Can’t Use Your Miles? Comparing Seat Availability Among Airlines

[bigdelta 46]

By Scott McCartney-WSJ-Middle Seat Terminal

 

How do you measure frequent-flier programs? Which one is the best for you?

 

The decision often boils down to what perk you value the most. Are the benefits of elite status -– upgrades, early boarding, standby-list priority, special lines at security checkpoints, baggage-fee waivers and exit-row coach seating -– more important than more trips? Or are you really after “free’’ tickets and want to maximize the buying power of the miles earned in the air or on the ground through credit card benefits?

 

The elite-level program benefits are easy to compare, and if you live in a city dominated by one airline, the choice is made for you. But how do you evaluate the ticket-buying power of each program, when you know the frustration of having miles and not being able to redeem them for itineraries you want because of limited availability?

 

This week’s Middle Seat shows a data-driven way to compare -— an extensive survey of availability of award seats at 24 airlines around the world. It reveals huge disparity between programs –- some that had seats available almost all the time in the queries made, others that said “no’’ three out of four times.

 

The study by IdeaWorks Co. looked at the routes where each airline ought to have the most ample offerings — the top short-haul and long-haul routes in terms of seat capacity. But it asked for two seats at the standard award level. That’s the lowest level in each program, the one that the airline typically advertises when highlighting the addictive allure of free travel. In other words, it was a real-world test much like any customer would want.

 

Discount carriers generally fared better than other airlines. Star Alliance carriers generally had more availability than others. US Airways and Delta Air Lines were worst. That was also true in the same survey last year, though both US Airways and Delta showed significant improvement.

 

Finding seats with your miles has often been a mysterious business driven by complexity. Some people search at midnight 11 months before the departure date they want -– the exact time most airlines open flights for booking. It pays to keep searching -– inventory does change. And it pays to be realistic: There probably aren’t ever going to be seats to Paris for you in July. I’ve long advocated, by the way, using miles for last-minute emergencies and surprises rather than long-planned vacations. Planning ahead you can almost always get cheap fares. It’s the last-minute tickets that can cost the most, and it’s usually easier to find award inventory to get to your uncle’s funeral than to Hawaii.

 

The IdeaWorks survey shines the light of comparison on airline award inventory. That’s an important step toward forcing airlines to make their programs more useful to consumers, and toward consumers making better-informed choices.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

A plus for you. You always offer good travel related info.

[bigdelta 46]

tyvm

 

A plus for you. You always offer good travel related info.

[MM 6,562]

That's just a blurb. Where is the survey?

[kaiser71 30]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303654804576345254232316730.html

 

[bigdelta 46]

My most sincere apology MM.Somehow I managed to post it in the other,more important thread I posted regarding airline miles. indeed.

http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/topic/55205-for-frequent-fliers-a-ranking-of-the-stingiest-airlines/

Thanks kaiser for bringing it to the correct thread.

 

That's just a blurb. Where is the survey?

Edited May 27, 2011 by LTGTR

[bigdelta 46]

A very important line in that other thread is,"Traditionally airlines have made seats available for awards far in advance, rarely adding to award inventory in the final 21 days before departure. But that's changed. Travelers should now check early and check often".

 

god I love it,-20 & counting!

Edited May 27, 2011 by LTGTR

[Grandpollo 366]

What's missing here and most relevant to BM's is that single seats are often very easy to get. On AA I have never failed to redeem a FF award in 11 years. Also vs. paying top price for Anytime awards usually double the regular rate try business or first at a lower redemption rate. These are easy to get one as most people are too cheap to redeem 60,000 vs. 30,000.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

What's missing here and most relevant to BM's is that single seats are often very easy to get. On AA I have never failed to redeem a FF award in 11 years. Also vs. paying top price for Anytime awards usually double the regular rate try business or first at a lower redemption rate. These are easy to get one as most people are too cheap to redeem 60,000 vs. 30,000.

 

Agree about having few problems requesting biz class seats and, as you highlighted, BM's should be aware that the survey was specifically based on requests for two seats.

 

But it asked for two seats at the standard award level.

[Grandpollo 366]

Agree about having few problems requesting biz class seats and, as you highlighted, BM's should be aware that the survey was specifically based on requests for two seats.

And what people don't even realize if they are inexperienced, the airline will happily sell you a double rate anytime award for the same amount as a milesaver award in business would cost. When the latter is available - and they won't recommend the better class option.

 

I use ExpertFlyer which is a subscription service that allows me to access the airlines' GDS and I can see award availability, all classes, all types on AA anyway so I can call knowing what is in inventory and also upgrades of all types too. Again, I pay for that an most people would not want to.

 

I have miles up the hoop as I still tend to buy vs. redeem but I have enough now for three round trip in Cathay first class to BKK and change left over. First are also quite easy to arrange for one person.

Edited May 28, 2011 by ricktoronto

[Bullfrog 2,224]

By Scott McCartney-WSJ-Middle Seat Terminal

 

How do you measure frequent-flier programs? Which one is the best for you?

 

Simples! KLM cos their miles are lifetime ...i.e.You don't have to use them up by a predetermined time..

 

 

Also I racked up loads of miles by flying business class to and from Africa with their partner Kenya airways...

[Grandpollo 366]

Simples! KLM cos their miles are lifetime ...i.e.You don't have to use them up by a predetermined time..

 

 

Also I racked up loads of miles by flying business class to and from Africa with their partner Kenya airways...

 

Apart from a few, the miles tend only to expire if you have no activity. Earning 10 miles from a promotion or redeeming anything, or using an airline mile branded credit card extends the expiry dates. If you can't buy, earn or spend for two years (AA example) then you aren't much of a participant in the program, really.

[bigdelta 46]

Delta Miles DO NOT expire.

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_skymiles/membership_guide_program/skymiles_rules/index.jsp#expiration

[Bullfrog 2,224]

Delta Miles DO NOT expire.

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_skymiles/membership_guide_program/skymiles_rules/index.jsp#expiration

 

Excellent. I hadn't realised others did lifetime miles..I am always looking for new schemes.

 

I visited the site but couldn't find a list of partners..I am only interested in schemes that fly from LOS to most parts of Africa, Europe and Asia..

[Bullfrog 2,224]

Simples! KLM cos their miles are lifetime ...i.e.You don't have to use them up by a predetermined time..

 

 

Also I racked up loads of miles by flying business class to and from Africa with their partner Kenya airways...

 

Another good point is to join some sort of hotel point scheme that gives you airmiles..

 

I joined this one in Feb..

 

http://www.clubcarlson.com/home.do

 

I stayed in the Radisson in Fornebu, Oslo for about 8 weeks on business and earned 60,000 airmiles!!

 

....and I checked..they dish out airmiles for Delta too..

[Grandpollo 366]

Excellent. I hadn't realised others did lifetime miles..I am always looking for new schemes.

 

I visited the site but couldn't find a list of partners..I am only interested in schemes that fly from LOS to most parts of Africa, Europe and Asia..

Read all the posts as Delta fucks you with redemption rates 2-3X other airlines.

[Bullfrog 2,224]

Read all the posts as Delta fucks you with redemption rates 2-3X other airlines.

 

I only mentioned Delta because of LTGR's response to mine..As far as I amm concerned KLM and Kenya airways tick ALL the boxes for me..