Place of Travel Deals, Frequent Flyer/Guest Programs
It’s easy, all you need to do is book whatever is available from Origin to destination on any date online, then call to modify the trip as long as you keep
1 Origin, destination, return city are same
2 21 days outside of departure.
Remember, you can change anything you want including connecting city, stopover, carriers, date for free, as long as you keep above mentioned same
They are all technical related!! I don’t expect them to get fixed anytime sooner
I was trying to use US airways miles for flight fron HND/NRT-HNL on Air Japan, wholly owned by ANA, CO could see them and I used UA to book them before, but when I called US airways, they just could not see the flight at all. Unlike United*Net blocking, which they can see the flight, but just not available for awards, if you can eventually find an agent to do the long sale, it can be done. With US airways and Air Japan, I couldn’t even find an agent to see the flight at all! 20+ calls
In addition, I was trying to use CO miles for Intra Asia award flights online, I need 6 business class seats, but only 1 and half months left before new award level applies, I need to book first 2 ASAP, so I can have enough time for them to release another 4.Again, technical issue. I thought it was related to credit card, but same error message showed when I selected paypal. I tried to call, but the wait time was greater than 30 minutes++
it was just a bad week to redeem awards!
Update: finally, CO agent was able to figure out problem after checking every detail of my acct history.
1 I should not select infant with seat, do it as child
2 I should not add any FFP number besides CO for award ticket.
Few weeks ago, United and Continental miles can be transferred btw each other without any fees, here are some of my suggestions on which program to use to issue awards.
Benefits of using continental miles to issue the award
1 CO doesn’t block certain partners redemption like United
2 Despite United revised their routing restriction on awards, continental still offers much more flexible routing rule for now
3 CO redemption permits mix of *A and non *A other than Eva, so if you want to enjoy *A with Virgin Atlantic CO is an option.
4 After award issued, CO doesn’t charge any fee(21 days prior to departure) to change the award as long as you keep same origin and destination, routing can be changed. With United, only flights and dates can be changed, routing must stay same.
Benefits of using United miles
1 one way award is permitted for half of R/T
2 no close in ticketing fee.
Personally, I think CO is a better choice because it gives you more flexibility than United, but if you are 1K, I think it’s better off with United.
After Delta changed award chart, United and Continental will change too.
The biggest change is North Asia to South Asia business class increase by 50%, from 30K R/T to 45KR/T and Guam, Palau and Micronesia is zoned to Oceania(they changed 3 times in a year from South Asia to North Asia to Oceania),it hurts me, but it still far better than Delta because of prior notice.
In addition, there are several decreases too, for more detail on changes involves North America, you can read Gary’s post
Gary mentioned you can now transfer UA/CO miles btw accts, there are several advantages for award ticket using CO miles
1 CO doesn’t block certain partners redemption like United
2 Despite United revised their routing restriction on awards, continental still offers much more flexible routing rule for now
3 CO redemption permits mix of *A and non *A other than Eva, so if you want to enjoy *A with Virgin Atlantic or Emirates(before March 31st,2011), CO is an option.
Using CO while you still can
We all know that Delta award pricing are fully computerized, computer will automatically calculate number of miles required based on origin, destination and routing. How about other airlines?
Based on my experience, American Airline is another airline using similar system. Last year, I tried to book award PVG-NRT-PPT, which was the most direct routing and it’s published routing. However the AA system calculated as 2 awards Asia 2-Asia 1+Asia 1+South Pacific. I guess it’s because I routed via higher zone. Then, I tried PVG-HKG-AKL-PPT, this time it calculated as Asia 2-South Pacific, then within South Pacific.
After some disscusion on FT, I tried PVG-HKG-SYD-AKL-PPT, this time was told only 1 award Asia 2-South Pacific.
I also tried above trip by adding PPT-IPC, now it counted as 2 award again.Every time, I was trying to argue with agent, rate desk, supervisor, all they told was “sorry, computer does the job, we only put flight together”
Just yesterday, I saw a post on FT, someone redeemed LAX-PPT-AKL on TN with no stopovers, the computer counted as two awards again. So Delta is not the only one, AA does the same except much better domestic award availability than Delta.
How about US, UA and CO?
Again, based on my experience, their system doesn’t calculate amount of miles automatically based on city or routing. There should be a place for agent to put in region, then computer calculating required miles based the agents’ input. That’s why we all heard many crazy routing when using US or CO miles, even UA.
update: Gary confirmed that CO is fully computerized, I am surprised to see they did not program the routing restrictions. 
View from the wing talked about award from US to OZ/NZ, Tahiti and Maldive, I want to add a little bit my own advice.
The easiest program to go to OZ/NZ are CO/US because both programs allow routing via Asia and Thai airways have plenty of seats to these areas.
AA is a little bit limited because of routing on Qantas or Air Tahiti or Air Pacific via Nadi, seats are limited。 however, if you want to pay some extra miles, you can use AA one world redemption, which can be route via Asia, but award are distance based
Delta also permits routing via Asia, have you thought about using China Southern, china Eastern, China Airline, Malaysia airline, also Air Tahiti routing via NRT to PPT, Tahiti? let’s ignore Korean Air because you can not find 2 seats in business class across Pacific at same time, Delta blocks the seat(like *net blocking)
As for Maldive, Male, the easiest way to get there is to Sri Lanka, Colombo, then buy a cheap ticket to Male, Colombo is partner Central Asia for most programs. Personally, I don’t think Male is worth a trip all the way from US.
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Besides miles and fee waive, you also get
A great offer to jump in after FEB 1st, when you earn some points for CO Milethon
As you may already know, unlike other frequent flyer programs in other countries, most programs of North American airlines don’t charge fuel surcharge when you redeem miles for awards, but there are few exceptions, they don’t pay these fuel charge to the operating airlines, they keep in their pocket as their own revenue.
1 United, Continental, US airways don’t charge fuel surchage on any airlines to anywhere
2 Air Canada collects fuel surcharge only on their own metal
3 American airlines collects fuel surcharge on British Airways redemption, but they made public announcement about it.
4 Delta is a “special” one, they try to figure out way to make money in every possible way and they do collect fuel for many airlines, here are list at my knowledge
The most interesting part about Air Tahiti was, I have an award on 2 of their flights from NRT-PPT-AKL, then return with Korean air, total taxes was $100 USD, but the ticket was issued back in September of last year. Back in December and this month, I also issued several Air Tahiti flight from CDG-LAX, but fuel was collected, I thought the charge was by route. Today, I called in to modify my tickets issued in September by 1 day and was told to pay $330 per person in taxes. they check for me, YQ was showed, which means DL just added YQ for Air Tahiti not too long ago.
The good thing for me was I can change my flight after I flew all Air Tahiti segments, but for any new reservations with airlines charge fuel, economy class redemption are not really worth it.
Registration begins in Jan 1st, 2011-Feb 28th, 2011 and complete Mileathon activity between Feb 1st, 2011 -Apr 30th, 2011. More qualifying activities will earn you more points=more miles
Offer valid for resident of 48 states
Credit to this thread
Via Gary, from now until Dec 31st, 2010, Double CO EQM on Copa flights. registration is required
