USAirways FF miles? WTH??

[BethR]

I would NEVER waste my air miles on a flight that costs less than 350 RT. unless I had so many miles I couldn't begin to use them.

While I definitely understand this philosophy, we usually travel with 6 of us. So it's either use the FF miles or spend around $1200. We use the FF miles.

 

[hydster]

We had this issue with Delta. I'd suggest you just call and get an agent who has all the flights available that YOU can use and see if there is one remotely acceptable. Doing it via the web stinks when you have to find specific rate pointed flights.

 

[Charade]

It's not a scam. Waiting until January for an April flight to a MAJOR destination is just not a good move IMHO. Mileage tickets can be reserved about 330 days in advance. To places like MCO, Hawaii, Europe etc, folks PLAN and book early.

Your other option is to keep waiting. I sometimes get a "cheap" mileage DL ticket at the last minute.

But see, I've done this before (maybe not this close to travel dates) but the issue I ran into was availability for the 25K redemption. I could always find something that was suitable. It's clear that they've changed the game and made it less convenient for FF redemptions. The old calendar system made it quite easy to see what days were (and weren't) available for FF redemptions. Now I really have to hunt them down. I may end up buying a ticket this time because I've already scheduled vacation days but I will try to make my FF ressies well in advance of my next trip. What compounds the problem is my AP expires in May and I wanted to get one more use out of it.

 

[BethR]

We had this issue with Delta. I'd suggest you just call and get an agent who has all the flights available that YOU can use and see if there is one remotely acceptable. Doing it via the web stinks when you have to find specific rate pointed flights.

I do know that with USAirways, they charge you a fee to book FF rewards flights with an agent - maybe $7.50 a ticket? It's crazy.

 

[Charade]

I would NEVER waste my air miles on a flight that costs less than 350 RT. unless I had so many miles I couldn't begin to use them.

Makes sense but I was hopping to get away with a really cheap trip to the world for a solo trip. I've got hotel points, FF miles and a AP. So the only cost would be a car and food. I would be able to do a week at the world for less than $500. Now I have to consider adding $250 to that for airfare.

 

[hydster]

I do know that with USAirways, they charge you a fee to book FF rewards flights with an agent - maybe $7.50 a ticket? It's crazy.

I think they all do. I know Delta did for us before we gave them the boot. Then we got AA and we used the free companion ticket to go to Key West in Dec and they charged a fee as well. I just figured $5.00 was easier to deal with than sitting on the website playing with date after date!

I hate FF miles but then again I love them too!

 

[Charade]

I think they all do. I know Delta did for us before we gave them the boot. Then we got AA and we used the free companion ticket to go to Key West in Dec and they charged a fee as well. I just figured $5.00 was easier to deal with than sitting on the website playing with date after date!

I hate FF miles but then again I love them too!

USAirways charges a $5 9-11 fee. So did Airtran when I redeemed some FF miles with them.

 

[BethR]

USAirways charges a $5 9-11 fee. So did Airtran when I redeemed some FF miles with them.

I believe that the all do. But what I was speaking of is in addition to the 9/11 fee. It's a "You talked to someone so it's going to cost you" fee.

 

[azgal81]

I thought it's been like this for awhile I redeemed some miles back in November 05 to go to chicago for a concert over the weekend and I remember seeing both the 12500 and 25000 levels. You think they would let people know though!

 

[Charade]

I thought it's been like this for awhile I redeemed some miles back in November 05 to go to chicago for a concert over the weekend and I remember seeing both the 12500 and 25000 levels. You think they would let people know though!

It appears to have changed sometime in 2005 because I made my ressies for our Oct 05 trip in August 05 and it was the old way. Thanks USAIR!!! Not.

 

[Disney-Kim]

I just went online to see what flights are available for my trip to WDW in April only to discover that USAirways has apparently changed their FF program. Or I'm serverly confused. On their awards chart is says that a roundtrip (coach) is 25,000 miles (I have 26,000) but when I access the schedule, it's telling me that it's 25K each way! WTH heck is going on??

arghhhhh...this is my biggest sore spot with USAirways lately.

you can never book flights for the 25k award on T, W, Th. Good luck finding the cities you need on a F, S, or Sun EVER.
The 50k is for PREMIUM awards...basically anytime awards.

I am talking 11 months out too. I have been trying for months for Orlando, Ft Lauderdale, and Miami. NO LUCK and I started at 12 months out.
I have a TON of miles and can't use them. also can't get 1st class upgrades either. UGH UGH.
I have all the USAirways credit cards to earn miles but we have recently switched to American Airlines because they are easier to book award travel.

 

[Disney-Kim]

I'd call directly because I was told when I signed up for the credit card that the bonus 25,000 would cover a roundtrip fare within the US.

YES, you can get a seat for 25K....its finding that seat thats hard.
YOu have to be willing to fly on M, T, W mainly and flights that have 1-2 stops too.
the non-stop good flights always seem to be the premium award of 50k.

so they didn't lie....just didn't tell you it isn't that easy.

 

[Disney-Kim]

We have been redeeming USAirways FF miles for 10 years and it was only in 2006 did we have to play around with times in order to get a 25000 mile round trip for coach travel. (We could always spend more to get a 1st class seat).

I believe that the new rewards system came about when USAirways merged with
America West.

Its just as hard to get the lower first class awards too...there are 2 levels for those too.
America West was the best...now that they took over USAirways they have adopted a lot of USA's policies..like these. We have been flying Amer West for 8 yrs and got free seats and upgrades easily if we booked ahead.