Fantastic Alaska Airline miles deal on again

[Aussie_flyer]

Not too happy with this, hopefully there was some kind of error on booking agent's behalf.

Not too happy? Why should they provide unlimited award space so people can spend 25% of the retail price of the ticket if they don't need too?

If you want better availability then buy a full price ticket

 

[smit0847]

Seems like CX have pulled the majority of award flights to HKG in July after speaking with an Alaskan Air booking agent. Couldn't find a single business or first class ticket for the dates I wanted to HKG or KIX/HND/NRT despite speaking to another booking agent last week who was able to accommodate to my dates. QF is the same but they have totally blocked out all July dates for award fares, or so I was told.

Not too happy with this, hopefully there was some kind of error on booking agent's behalf.

People book award seats 3 and 4 months out?! I only ever do it 9+ months out!

 

[Ledger]

Not too happy? Why should they provide unlimited award space so people can spend 25% of the retail price of the ticket if they don't need too?

If you want better availability then buy a full price ticket

Considering I spoke to a booking agent last Friday who told me there was quite a few award seats on my flights spread across a few days and to find out today there's basically nothing, yes i'm not too happy. Never said it was CX's or QF's fault or even Alaska's fault.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Considering I spoke to a booking agent last Friday who told me there was quite a few award seats on my flights spread across a few days and to find out today there's basically nothing, yes i'm not too happy. Never said it was CX's or QF's fault or even Alaska's fault.

if you see an award seat snap it up. you snooze you lose

 

[dalereardon]

Have you done your own search using the engine within the BA exec club (free account)?

Dale.

 

[boomy]

People book award seats 3 and 4 months out?! I only ever do it 9+ months out!

Not everyone can plan so far ahead. I had success booking 3-4 months out with AA, US & QF (I'm sure being P1 helped with QF).
After checking availability on CX I can see it's not easy to find seats so this time I will have to go blind and book far ahead because the deal is too good to be missed

 

[anat0l]

People book award seats 3 and 4 months out?! I only ever do it 9+ months out!

You haven't lived, then

Or at least appreciated the wrath of USA-based FFers.

Seems like CX have pulled the majority of award flights to HKG in July after speaking with an Alaskan Air booking agent. Couldn't find a single business or first class ticket for the dates I wanted to HKG or KIX/HND/NRT despite speaking to another booking agent last week who was able to accommodate to my dates. QF is the same but they have totally blocked out all July dates for award fares, or so I was told.

Not too happy with this, hopefully there was some kind of error on booking agent's behalf.

Considering I spoke to a booking agent last Friday who told me there was quite a few award seats on my flights spread across a few days and to find out today there's basically nothing, yes i'm not too happy. Never said it was CX's or QF's fault or even Alaska's fault.

Majority must be the key word. I can still see a decent amount of CX J availability between Australia and Hong Kong. Some assorted QF flights also exist.

A dummy look at HKG/TYO is even more silly... J availability every day of July - various times each day. Bananas!

However, it sounds like you have specific date requirements which may be constraining you. Also, can you mix carriers on an AS redemption? (I know the answer is here somewhere, so yes I'm being lazy...) I wonder if AS engage in some sort of "blocking" or what availability they can see is a subset of the alliance availability?

But as others have said - in the FF game, usually it's a case of if you find it, you'd better book it, or you may lose it!

 

[dalereardon]

If you can make last minute travel plans then CX is almost guaranteed to release seats from 7 days out with any they have left. If you have a BA account try searching within 7 days and you can almost always get J or F (if the route has it).

CX wants to fill their planes rather than have empty seats like QF.

Dale.

 

[Limewood]

I booked 2 x J CNS to HKG return in Jan for May!!, was plenty of CX seats, now very few for my dates, you have to strike while the irons hot.

BA site is best for locating CX flights as AS is more aligned to it, even better that QFF and CX Marco Polo.

 

[boomy]

If you can make last minute travel plans then CX is almost guaranteed to release seats from 7 days out with any they have left. If you have a BA account try searching within 7 days and you can almost always get J or F (if the route has it).

CX wants to fill their planes rather than have empty seats like QF.

Dale.

That's good information, thanks Dale!
A spontaneous trip to HKG doesn't sound too bad...

 

[Ledger]

Majority must be the key word. I can still see a decent amount of CX J availability between Australia and Hong Kong. Some assorted QF flights also exist.

A dummy look at HKG/TYO is even more silly... J availability every day of July - various times each day. Bananas!

However, it sounds like you have specific date requirements which may be constraining you. Also, can you mix carriers on an AS redemption? (I know the answer is here somewhere, so yes I'm being lazy...) I wonder if AS engage in some sort of "blocking" or what availability they can see is a subset of the alliance availability?

Strange, i'm not really constraint by time, just need to depart any day within the first week of July and return around the 21st (+2/-2 days). I was very flexible in terms of days and times landing, even with the choice of landing at NRT / HND or KIX and there was apparently no availability with CX or QF at all, even in Y and Y+.

Had a look at the BA site (thanks Limewood) and they're showing a few award seats that suit me a lot. Will call up again in a day or so and hopefully I can get something booked in, otherwise maybe i'll do a last min trip as per Dale's advice.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

If you can make last minute travel plans then CX is almost guaranteed to release seats from 7 days out with any they have left. If you have a BA account try searching within 7 days and you can almost always get J or F (if the route has it).

CX wants to fill their planes rather than have empty seats like QF.

Dale.

Actually QF fill the premium cabins with points upgrades in the lead up to flights. J and f are rarely empty and usually full

 

[RooFlyer]

Just tried to purchase some miles, and got the error message

The Mileage Plan account you specified is not eligible to purchase miles.

I guess this is because I am still under the 10-days-from-establishing-account hurdle (I thought some said up thread that this actually didn't apply). I established my account 3 days ago.

OR ... is there another type of AS 'Milage Plan' that I should have joined, rather than the stock standard one on their web page:

https://www.alaskaair.com/www2/ssl/myalaskaair/MyAlaskaAir.aspx?CurrentForm=UCMyAccountCreate&view=CB3626AF-44AF-4164-ADBB-0E4BC8F2DEE9&LID=nav%3amileagePlan-join

 

[legroom]

Just tried to purchase some miles, and got the error message



I guess this is because I am still under the 10-days-from-establishing-account hurdle (I thought some said up thread that this actually didn't apply). I established my account 3 days ago.

OR ... is there another type of AS 'Milage Plan' that I should have joined, rather than the stock standard one on their web page:

https://www.alaskaair.com/www2/ssl/myalaskaair/MyAlaskaAir.aspx?CurrentForm=UCMyAccountCreate&view=CB3626AF-44AF-4164-ADBB-0E4BC8F2DEE9&LID=nav%3amileagePlan-join

Two weeks' waiting

Be patient

I had the same reaction some weeks ago.

 

[Limewood]

Why the wait to buy AS miles for some new sign ups is a mystery, mine were 2 days and my friend was 10.

I do know we'll be sitting up the front for a 1/4 of the normal price

 

[Ledger]

Found a few flights via BA Exec Club but apparently AS can't see them for some reason.

Can manage SYD to HKG but nothing from MEL

 

[Mwenenzi]

Found a few flights via BA Exec Club but apparently AS can't see them for some reason.
Can manage SYD to HKG but nothing from MEL

With AS you are limited to the routes shown on the AS award chart. This does not cover all CX, BA or QF routes

 

[anat0l]

Found a few flights via BA Exec Club but apparently AS can't see them for some reason.

Can manage SYD to HKG but nothing from MEL

I'm assuming you're referring to CX, but I wonder if this has anything to do with it:

Phantom Cathay Pacific Award Space - One Mile at a Time - One Mile at a Time

The blogpost is discussed in AAdvantage parlance, but it might also affect AS (or QF, or other programmes that can redeem CX)...

 

[Ledger]

That makes sense, looked like plenty of Award Seating with AS / CX but the booking agent couldn't mind much.

Managed to get MEL > HKG > KIX in Y and NRT > HKG > MEL in J for 35,000 Miles + taxes. No idea how when I was initially quoted 105,000 miles for the entire trip in J and was waiting for my 10 days initial wait to purchase AS Miles.

 

[knasty]

This may be unrelated but last year when redeeming AA miles for CX flights (HKG-BKK) the agents couldn't find the CX flight I wanted on the CX page/screen. I told her I was sure there was U availability as I could see it on both QFF and BA. The third agent I spoke to looked up the QF page ans found the CX flight on it...it wasn't phantom availability but it was a system glitch. Once she found it she booked it no problem.