US Air: Can't redeem FF miles!

[Kathy2130]

I have 30,000 FF miles and can't ever seem to redeem them. Called about 1/13, 1/14 or 1/15/06 and not a single flight on any day. Of course if I had 50,000 ff miles they could help me out...

Kathy

 

[gw_lit]

Most airlines only have a very limited number of seats available for FF ticket booking especially at the lowest mileage level. In order to book FF tickets, a lot of times you need to try to book them 330 days out, which is when they generally open up for booking. I think the fact that you're past that window and trying to redeem tickets on a holiday weekend (isn't the MLK holiday the 16th?) gives you very limited availability.

 

[DebbieB]

About a month ago I checked for USAir FF tickets for the end of April for PIT-LAX and they were not available. You really have to book when they first come out. I don't think it's just USAir but most airlines.

 

[bicker]

I've had a lot of success with redeeming my US FF miles (I had about 400,000 at one point). The key has been making my plans early, flying on non-peak flights, non-peak days of the week, non-peak times of the year, and non-peak routings.

 

[safetymom]

You can also check on the USAirways website to see what is available the month you want to go.

 

[Kathy2130]

Thank you everyone! Looks like I am just out of luck...

Kathy

 

[Disneynutbsv]

I have 30,000 FF miles and can't ever seem to redeem them. Called about 1/13, 1/14 or 1/15/06 and not a single flight on any day. Of course if I had 50,000 ff miles they could help me out...

Kathy

You know, I called them and they told me I couldn't use my miles (had 20,000-enough for a free ticket according to usair.com) for a ticket unless I had 75,000 miles for the ticket I wanted (whatever ), so I ended up using my free miles online for the very same ticket I wanted in the first place. And it was 20,000 miles! You'll probably have better luck doing it online than on the phone. Good luck!

 

[safetymom]

Sept. through May only 20,000 miles are needed for a ticket. At the other times of the year 25,000 is needed for an award ticket.

 

[Kathy2130]

Disneynutbsv,
I was also told that if I had 50,000 miles I could get a coach ticket. Of course there was just nothing available at 20,000 miles...

Kathy

 

[safetymom]

They also have premium award tickets. Depending on the time of year they are 40,000 or 50,000.

 

[fac]

About a month ago I checked for USAir FF tickets for the end of April for PIT-LAX and they were not available. You really have to book when they first come out. I don't think it's just USAir but most airlines.

or making the reservation very late?
I had success in getting tickets from EWR (NJ) to Las Vegas last week with about 30 days out.

 

[Kathy2130]

Thanks for all the info. Maybe I'll get lucky...

Kathy