Australia and the Pacific islands are among the most tough locations to attain premium award seats at cheap charges as a result of their enduring reputation as a bucket-list merchandise for a lot of vacationers, as I found when seeking to redeem factors and miles to fly from Australia to the U.S.
With many standard packages now utilizing dynamic pricing, business-class awards priced at 250,000 factors or miles (or extra) one-way, per individual, are, sadly, the norm, not the exception.
Nevertheless, there are a number of methods to seek out higher redemptions. For instance, whereas I could not initially discover something appropriate for a latest reserving after I searched many months upfront, one device helped me discover a 12 1/2-hour business-class flight on Fiji Airways for under 75,000 miles.
This is how I did it — and how one can, too.
Associated: My beginners blueprint to find the flight awards you want
Premium cabin award seats throughout the Pacific could be powerful to seek out
In case you’ve ever tried looking for premium cabin awards throughout the Pacific for below 100,000 factors or miles, you’ve got in all probability been in for a impolite shock. I do often see saver-level pricing, often on Qantas- or American Airways-operated flights, for last-minute awards inside every week or two of departure, however in case you are wanting effectively upfront, they are often among the hardest seats to safe at cheap charges.
I knew that Oneworld member Fiji Airways operated flights to each Australia and the U.S. through its hub at Nadi Worldwide Airport (NAN) in Fiji, and I used to be comfortable to spend a number of days enjoyable on a tropical island in between flights if it meant discovering a fairly priced lie-flat seat. (Attempting out a brand new airline was a bonus.)
I began my flight search utilizing the Seats.aero tool, which searches a number of routes, dates, cabins and switch companions to assist me view doable award availability in seconds. Personally, I’m an enormous fan of this award device.
Whereas Seats.aero allows you to search months upfront, generally availability, particularly in premium courses, simply does not exist — even 9 months earlier than departure, as I skilled.
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My success in setting an award alert
Moderately than resigning myself to an economic system seat throughout the Pacific, I set an award alert on Seats.aero to inform me if a premium cabin award seat bookable with American Express Membership Rewards factors turned accessible.
I had a number of days of flexibility in my journey plans and was comfortable to fly to any of the three mainland U.S. locations Fiji Airways operates to from NAN, so I set the alert to cowl flights to:
- Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX)
- San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO)
- Dallas Fort Value Worldwide Airport (DFW)
With a Seats.aero Professional account, you can too select superior filters. For instance, you could be notified solely when seats on a particular airline (or a number of airways) open up, set most costs for factors and miles, and be aware the taxes and costs you are keen to pay.
With my Professional account, I may select to be notified by e-mail or textual content message of any outcomes (when you’ve got the Seats.aero app, you can too obtain push notifications). I selected textual content message, as I wished to be notified as shortly as doable if my desired seat turned accessible.
I set the alert and promptly forgot about it, figuring that if nothing opened up, I may ultimately discover a extra inventive routing to fly throughout the Pacific on the final minute, as I had loads of time to finalize my journey plans.
A month later, I woke as much as a nice shock: A textual content message from Seats.aero was ready for me.
Even higher, it was on Fiji Airways’ longest path to Dallas, so I promptly booked it on-line for 75,000 Alaska Airways Mileage Plan miles (now referred to as Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards factors), which was a barely higher deal than reserving with Qantas Frequent Flyer factors or American Airlines AAdvantage miles.
Associated: I’ve never flown Alaska Airlines before — here’s why I want their new premium credit card
Ideas for scoring lie-flat seats with an award alert
Flexibility is vital to maximizing your probability of seats opening up. Think about setting dates earlier than and after your most popular journey date(s) and selecting different airports you may fly in or out of. FlightConnections is a helpful device for locating which airways fly on which routes.
In case you are incomes transferable currencies, reminiscent of Chase Ultimate Rewards factors, it is a good suggestion to set an alert to cowl all Chase companions moderately than a single airline program. Whereas Fiji Airways saver seats ought to be accessible by means of all Oneworld companions, you by no means know if one program might need higher availability than one other program, so you may need your alert to cowl all doable switch companions.
When you may’t discover the best seat initially however are nonetheless set on touring, contemplate reserving no matter is offered, even when it isn’t in a premium cabin or at an amazing value, after which set an alert to probably “improve” to your most popular premium award if a seat opens up. Many awards could be canceled on-line totally free for those who do want to change to a greater award, and, if not, it is price your whereas taking the time (and probably paying a small change or cancellation price) to improve your award to one thing higher.
In case you do obtain an alert, I like to recommend dropping what you’re doing and reserving instantly, as you may not be the one individual receiving an alert for that seat, and you may need to guarantee one other savvy traveler does not beat you to it.
Backside line
Setting award alerts could be a savvy option to safe hard-to-find premium cabin seats. Moderately than always looking for availability, instruments like Seats.aero permit you to make investments a couple of minutes now to forged the web as huge or as slender as you need.
Then “set it and overlook it,” and if the seats open up, you may get up to a pleasant shock, as I did, and a cushty flight to sit up for.
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