Which alliance for NA/EUR Awards

January 5th, 2009

Newbie looking for advice :)

Desire: 4 x SFO<->CDG Awards in Jul/Aug '10
Resources: Time, 140k DL (SM), 165k BA, 140k US

At present levels (however long they last), I need 240k DL, 200K BA/US to do it.
I don't travel enough to get the needed miles in time, so I'm looking at DL Amex, Chase BA or SPG Amex to make up the difference.

Big question:
Given limited coach award availability in general, which alliance should I bet on?

I'm inclined to go w/Skyteam, as I think they have more flights over the pond than One World and I'm concerned US won't be around that long.

TIA for the sage advice.

-mike-

Interesting ideas, I hadn't thought of the double miles one-way method. @:-)

While I can be somewhat flexible on dates, it occurs to me I could greatly increase my odds for the single miles awards by accepting 2 seats on 2 different itineraries. A bit of a coordination headache, but it should allow more flights.

I could even work 2 different alliances that way, although it would really stink if half of my posse was stuck somewhere because one of the carriers was on strike. :(

May the hope (and awards) spring eternal.

SFO-CDG in the summer using DL miles is very difficult. But if you reserve 11 months ahead, if you are willing to accept poor routings, and if your dates are flexible, you can probably pull it off. I found the process difficult enough that I don't plan to do it again.

Here's what I found works best for summer to Europe. Book a double-miles itinerary on NW, ideally getting a single-mile seat in one direction. Within a week or two (sometimes a day or two) of the travel date, you have a decent chance of changing your double-miles seat to a single-miles seat, or of changing your double-miles coach seat to a single-miles business class seat. You pay the change fee but you get the miles back for next time.

Unfortunately this technique will likely be useless once NW merges with DL. DL does not allow you to spend double miles for AF and KL flights, and you are unlikely to get 4 seats. Your backstop is DL metal (fortunately for you DL serves your destination city) and their new unrestricted award level.

Here's what I found works best for summer to Europe. Book a double-miles itinerary on NW, ideally getting a single-mile seat in one direction. Within a week or two (sometimes a day or two) of the travel date, you have a decent chance of changing your double-miles seat to a single-miles seat, or of changing your double-miles coach seat to a single-miles business class seat. You pay the change fee but you get the miles back for next time.

I just succeeded in converting the return on this summer's award trip to single miles, 3 days before travel. On the outbound, it was the day before travel. So I had to pay two $50 change fees but I got it down to single miles. Now I have enough miles in the bank to try the same thing for next summer! I sure hope the merger preserves this nifty capability...

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Which alliance for NA/EUR Awards

January 5th, 2009