

FlyerTalk had been very helpful to me several times. I do look at the site intermittently, but only post when I have a question that LCTers are unable to answer or if I hit a major snag with an airline/FF tix booking. Three years ago, when I ran into a major roadblock with FF tix booked through Alaska Air, using their partner, British Air, I posted my ordeal on both the Alaska forum, as well as BA forum. Thanks to posting on the Alaska forum, my situation was spotted and then handled by someone very high up in their mileage plan system, who frequently lurks and posts.

I'm a firm believer that a deafeningly squeaky (and very, very persistent) wheel, does get the oil!

I remember that ordeal Denise - I love reading similar stories with happy endings on FT!!

Thanks Frances.

I am going to print that out and read it to the Res agent the next time I'm told it can't be done.

Denise - I wonder if your "angel" was missydarlin - she's great :)

I think many of the posters on Flyertalk.com are such Pros, they speak their own language, one I don't understand. Once I asked a question and they answered something like "check out CX" (of course I had no idea what CX meant

...later found out it meant Cathay Pacific but I never in a million years would have figured that out).

;)

OK Peter - I posted on flyertalk question about next June biz tixs -

I agree, flyertalk is fantastic, even if lacking in warm and fuzzy responses. When I first 'lurked' there, I thought everyone was speaking in tongues. Everything is initials, which, with patience and their glossary will eventually become somewhat clear.

And, coming back full circle to Sheri's first post on this thread, I gave up on calling the airlines directly and go right to awardplanner. LaDonna and her team are worth every penny to me! Saves hours of frustration for me!