Question
I am looking to start consolidating my mileage visa cards and try to focus on one or two.
Alaska has always been my favorite for travel (west coast) to Mexico, but now I'll be using Mexicana for some direct flights instead.
Also, with my new Disney Timeshare, I'll be going Sacramento to Orlando 1-2 times a year.
Which of the following have you found the most "redeem freindly" airlines?
Delta
Continental
AA
United
Mexicana
I would hate to rack up a 100K miles or more over 2 years and then find out I can't get any flights.
Thanks for the help.
Answer
Forget Delta. They will "give" you double miles on practically anything, but you will never be able to use them for a trip to any place you actually want to go. My best luck has been with AA. But check and see which airline has the most non-stops on the routes you want to book.
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Thanks for the Delta info. I just flew them last week and tossed the credit card app in the trash. Double miles are great unless you can't use them. Also the $85-135 fee was a little higher than I wanted to go.
AA has been ok in the past, but many times only 1st class flights are avail. I like 1st, but if I'm taking all 6 of my family, the miles get a bit steep.
Thanks,
Al
Answer
I have never had a problem with AA, but I don't take a lot of rewards. The last ticket I got was a reduced award RT economy to New Zealand.
By the way Citibank World Plat/Gold cards have reduced mileage awards. Credit card members can fly with fewer miles. I think that makes the annual fee worth it.
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What about United? Any one has any comments?
Answer
Forget Delta. They will "give" you double miles on practically anything, but you will never be able to use them for a trip to any place you actually want to go. My best luck has been with AA. But check and see which airline has the most non-stops on the routes you want to book.
Does Delta offer a 2x the price, no blackout award ?
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I used 4 reward tickets last year on Delta with no issues. All four were last minute types of awards (DEN and MFE). I also used a CO and NW rewards last year and got everything I wanted on the dates I wanted.
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I've found United has excellent award availability. I now credit all my United flight miles to my US Airways account since I fly US far more frequently, but redeemed 25,000 "orphaned" United miles last year for a same-day domestic ticket that would have cost over $700. I just decided to go from VA to NYC for the weekend on the spur of the moment and United came through with availability. UA does not charge any ridiculous "expedite fees" if you book award tickets online, while AA adds a $75 fee to awards if you book less than 7 days before departure.
Since a lot of my travel (both biz and leisure) is last-minute, United has the best redemption policies and availability out of all the programs you mentioned.
Answer
Seems to me the only relevant answer to your question is "It depends." I've never had problems, with a little flexibility, redeeming DL miles nor have I had problems with US, UA or AA miles with that same flexibility. I don't understand those who say flatly that one or the other is good or bad. Think rationally. Going to Hawaii at Christmas or to anyplace at high season is going to be difficult on any airline. On the other hand, I was able to get two first class AF tickets to CDG for this past Christmas holidays using DL miles only a few weeks in advance. I think the general rule is try early (at the 330 day mark) or late (when the airline has lots of unsold seats and decides to release some of them for award tickets) and keep trying. Those who are seeking the magic bullet for how to get award tickets whenever they want them are in search of the Holy Grail (Mary Magdelene [she was French, right?] or otherwise. :rolleyes:
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Lik upgrader said, I think that regardless of who you go with, flexibility is going to be the key. I've had no problems with US or DL so far, guess I'll see about UA fairly soon.
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IME, UA has gotten nearly impossible to find international Business and First awards even at 330 days out! However, in the final days before departure, these seats often open up in abundance.
This is graet for a last minute weekend trip.
This is NASTY/IMPOSSIBLE to plan a 7-14 day trip for 4 pax in advance. I mean, you may find outbound inventory but no return inventory until after initial departure!
I feel like a sucker having given UA millions of paid miles of business and now can barely redeem them on C and F seats internationally.
If you want coach or domestic awards, you will possibly find things easier than I have with the current UA.
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Although I recently cancelled my membership, UA Visa has work out really well for me and my girlfriend's family. We primary fly couple Coach awards within the US and many Business from NRT-SIN/KUL. With their all-year-long double miles opp. and the recent double tuition miles, I managed to get 100k miles last year after the initial 15k signup bonus.
Here's couple of awards I've successfully booked in the past few months.
- Called Sunday for a Tuesday coach SIN-DFW
- Online Thursday for a Friday coach DFW-OMA
- Called Sunday for Thursday Business NRT-SIN
As others have suggested, it also depends on where you fly and where you go. But mostly for the destination I want to travel (NRT, SIN/KUL, OMA/LNK, LGW/LHR), I'm able to get award seats in the last minutes.
Answer
Although I recently cancelled my membership, UA Visa has work out really well for me and my girlfriend's family. We primary fly couple Coach awards within the US and many Business from NRT-SIN/KUL. With their all-year-long double miles opp. and the recent double tuition miles, I managed to get 100k miles last year after the initial 15k signup bonus.
Here's couple of awards I've successfully booked in the past few months.
- Called Sunday for a Tuesday coach SIN-DFW
- Online Thursday for a Friday coach DFW-OMA
- Called Sunday for Thursday Business NRT-SIN
As others have suggested, it also depends on where you fly and where you go. But mostly for the destination I want to travel (NRT, SIN/KUL, OMA/LNK, LGW/LHR), I'm able to get award seats in the last minutes.
What double miles? I have a United Visa and don't see any double miles. Was that a new promotion?
Thanks,
Al
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Sometimes I received packages through mail, most of the times I selected the "Earn more miles" inside the online Bank One account, under Account Actions, or you can visit: http://mileageplusvisa.ualmiles.com/
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If you want Saver (25k for domestic r/t) and other "reduced"-mileage awards on Delta you need to book well in advance or have flexibility (travel on red-eyes, mid-week, etc). However they almost always have the SkyChoice award which can be redeemed pretty much anytime you want (50k for domestic r/t coach) and I believe has no blackout dates and can be used for any flight where there are available seats for sale.
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Only very limited experience with UA, but different than what roberto99 has experienced.
Had 2 UA business tickets booked at 330 days out for a trip last summer...PHL-IAD-LHR.
Wife became pregnant and was having severe morning (and afternoon and evening) sickness. With 1 week to go before departure we ended up postponing the trip for about 1 month...from late June to late July.
Ended up with 2 tickets in First (o.k., ended up "spending" 20,000 more per ticket)...PHL-IAD-LHR outbound, and LHR-FRA-PHL return on LH.
Halfswede
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I also have pretty good luck with UA. But I think most will say that AA's availability is best, then UA then the rest (they dont call it nonepass for nothing)
I also think a lot has to do with where you live. I am in the bay area (a hub for UA) so there are tons of flights and options for award ticket routings. I think it is easier on UA than AA here. I would assume that the exact opposite would be true if you lived in DFW.