How can I track the number of FFP required?

[sandiefran]

I enquired about the number of Velocity points needed for two flights in the USA/Canada on 14 July.

The first flight was 20,700 and the second flight was 27,300.

When I went to book the flights today (13 August) I found that the first flight requirement had dropped to 16,800 so immediately booked that but the second flight had risen to 33,600 and as I was booking for two people didn't quite have enough points.

Is there a method or easy way of tracking the rise and preferrably the fall in the number of points required, without contacting the Velocity centre - who were very helpful.

Is there a certain time of the week/month that these number of points are liable to fall.

The second flight I am looking at is for May 2011 from Toronto to Los Angeles.

 

[samh004]

Are you booking a Classic or an Any Seat award, I ask because I would think the latter would go up in price if more seats had suddenly been sold, while the former should just stay the same.

Does seem odd that something so far away would fluctuate like that though.

 

[serfty]

Are you booking a Classic or an Any Seat award, I ask because I would think the latter would go up in price if more seats had suddenly been sold, while the former should just stay the same. ...

Ummm ... check the forum ...

 

[samh004]

Ummm ... check the forum ...

I did, I tried to do a dummy points booking myself the other day and was offered a "classic" award and an "any seat" award. They had different values, so I assumed it still applied? Does it not?

Or to further clarify, as I’ve used the incorrect terms no doubt, I can see a "Reward" booking for 28,200 points that is sold out or an "Any Seat" for 66,900 points that is still available. I would expect the "Any Seat" to rise as the date draws closer and more seats are sold.

NB. This is on a random booking from Queenstown.

 

[zig]

I did, I tried to do a dummy points booking myself the other day and was offered a "classic" award and an "any seat" award. They had different values, so I assumed it still applied? Does it not?

The question has been posted in the Virgin forum, not QFF, so not sure that the ASAs apply there.

 

[jsd]

I enquired about the number of Velocity points needed for two flights in the USA/Canada on 14 July.

The first flight was 20,700 and the second flight was 27,300.

When I went to book the flights today (13 August) I found that the first flight requirement had dropped to 16,800 so immediately booked that but the second flight had risen to 33,600 and as I was booking for two people didn't quite have enough points.

Is there a method or easy way of tracking the rise and preferrably the fall in the number of points required, without contacting the Velocity centre - who were very helpful.

Is there a certain time of the week/month that these number of points are liable to fall.

The second flight I am looking at is for May 2011 from Toronto to Los Angeles.

To be honest, I do not think an actual system for checking the points required for partner airline rewards exists.

Velocity's award system works very similar to QF, there are two types of awards, Classic or simply called 'Award Seat' and then there is an 'Any Seat' award.

Now of course with an Any Seat award its not easy to tell how many points are required for the flights in question due to a number of factors (Loads, cash fare prices etc.)

However it is slightly easier to work out the points required for an 'Award' seat as (just like QF) the points required for most routes are based on distance travelled.

Again I don't think there is any system for checking the points required but a dummy internet booking can always tell (Or, if I'm feeling game, I can put together some sort of table, unless one already exists somewhere).


Josh

 

[samh004]

The question has been posted in the Virgin forum, not QFF, so not sure that the ASAs apply there.

Umm… where do you think QF got the idea of ASA’s from?

I went through the same stuff with serfty just an hour ago.

Again I don't think there is any system for checking the points required but a dummy internet booking can always tell (Or, if I'm feeling game, I can put together some sort of table, unless one already exists somewhere).

I tried to look online, but the only North American port given is LAX, and the OP wanted Toronto, so that stumped me.

 

[jsd]

I tried to look online, but the only North American port given is LAX, and the OP wanted Toronto, so that stumped me.

At present, partner airline tickets with DL, VS, VX, MH etc. can only be booked through the Velocity call centre

Josh

 

[sandiefran]

I assume that it was for "any available seat" as I was not asked either time. The helpful staff member at Velocity was a bit hedgey when I asked if the points "go up and down"!

I had hoped that there was someone on the FF Forum who could give me an idea of the best time to try, but I shall just have a go now and then and hope that I will have enough points to get it tied up soon.

As long as it is not one of those things that always seem to be just out of reach - when I have enough points to cover the last quote, then the number required has increased again!

Maybe I will get lucky and have the value fall like it did with my first flight!

 

[samh004]

I assume that it was for "any available seat" as I was not asked either time. The helpful staff member at Velocity was a bit hedgey when I asked if the points "go up and down"!

I had hoped that there was someone on the FF Forum who could give me an idea of the best time to try, but I shall just have a go now and then and hope that I will have enough points to get it tied up soon.

Trouble is the majority of members here are more accustomed to QFF, as you can see every time help is offered

As long as it is not one of those things that always seem to be just out of reach - when I have enough points to cover the last quote, then the number required has increased again!

Maybe I will get lucky and have the value fall like it did with my first flight!

Let us know how it goes anyway, maybe you should make a little table and record the value every other day, could be quite interesting