frequent flyer miles - hope this helps

[silverjoe]

Hi:

 

Any of us that have booked european cruises for summer 2009 have probably been surprised by the high cost of airfare from US to Europe. I have booked the Grand Mediterranean cruise on Princess for next July, which departs from Barcelona, and returns from Venice. I was really surprised that most airfares were running around $1500 each, which was running double what we paid 3 summers ago. I was looking to use frequent flyer miles on Continental, but did not have the 200,000 miles in my account that seemed to be required for two coach tickets for this itinerary. I found out that Continental makes their award tickets available exactly one year in advance, even though most airlines only allow paid ticketing 330 days in advance. On the exact one year before my return, I was able to obtain 2 tickets for 50,000 miles each round trip! I have checked availability several times after, and 50,000 miles awards have not been available for my dates.

 

So there it is, if you want 50,000 mile frequent flyer awards on Continental to Europe, mark your calendar to check availability exactly one year from your return. Also, don't expect direct flights, but connecting through paris didn't seem to bad.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Joe

[Travel to Ports]

Dear silverjoe,

Have done the same thing for a 28 May Ruby Princess cruise out of Barcelona back from Venice. Beyond having to take a 7am flight out of Venice, we have excellent arrangements as well as 5 nights in Barcelona and 4 nights in Venice. You are right, 100,000 FF points covers two open jaws tickets that cost somewhere between $3,000 and $4,000! Considering the state of our economy, maybe you should determine when you can obtain such tickets (Maybe May 09? -- we arranged ours on August 4) and then select a cruise that works with your airfare? Seems backwards, doesn't it -- but maybe July/August is heavier with tourism and therefore no FF tickets available? Actually, May/June and September/October are better times to visit the Mediterranean for many reasons.

Good luck on your search for an airfare/cruise itinerary match.

David

[retired1998]

I booked our flights from NY to Barcelona (and back) 6 months before our trip. However, I didn't have enough miles for a straight trip. I was able to book using 50,000 miles but have to make 1 stop each way.

 

8/99 Alaska Celebrity

8/01 Scandinavia/Russia Princess

1/05 Western Carribean Celebrity

10/05 Hawaii Norwegian

1/07 Panama Canal Celebrity

8/07 Hawaii Norwegian

1/08 South America – Celebrity

[T-2]

Has anyone ever tried to use miles for one way and pay for the return? Or will the airline think you're buying a one way ticket? Sometimes there will be an available date going or coming, but not both. Has anyone tried this?

[English Tim]

July and August are European school holidays and with the $US having been so weak, many of us will have booked flight to the States, albeit at very high prices.

 

As TTP says , if you cruise in the spring or autumn (fall), when the weather is still very good in the Mediterranean, there should be much better award flight availability. Indeed ordinary flights should be much cheaper, then.

[Culater]

I have always used miles on United when travelling to Europe and this has been several times over the year for three passengers. Yes, if you can make your bookings as far ahead as possible, it is easier. But don't give up if they tell you that the 50K miles seats are not available. You almost have to call everyday. Or several times during a week. Sometimes, the airlines will release more seats for miles. But initially I think they have about 2 or 4 seats only on the whole plane for miles passengers (those tryiing to use the awards for the least miles).

Also, you can't be too choosy. If you only want direct flights, good luck. If you don't mind making more than one stop, you will have a better chance. Also it depends on the agent you talk to. Yes, call, don't do it only on line. Many times the agents will say, hold one moment, and about 30 seconds later tell you there is no availabiliy for using miles. But sometimes you will get an agent who will check any and all connections possbile on all partner airlines. OK, so this last time I had to fly on the way back from Venice, Venice to Frankfurt, to Newark NJ, to Chicago and stay overnight in Chicago before getting on the next flight the next morning to SFO, but it was all with miles. Saving $1500 per person was more important to me. It is what you want to endure I guess. Also I was able to get those tickets in about March for flights in July. Good luck.

[photographia]

Has anyone ever tried to use miles for one way and pay for the return? Or will the airline think you're buying a one way ticket? Sometimes there will be an available date going or coming, but not both. Has anyone tried this?

 

I asked Delta about it last year, and they said that you use the same amount of FF miles to get a one-way ticket that you'd need for round-trip. So I figured it wasn't worth it! I saved the miles for a later round-trip ticket, and paid for the one-way one (and of course got some miles for it).

 

When I finally got to use the miles for a round-trip ticket, I had to be REALLY flexible about the dates--and I phoned about ten months in advance. The agent worked with me over the phone for at least 30 minutes, trying every possible combination of dates and airports that he could. In some cases, he could get me there but not back, or vice versa. In the end, I didn't get exactly what I wanted, but hey, I couldn't really complain too much about a free round-trip on Air France! But what the OP said is a great point: get on the horn to the airline AS SOON AS YOU CAN, because if you wait, you can probably kiss the free ticket goodbye altogether, others will snatch those free seats before you...

[T-2]

I hadn't thought about calling the airline. They have a calendar you can access to see if seats are available and how many miles it will take. But getting both a seat going and returning- for 2 people, is quite a challenge. Sounds like we'd be better off pooling our miles for one rt and buying the 2nd seat- if we can get flights in both directions. So far we can either ff mile our way there, or our way back- but not both as then we'd have to stay longer than we can get away. Just wondered if anyone else had cracked this particular challenge. Thanks

[crjj]

We were able to use Continental reward miles (150,000) for three round trip coach tickets on Air France direct flight from Houston to Paris. We'll spend a few days in Paris and then take a train to Barcelona the day before our cruise. It seemed a great way to use our miles and be able to visit Paris and take a cruise at the same time. We had enough hotel points to stay for free at a Holiday Inn in Paris and a Hilton in Barcelona so that worked out pretty good as well.

 

Thanks,

chester

[Pennhoo]

Just a FYI for Northwest (NWA), which, is a SkyTeam partner with Continental...

 

One week ago today, I booked to 2 roundtrip tickets on NWA using a total of 100,000 Frequent Flyer miles... L.A. to Istanbul and then Barcelona to L.A... for early November 2008... we are flying based on our Mediterranean cruise on NCL. Oh, and there appeared to be plenty availability, which, I found odd... maybe it is the time of year?!

 

I haven't verified, however, I would think you should be able to use your Continental miles to book tickets to Europe on NWA. I know I can use my NWA miles on Continental... we flew Continental to the Phillipines a few years back. :)

[EV2008]

I just used my FF miles from Continental for Air France, for 7 of us for 350,000points for June of 2009, i booked thru their web site. Flight from Houston to Paris to Rome. I too was very worried because I wanted 7 tickets, but so far have no problems.

[Nodakboiler]

We are using FF miles on NWA Partners Air France and KLM on our cruise this Oct.. We are flying from ORD-Venice RT. It will cost us 75,000 miles each, but we are flying business class on the return. Not a bad deal in my opinion.

[Pennhoo]

We are using FF miles on NWA Partners Air France and KLM on our cruise this Oct.. We are flying from ORD-Venice RT. It will cost us 75,000 miles each, but we are flying business class on the return. Not a bad deal in my opinion.

 

Maybe you already know... KLM does not have a "First Class"...sooooo, their "Business Class" is essentially their "First Class"... unless they have changed it in the last few years... "Business Class" on Air France is just "Business Class"... still better than coach!!

 

IMHO, Business Class on KLM is great... Enjoy!!

[Pennhoo]

Maybe you already know... KLM does not have a "First Class"...sooooo, their "Business Class" is essentially their "First Class"...

 

 

Of course, that is on their bigger planes like the 747. :)