US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

[MEL_Traveller]

That said, there are definitely a good share of people here who are booking as couples and netting a few F seats here and there - needless to say, TG is a popular choice (for an obvious reason!)

TG F always beats J on any other airline. The ground handling alone at BKK is a stand-out. For my folks, having the buggy meet, transfer, then deliver back at the next aircraft is priceless peace of mind! Plus they have one stop flights to most of europe (lessens the chance of the folks going AWOL )

 

[extracta]

It often comes up with unknown...does it also say (I)?

Today it has changed from unknown to unknown (I)

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Just been doing some dummy bookings on ANA (F availability) this morning.
From a quick scan, it looks like -

Pretty dry (searched 2012 - Nov, Dec and 2013 - Jan, Jul, Aug)
ICN/BKK to ZRH, FRA, MUC. Didn't even try SIN.

• Asia -> Europe
• Europe -> Asia

Decent, ok 'ish offerings

• SYD-ICN
• SYD-BKK

• BKK-SYD

Plentiful

• Intra Europe J

Comparing it to my first US redemption earlier this year (and yes, l know, using ANA isn't 100%), it seems like there is less availability. Or am l just looking at wrong dates?

 

[anat0l]

Just been doing some dummy bookings on ANA (F availability) this morning.
From a quick scan, it looks like -

Pretty dry (searched 2012 - Nov, Dec and 2013 - Jan, Jul, Aug)
ICN/BKK to ZRH, FRA, MUC. Didn't even try SIN.

• Asia -> Europe
• Europe -> Asia

Decent, ok 'ish offerings

• SYD-ICN
• SYD-BKK

• BKK-SYD

Plentiful

• Intra Europe J

Comparing it to my first US redemption earlier this year (and yes, l know, using ANA isn't 100%), it seems like there is less availability. Or am l just looking at wrong dates?

From what I'm seeing, TG F is still plentiful on most routes. Availability is mostly in clusters of days (i.e. a block of days with availability, then a block of days with zilch).

OZ F seems viable for ICN/FRA, though suffice to say this is not new equipment (747 Combi).

FRA/PEK on CA F, for those inclined to try, is sporadically available. This is also a 747, but I believe that is their best aircraft right now.

LH and SQ F are, as tradition dictates, more difficult to find than Amelia Earhart.

LX F, my Lufthansa group mainstay to help me use the FRA FCT and a truly excellent F product, is more dry than Saharan sand. I've checked ZRH to NRT, BKK, PEK and BOM for many months next year, and there is nothing. I can't even find anything if you wanted to leave within the next 2 months. A real shame, as I really love the product. (Suffice to say, there are a few people who have scooped it big ex-RGN recently, if they can rely on the DoT and/or CTA to pressure LX into reinstating their F tickets).

I don't know whether availability does open up for any of the dry options, viz. setting up a fare alert on ExpertFlyer.

Right now the most viable F options seem to be TG, OZ and CA - at least for Asia / Europe anyway.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

FRA/PEK on CA F, for those inclined to try, is sporadically available. This is also a 747, but I believe that is their best aircraft right now.

CA's 777-300 is their best product - sort of suites product. But their 747 is unique in placing 10 beds in zone 2 of the 747.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Cheers for insight. I shall keep my eyes open.

 

[anat0l]

CA's 777-300 is their best product - sort of suites product. But their 747 is unique in placing 10 beds in zone 2 of the 747.

I had thought this but obviously Air China's website hasn't updated their cabin walkthrough (unless I'm looking at the wrong one).

That said, I was looking at FRA/PEK and assuming that the 773 on that route is one with the new product, it's showing close to nothing available for many months. Guess we know why.....

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I had thought this but obviously Air China's website hasn't updated their cabin walkthrough (unless I'm looking at the wrong one).

That said, I was looking at FRA/PEK and assuming that the 773 on that route is one with the new product, it's showing close to nothing available for many months. Guess we know why.....

their 777-300s are brand new (they had 772s before) and are currently on the PEK-LAX route. Not sure where they will extend after that.

Their current 772s are going to be refurbished with full flats in business class.

 

[Flashback]

Just been doing some dummy bookings on ANA (F availability) this morning.
From a quick scan, it looks like -

Pretty dry (searched 2012 - Nov, Dec and 2013 - Jan, Jul, Aug)
ICN/BKK to ZRH, FRA, MUC. Didn't even try SIN.

• Asia -> Europe
• Europe -> Asia

Decent, ok 'ish offerings

• SYD-ICN
• SYD-BKK

• BKK-SYD

Plentiful

• Intra Europe J

Comparing it to my first US redemption earlier this year (and yes, l know, using ANA isn't 100%), it seems like there is less availability. Or am l just looking at wrong dates?

I just completed the booking for my P's, ex-PER end of April, ex-CDG end of May ; availability looked to be wide open on almost every day. I guess July/August is peak travel time, so may be harder...

 

[Terryi02]

Hi All,

Is flying from LAX to SFO as a segment on a journey to New York allowed?
It looks like a back track on the world map?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi All,

Is flying from LAX to SFO as a segment on a journey to New York allowed?
It looks like a back track on the world map?

it's fine. 'Backtrack' is quite arbitrary for USDM. SYD-BKK-LAX is a backtrack and quite allowed. But I've had ZRH-FRA-BKK denied because it was backtracking (go figure).

For something together like SFO and LAX they won't even bat an eyelid.

 

[Terryi02]

Thanks very much

 

[lmere12]

J in the A380 shud be nice tho ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

J in the A380 shud be nice tho ?

yes. full flat will make all the difference.

 

[thehound]

yes. full flat will make all the difference.

So J on the Thai A380s is fully flat? Or were you referring to F?

 

[casanovawa]

Thai's 773 do and their new A380s will have fully flat beds in J...

Hmmm, weighing up thinking about trying to get a return from FCO on SGs 772ER... On Seat Guru the J seats in those refurbed 772s look better than in their 77W... There is Thai's A380 from FRA as well...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thai's 773 do and their new A380s will have fully flat beds in J...

Hmmm, weighing up thinking about trying to get a return from FCO on SGs 772ER... On Seat Guru the J seats in those refurbed 772s look better than in their 77W... There is Thai's A380 from FRA as well...

just to clarify, cause you are right and I had forgotten about TG's leased 77Ws.

TG has full flat beds in biz class on the a380, 77w leased from jet airways, and on their own brand new 777-300 ( which I don't think have entered service yet.)

all their other 773 and 772s are angled lie flats. to be safe, I'd stick on,y with the a380, as the 77w is going to be returned when their other ones start coming in, and aircraft sub I think will be high for a while.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thai's 773 do and their new A380s will have fully flat beds in J...

Hmmm, weighing up thinking about trying to get a return from FCO on SGs 772ER... On Seat Guru the J seats in those refurbed 772s look better than in their 77W... There is Thai's A380 from FRA as well...

just to clarify, cause you are right and I had forgotten about TG's leased 77Ws.

TG has full flat beds in biz class on the a380, 77w leased from jet airways, and on their own brand new 777-300 ( which I don't think have entered service yet.)

all their other 773 and 772s are angled lie flats. to be safe, I'd stick on,y with the a380, as the 77w is going to be returned when their other ones start coming in, and aircraft sub I think will be high for a while.

 

[travelislife]

You are right with the fleet there MEL_traveller except they have two of their own 777 flat bed aircraft in service I think with another 12 to be delivered. Would be nice of them to start retrofitting the existing ones but I highly doubt it!

 

[markis10]

You are right with the fleet there MEL_traveller except they have two of their own 777 flat bed aircraft in service I think with another 12 to be delivered. Would be nice of them to start retrofitting the existing ones but I highly doubt it!

Thai have 6 777-300 ER on order.