Magazine

Getting Your Just Rewards [Apr 2009 Issue]

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Getting Your Just Rewards

Keep this nearby when you sit down at your computer to book your next award seat. You might not need it, but then again, it may possibly be just the help you need to be successful. We surveyed frequent flyers for their input and added in our expertise.

The #1 frequent flyer mantra is, be flexible. Take advantage of award availability calendars to see at a glance which days are available for flights and be willing to make changes accordingly. Also be flexible about the airports--will another airport within train or driving distance get you where you want to be? Would an open jaw work? Will creative routing get you there? For example, a direct flight from Dallas to Hawaii might not be available, but a flight from Dallas to Phoenix to Hawaii on the outbound and a flight from Hawaii to Seattle to Dallas might be available for inbound. And don't forget partner airlines for award redemption on their metal. Travel non-peak days and times and be willing to spend more miles if you really have to be in a certain place at a certain time. And if you are using your miles for a vacation, why not see what's available first and then plan the trip? You might have the vacation of your life because Egypt was available when Italy was not--there's a lot to be said for going with the flow. If you face the process of award booking in a spirit of flexibility, you will be much more likely to "get what you want."

Plan in advance. Find the earliest day for award reservations allowed for your program and call that day. Also, look for new routes (we often mention new routes in the Intelligence section of InsideFlyer).

Do your homework. Read up on the program's partners. Visit FlyerTalk.com to get expert advice. Visit the FlyerTalk forums everyday and study the "stickies" for your airlines. Sign up with services such as those available from ExpertFlyer.com or Yapta.com that can alert you when an award seat is available. Read your program newsletter and Web site---several programs publish monthly award "hot spots", which are destinations with better award availability.

Be persistent. If you don't get what you want the first time, try again. If, when you first check you find that nothing around your desired dates is available, check back often to see if seats have opened up--especially as your desired travel dates draw near because inventory changes all the time amd airlines have been known to open up seats for award tickets if those seats are not likely to sell. And if you can't find the award you want online, call. And if the reservations agent isn't particularly helpful, hang up and try your luck with someone else. If you get a helpful agent, you can work together to find the seat you want--as long as you've done your homework to know where the seats are and you both have the patience to find them.

Look for seats other than in coach. Sometimes business class seats are easier to obtain than you might think depending on the dates and destination, or you can use your miles for an upgrade (but watch for those fees!). Or if two are traveling, one can fly on an award and the person who earns the most miles can buy a ticket.

And know which days offer the best or worst award travel opportunities. Best days: Within the U.S. (Mon, Tue, Wed), To Florida (Mon, Tue, Wed), Hawaii (Tue, We, Thu), Asia (Tue, Wed, Thu), Caribbean (Tue, Wed), Europe (Tue, Wed, Thu), Mexico (Tue, Wed), South America (Tue, Wed). Worst days: Within the U.S. (Fri, Sun), To Florida (Fri, Sun), Hawaii (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon), Asia (Fri, Sat, Sun), Caribbean (Sat, Sun, Mon), Europe (Fri, Sat, Sun), Mexico (Fri, Sat, Sun), South America (Fri, Sat, Sun).

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