Redeeming Air Miles for Flights

[flyingjay]

Hope it's okay that I started a new thread...I felt this was a different discussion than the Air Miles Alert...

Does anyone have any tips for redeeming AM for flights? We are looking to go to DLR during Spring Break/2018 and I've noticed the flights from Winnipeg show up and then disappear again frequently (I've been monitoring our dates for a couple weeks now). There is NO direct to SoCal...but I'd like our flights to have only one stopover. Almost all the return flights that are at the lowest AM redemption number (3450 for us here) have two stopovers on the way back. I've tried both LAX and SNA.

Do other flights get added as time goes on?
Why do flights show up and get taken off so frequently?
Does the AM redemption number go up as flights get more expensive? Are they directly linked?
Will Delta or Air Canada allow us to switch to more direct flights (one stop instead of two) after booking?

 

[tgropp]

Getting flights from Airmiles at the low advertised rate is like pulling hens teeth. They used to be good but now if you are lucky, you can get the flight but with stopovers. I find that you now basically have to plan a year in advance or they will charge you a very high rate of Airmiles

 

[ottawamom]

Hope it's okay that I started a new thread...I felt this was a different discussion than the Air Miles Alert...

Does anyone have any tips for redeeming AM for flights? We are looking to go to DLR during Spring Break/2018 and I've noticed the flights from Winnipeg show up and then disappear again frequently (I've been monitoring our dates for a couple weeks now). There is NO direct to SoCal...but I'd like our flights to have only one stopover. Almost all the return flights that are at the lowest AM redemption number (3450 for us here) have two stopovers on the way back. I've tried both LAX and SNA.

Do other flights get added as time goes on?
Why do flights show up and get taken off so frequently?
Does the AM redemption number go up as flights get more expensive? Are they directly linked?
Will Delta or Air Canada allow us to switch to more direct flights (one stop instead of two) after booking?

Tips #1 Research, start planning 18 months before you want to fly (not reasonable for you this time but a good tip for next time)
Tips #2 Book as soon a flights become available (this is often when the rates are the cheapest)
Tips #3 Watch the airlines website for seat sales. AM will often put their flights on sale when the get a better deal from the airline but not always.

Each city is different and flights come and go all the time like you said. By watching (researching) years before you need a flight you will get some idea of the pattern they may follow. Flights come and go at the airlines whim (at least that's what airmiles told me once when I asked). The airmiles required for a flight don't correlate with prices. I just booked a flight to Florida at my go to rate. I had been checking the airlines website daily it's price hadn't changed and poof it just showed up late one night on the airmiles site so I jumped on it.
The airlines will not let you change your flight without a huge penalty (unless they cancel one of your flights). You would be better booking with the airline directly and paying cash.

Have you considered driving to the States and flying from there if the Airmiles thing doesn't work out this time.

Bottom line is you will need to do your own research to get the best deal for the time of year you want to travel.

Just remembered one more tip. Try looking at booking two one way trips instead of a roundtrip. You will pay more in fees to do so but you may find the flights you want.

 

[montrealdisneylovers]

Wow!! Seems like an awful lot of work!! Makes you wonder “What’s the point of collecting all these airmiles?”

 

[flyingjay]

Tips #1 Research, start planning 18 months before you want to fly (not reasonable for you this time but a good tip for next time)
Tips #2 Book as soon a flights become available (this is often when the rates are the cheapest)
Tips #3 Watch the airlines website for seat sales. AM will often put their flights on sale when the get a better deal from the airline but not always.

Each city is different and flights come and go all the time like you said. By watching (researching) years before you need a flight you will get some idea of the pattern they may follow. Flights come and go at the airlines whim (at least that's what airmiles told me once when I asked). The airmiles required for a flight don't correlate with prices. I just booked a flight to Florida at my go to rate. I had been checking the airlines website daily it's price hadn't changed and poof it just showed up late one night on the airmiles site so I jumped on it.
The airlines will not let you change your flight without a huge penalty (unless they cancel one of your flights). You would be better booking with the airline directly and paying cash.

Have you considered driving to the States and flying from there if the Airmiles thing doesn't work out this time.

Bottom line is you will need to do your own research to get the best deal for the time of year you want to travel.

Just remembered one more tip. Try looking at booking two one way trips instead of a roundtrip. You will pay more in fees to do so but you may find the flights you want.

This is an extremely helpful reply. Thanks so much @ottawamom. I really appreciate the insight.

 

[youngdeb12]

What we ended up doing for our trip to DL last year, was booked a vacation package. Since then, they've changed the way they do it, but it worked out way more efficiently as we were looking to book hotels as well. We were able to pay cash for what we didn't have miles for. It worked out way better than trying to book the flights and hotels separately with Air Miles, and we got the flights we wanted. You could always look into redeeming for the travel vouchers if it made sense with your timeline for booking and the value of the flights. I believe it's 909 air miles for $100 voucher.

 

[flyingjay]

Thx for the tip @youngdeb12

I need to book the flights directly through Air Miles because I have free companion fare that I got as a promo on my new BMO credit card. I do have flights available on the days I want at the lowest redemption, but I have two stopovers on the way home. I'll likely just do that and suck it up or see if I can get the airline to give us a better connection the day of. The flight going down is actually the one I want, so it's not all bad

I just find it incredibly random how I can do searches two minutes apart and the results can be SO different! I asked the chat rep on the Air Miles site and he said it is solely based on the flights their partners make available to them. A flight will become available...5 mins later not be available...then 5 mins later become available again at a different redemption number than the first time...then not be available...and so on.

Being able to redeem the Miles for our flights is what's making the trip work for us. The flights are around $800 if I booked through the airline (because it's Spring Break), so we're saving a ton of money by using our miles/companion flight (taxes and fees are around $140).

 

[youngdeb12]

I totally forgot about the companion flights that BMO offers now. It totally makes it worth it to just book the flights on their own!

 

[ottawamom]

Wow!! Seems like an awful lot of work!! Makes you wonder “What’s the point of collecting all these airmiles?”

I'm a little obsessive at times and I was hunting for direct flights from Ottawa to Orlando for 5 people. There are lots of great flights available to be booked with a short lead time. It all just depends on what you want.

Don't forget those who have an airmiles world elite card also get a discount of flights within North America.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

When we cruise, I used to be able to get flights from YHZ to MIA (one connection) for the lowest amount of 2,325 miles. Not now! To get that low miles amount I would have to fly to FLL and then take transportation into Miami.

 

[tgropp]

Wow!! Seems like an awful lot of work!! Makes you wonder “What’s the point of collecting all these airmiles?”

Yes it is a lot of work but since 2013 I have redeemed points for 21 flights to Orlando, and 15 have been during the Christmas season and the other 6 during high season. We have DVC and we always need to reserve those rooms at 11 months out so we do our flights at the same time. 8 air mile flights for our upcoming Christmas WDW vacation saved us over $5,000. Having the BMO MasterCard is a plus also.

 

[flyingjay]

Yes it is a lot of work but since 2013 I have redeemed points for 21 flights to Orlando, and 15 have been during the Christmas season and the other 6 during high season. We have DVC and we always need to reserve those rooms at 11 months out so we do our flights at the same time. 8 air mile flights for our upcoming Christmas WDW vacation saved us over $5,000. Having the BMO MasterCard is a plus also.

@tgropp do you usually have one or more layovers? Or can you usually get direct if you book far enough in advance? Would you have anything to add to @ottawamom's post? My wife just confirmed her days off and I've been seriously looking for almost a week (a few times a day). I've certainly noticed different flights becoming available including a few at the lowest redemption rate, but they have two layovers. If/when I find the return flight with one layover, I'm going to book.

 

[tgropp]

@tgropp do you usually have one or more layovers? Or can you usually get direct if you book far enough in advance? Would you have anything to add to @ottawamom's post? My wife just confirmed her days off and I've been seriously looking for almost a week (a few times a day). I've certainly noticed different flights becoming available including a few at the lowest redemption rate, but they have two layovers. If/when I find the return flight with one layover, I'm going to book.

The FIRST DAY the dates become available is the day that I book them. This last time I did the flight to Orlando as one way and the return to Toronto as a one way to get direct flights and low mileage rates as they (rates) go up in a few days after their release.

 

[flyingjay]

UPDATE:

I have been looking for flights to SoCal for Spring Break through Air Miles over the last three weeks or so. I usually look every day in the morning, around lunch, and in the evening. Well...after a fair bit of effort, it's paid off. I found flights from Winnipeg to Orange County for 3450 miles (the lowest redemption in high season) and $142 in taxes. The flights are $745 each when booked on delta.com. They have the times we want and only one stopover each way (there are NO direct flights to Cali from Winnipeg). To say we are thrilled is an understatement. I got to use my BMO companion flight and we got the exact flights we wanted.

I started collecting in July and have accumulated 8300 miles thus far. I've used the miles for a trip to Toronto for business, the two flights to SoCal, and I should have enough for two DLR 5 day passes once my companion flight gets refunded and the shop the block comes in. It's because of this that we're able to make our trip work this year. I am incredibly grateful to all who post regularly and make such an effort to help others like myself. We will be surprising our kids with this trip at Christmas and we can hardly wait.

 

[mkmommy]

What card is the BMO companion ticket offered to.

I have a World Elite BMO Airmiles card and i have not heard about this?

 

[flyingjay]

Hi @mkmommy

It was a promo for new signups that occurred between approx. Jun/2017 - Nov/2017. That was one of the reasons I signed up for the card (BMO World Elite Air Miles). It's a one time use thing. They gave 3k Air Miles, the companion refund, the lounge passes, and the first year free. I'm planning on cancelling the card in the next couple months in the hopes that they offer the promo again next summer. Then I'll get the card in my wifes name. I've read that after three months of not having the card, you become a "new client" and your air miles number will qualify for all the promotions again.

 

[mkmommy]

Hi @mkmommy

It was a promo for new signups that occurred between approx. Jun/2017 - Nov/2017. That was one of the reasons I signed up for the card (BMO World Elite Air Miles). It's a one time use thing. They gave 3k Air Miles, the companion refund, the lounge passes, and the first year free. I'm planning on cancelling the card in the next couple months in the hopes that they offer the promo again next summer. Then I'll get the card in my wifes name. I've read that after three months of not having the card, you become a "new client" and your air miles number will qualify for all the promotions again.

Thanks for the reply. I usually play the credit card churn game , but I guess I am slipping. You would think credit cards companies prefer you to stay with them but getting new card members must be one of their goals.

 

[flyingjay]

UPDATE #2:

We actually needed five flights but I only had enough miles for two. I had someone who was willing to give me some of their Air Miles for some work I did for them. Whenever I tried to search for two or three flights together, nothing would show up. When I searched for one, the same flights that I needed were there.

The issue is, two of the flights I needed were for my kids. Air Miles doesn't allow you to book a flight for a toddler unless you book an accompanying adult. So I decided to phone Delta. I asked if I could set my kids birthdate intentionally wrong so I could book the flight through Air Miles, and if they could update the birthday after it was booked and add it to our reservation. The agent said he wasn't supposed to do it, but he'd be happy to anyway.

I was able to book two more flights as singles through Air Miles (at the same redemption and $ that I booked the first two) and add them to our reservation. When I tried to book the last seat, it was at around 6k miles for the redemption...so I just booked it with our Avion points. The CS agent at Delta seated us all together and linked our bookings together. He was super helpful and friendly.