Spending Frequent Flyer Miles

[Kleyshay 0]

Hi folks, a question for those of you who have redeemed your FF miles in the past.

I currently have 120,000+ miles with KLM and i was looking to venture over to LOS for xmas. The usual 'cost' for this trip with KLM from my local airport is 40,000 miles each way.

I know i have left it late in the day to book, but had business committments, but when i checked out KLM's website everything is 80,000 each way !!! Lo and behold i do not have enough miles.

I have tried various routes from various UK airports and also into the likes of KUL and Singapore even just to get me out there and then get a budget flight to BKK, but everything is 80,000.

I then came across the fact that KLM's airline partners will let you spend KLM miles on their flights. Two of the partners which stood out, would be Jet and Malaysian.

Has anyone booked a flight like this and how did you go about it?

What would the mileage 'cost' be (same as KLM ?)

Details seem very sparse on the respected websites concerned as I guess all parties would rather you did not do this.

Any help would be appreciated.

If not I will pay my fare and use the miles for Easter / Songkran

Thanks people

[4niceight 32]

March 2007 I was coming to Thailand from West Africa. To fly my normal route via UK was expensive at that time. I had Emirates miles accrued and one of their partners is South African Airways. I called Emirates Skywards office in Manchester and asked for a return flight from Dakar, Senegal, to Johannesburg with SAA. They arranged it all. I had to pay the airport tax only. From Johannesburg I flew Emirates to Bangkok. The only problem I had was that SAA didn't issue e-tickets at the time and I had a couple of weeks wondering if my tickets were going to make it in the post from Manchester to Gambia, where the post is unreliable to say the least. However, all turned out well. So, yes, it's easy enough to do. Contact KLM's airmiles admin office. Good luck.

Edited October 29, 2008 by 4niceight

[Zeus 56]

Well, your main problem is that you want to go over x-mas. Most carriers block out their lowest FF fares one week before x-mas to one week after New Years. The result is that you have to use double miles to get the flight you want(as you noticed). If you can afford to have your flights outside of this window, you might have better luck.

 

Other suggestions:

- Wait a bit. Airlines usually open up more flights 3 weeks prior to the departure date if there is space. Before that they save them for revenue customers who will pay for a seat. This method usually only gets you the minimum on the departure. The return is tougher for a long trip.

- Call a reservations agent for the airline that you have miles with. They often have access to fares that are not shown on the internet. Particularly for partner airlines that the internet does not display.

 

I'll be travelling business class on NW LAX-BKK RT for 120K FF miles (11/7 -12/1), but I booked it long ago.

 

Keep the beer cold and the women hot!

 

Zeus

[Hub 203]

I second Zeus' one reco-

 

Definitely CALL FOR FF BOOKING - you will never find anything good on the website and on the phone they will automatically check partner airlines. You may have to pay a small booking fee, but well worth it.

 

I pay either 60K or 70K RT economy depending if I fly AA or CX, but I find the business class ticket at 110K well worth it (just compare the prices, a $1,100 ticket vs a $11,000 ticket).

 

good luck

[BigDUSA 71]

I second Zeus' one reco-

 

Definitely CALL FOR FF BOOKING - you will never find anything good on the website and on the phone they will automatically check partner airlines. You may have to pay a small booking fee, but well worth it.

 

I pay either 60K or 70K RT economy depending if I fly AA or CX, but I find the business class ticket at 110K well worth it (just compare the prices, a $1,100 ticket vs a $11,000 ticket).

 

good luck

 

Hub's right on with this but with United you have to ask the reservation agent to check the partner airlines.

[vidman 2]

This wont apply to KLM but it does apply to anyone flying emirates etc.

 

Some problems with the miles redemption is what the airline class as the different seat classes. Your normal "economy" class is what you want but they are quoting you "peak economy" class. (at double miles cost)

 

Maybe an economy seat will be available but you will need to call the "miles" office AND there may be a stopover time.

[Fireman Sam 336]

Hi,

 

Have a look at the following forum might be some help in there somewhere, or eleswhere on the main board of FlyerTalk.

 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=493

 

Best Regards

Fireman Sam

[Kleyshay 0]

OK thanks people for your replies and advice

[jasonbalmer 2]

As others have said, you gotta book early to get the seats (which are few)

 

I don't know about other airlines but United release seats into the FF system 331 days before departure (call your airline and ask, they'll tell you). I'm usually on the phone to them as soon as they release when I'm trying to fly a popular route.

[Emil 0]

Hub's right on with this but with United you have to ask the reservation agent to check the partner airlines.

 

I've never asked United to check with their Star Alliance partners and I've had 14 freebies over the past 5 years. They done it automatically for me and only once did I fly United on the entire trip. In 2 days I''l be on United to Korea, then Thai to Bangkok and Singapore for the entire trip back to SFO. Cost to speak to an agent has been $25.