How does getting plane tickets using frequent flyer miles work? - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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How does getting plane tickets using frequent flyer miles work?
Hey!
I have never redeemed any Delta frequent flyer miles for a ticket before. I am in the process of trying to use them for a flight next summer. I have been able to put a 14 day hold on the outgoing flight using my FF miles. Delta hasn't released any seats to FF members on my return flight, though, so I have been waitlisted for that.
My problem is that the 14 day hold on the flight out will expire on Monday and there is a good chance that I will still be waitlisted for the flight back at that point. I can't get a straight answer from anyone at Delta explaining how all this works. Does anybody know the ins and outs of how getting FF seats works? It sounds like my hold on the outgoing flight will be cancelled on Monday and then I will have to go through the process of trying to get those seats back for another 14 day hold in hopes that the FF return flight seats will be released with in that 14 day period. Clear as mud, huh!
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Re: How does getting plane tickets using frequent flyer miles work?
I'd just let your hold lapse (if they don't open up the return by Mon) and try to do the whole round-trip at the same time. Did they tell you when they'd open up the return flights....or if they would for sure? You could get stuck with FF on the way down and have to pay for your one-way back (if they never do FF for those flights).
It's not always necessary to get tickets 12 months out.....but the agent should be able to tell you whether this is correct. The only time I've used them have been with only 1 1/2 months notice and had no problems finding flights (AA) that I could use (not necessarily my first choices).
Re: How does getting plane tickets using frequent flyer miles work?
They said that they might open up some seats for the return flight, but not for sure would. The reason we were trying to do it so early is b/c we were told the earlier the better and we were sort of counting on the plane tickets when we were doing our budget. (This is for a trip out to Yellowstone.)
But, yes you did help and it sounds like it's just a crap shoot at trying to get a FF flight. A friend of mine who works for Delta said that there are very limited seats for FF members, especially on popular flights, which this would be. Thanks!
Re: How does getting plane tickets using frequent flyer miles work?
I don't know about DL but for UA they open the seats within the same week as they open flts up. 342 days I believe. If your date is farther out then 342 they should allow you to hold your ob longer. If it is within that time, then either they did not release any seats for that flt or they are already gone. UA would not allow a ow on ff. It had to be a rt . Also try other times/day or two before or after/different cities if somewhere eles is close enough by. GOOD LUCK!!!
Re: How does getting plane tickets using frequent flyer miles work?
Yes, we got waitlisted for the return flight as soon as the flight became available to do that (321 days or something like that.) Since we didn't have any problem getting the flight out (which is 1 week before the return flight), it does make me wonder if there are going to be FF seats ever released on the return flight. Fun fun! Thanks for the responses!
Re: How does getting plane tickets using frequent flyer miles work?
We've had a great deal of difficulty using FF miles with traditional programs. We love SWA because it's so easy to use theirs.
I've found that if you don't have a lot of flexibility for your dates, it can be very hard to book. The UA agent told me many business people book flights as soon as they are opened and using the minmum number can be impossible. What we did to finally use our last two tickets was to fly out of one airport and into another. I don't know if that's a possibility for you.
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