Reward seat availability on partner airline (Air France)

[IrishPete]

So the wine points have credited, and now to book the Dublin to Paris Business Class fares, and the fates have dictated there is only one available when I need two.

There are paid Business Class seats available (and not horrifically priced, at Au$450). Should I book one Rewards seat and gamble on another becoming available? Travel date is just under three weeks away.

 

[exceladdict]

So the wine points have credited, and now to book the Dublin to Paris Business Class fares, and the fates have dictated there is only one available when I need two.

There are paid Business Class seats available (and not horrifically priced, at Au$450). Should I book one Rewards seat and gamble on another becoming available? Travel date is just under three weeks away.

Having travelled AF ARN-CDG last year, business class was just economy with an empty seat in the middle, and a meal I don't desire to have again. I'd just go economy personally!

 

[Cloud9]

Having travelled AF ARN-CDG last year, business class was just economy with an empty seat in the middle, and a meal I don't desire to have again. I'd just go economy personally!

Seconded. You'll be on the tarmac nearly as long as you're in the air.

 

[IrishPete]

Having travelled AF ARN-CDG last year, business class was just economy with an empty seat in the middle, and a meal I don't desire to have again. I'd just go economy personally!

Lounge access and extra baggage allowance are the main attractions.

 

[Cloud9]

Lounge access and extra baggage allowance are the main attractions.

Fair shout, mate. May as well enjoy a glass of bubbles on the tarmac as well, then!

 

[JimmyJ]

I've had a similar experience whereby Air France trickle feed the release of reward seats on intra-Europe flights.

I needed 3 seats, only 2 reward seats were showing as available. I booked the first 2 rewards seats and thought that I would pay cash for the 3rd seat. The following day they released more reward seats, so I snapped up the 3rd seat that I needed.

Be careful though, sometimes the taxes/surcharges are not a lot less more than paying cash for the seats. Also when booking cash fares, the "business" upgrades can be reasonably priced closer to departure ($85 euro CDG-BCN last year), not bad when you when having to pay extra for checked luggage anyway.

 

[IrishPete]

Fair shout, mate. May as well enjoy a glass of bubbles on the tarmac as well, then!

We are flying back to Oz Premium Economy on Cathay Pacific, which gives extra luggage allowance, but we won't get much use out of that if we have to get to Paris from Ireland in cattle class.

 

[sudoer]

Lounge access and extra baggage allowance are the main attractions.

Do you have any Oneworld or Star Alliance status? I'd be looking at SkyTeam status matches...

Friends don't let friends book eurobiz unless part of a status run.

 

[jase05]

Friends don't let friends book eurobiz unless part of a status run.

We only ever fly Eurobiz in Europe.
Costs are generally not much more than Y and on most airlines you are guaranteed a blocked middle seat plus some food and beverages.
Yeah it’s not great but still better than Y.
I’d definitely look at getting some SkyTeam status though if you are going to fly Y

 

[IrishPete]

I've had a similar experience whereby Air France trickle feed the release of reward seats on intra-Europe flights.

I needed 3 seats, only 2 reward seats were showing as available. I booked the first 2 rewards seats and thought that I would pay cash for the 3rd seat. The following day they released more reward seats, so I snapped up the 3rd seat that I needed.

Be careful though, sometimes the taxes/surcharges are not a lot less more than paying cash for the seats. Also when booking cash fares, the "business" upgrades can be reasonably priced closer to departure ($85 euro CDG-BCN last year), not bad when you when having to pay extra for checked luggage anyway.

Thanks. That's really helpful.

Fees are 79 Euro each, about the same as a paid Economy ticket. And the fee for an Economy Reward ticket is the same as for a Business Reward ticket.

 

[IrishPete]

So, one Business Class seat booked, and now we wait...

Bizarrely Qantas shows no Reward Seat availability on that flight at all now, not even Economy, but the Air France app shows availability in Economy and Business, so I am not panicking yet...

 

[jase05]

So, one Business Class seat booked, and now we wait...

Bizarrely Qantas shows no Reward Seat availability on that flight at all now, not even Economy, but the Air France app shows availability in Economy and Business, so I am not panicking yet...

Qantas doesn’t get anywhere near the award seat inventory that SkyTeam partners do.
One option is Virgin Atlantic where a Business seat award is 8,000 points plus fees of €14 for DUB-CDG.
You could purchase 8000 points for about $250 plus fees of about $20 so for $270 you would pay all up and that’s at full points cost. From time to time Virhin Atlantic have points sales on including one currently

 

[IrishPete]

Qantas doesn’t get anywhere near the award seat inventory that SkyTeam partners do.
One option is Virgin Atlantic where a Business seat award is 8,000 points plus fees of €14 for DUB-CDG.
You could purchase 8000 points for about $250 plus fees of about $20 so for $270 you would pay all up and that’s at full points cost. From time to time Virhin Atlantic have points sales on including one currently

Is there any connection between Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic, so that I could use Velocity points? I'm drowning in those currently.

 

[andye]

Qantas doesn’t get anywhere near the award seat inventory that SkyTeam partners do.
One option is Virgin Atlantic where a Business seat award is 8,000 points plus fees of €14 for DUB-CDG.
You could purchase 8000 points for about $250 plus fees of about $20 so for $270 you would pay all up and that’s at full points cost. From time to time Virhin Atlantic have points sales on including one currently

And VS is an Amex MR partner

 

[serfty]

Is there any connection between Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic, so that I could use Velocity points? I'm drowning in those currently.

yes, but you need to call (Economy 7800+++ / Business 15,500+++) [Not on codeshares]

Virgin Atlantic

Earn Points with Virgin Atlantic when you travel in an eligible fare class on flights with a VS flight number operated by Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Australia. You can also earn Status Credits and redeem reward Seat. Learn more now.

www.velocityfrequentflyer.com

 

[jase05]

yes, but you need to call:

Virgin Atlantic

Earn Points with Virgin Atlantic when you travel in an eligible fare class on flights with a VS flight number operated by Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Australia. You can also earn Status Credits and redeem reward Seat. Learn more now.

www.velocityfrequentflyer.com

That’s only for flights on Virgin Atlantic metal.
No good for Air France awards

 

[andye]

yes, but you need to call:

Virgin Atlantic

Earn Points with Virgin Atlantic when you travel in an eligible fare class on flights with a VS flight number operated by Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Australia. You can also earn Status Credits and redeem reward Seat. Learn more now.

www.velocityfrequentflyer.com

You won't be able to use the VA points for a VS partner redemption though

 

[IrishPete]

Turns out that you can't join Virgin Atlantic and immediately buy points. You have to have had a spend or earn transaction first...

 

[jase05]

Turns out that you can't join Virgin Atlantic and immediately buy points. You have to have had a spend or earn transaction first...

Transferring points from a partner counts as a transaction
For memory I think when I first joined I transferred a small amount of Hilton Honors points to Virging Atlantic and they cleared in about 24hrs.

 

[IrishPete]

So, it's D-day minus nine, and still no more Business (or even Economy) seats have been released by Air France for the flight I want (or any time that day).

Am I wasting my time? Shall I just bite the bullet and pay? They aren't very cheap, so this is going to be a painful lesson!