Using Airtran FF Miles to get to Orlando

[maciec]

Has anyone been able to use their A+ rewards on Airtran to fly to Orlando and only use 8 each way? It seems that everytime I look the only thing available is business class and I don't want to have to use 32 for a round trip ticket.

Is this one of those things that you have to stay on top of and when it opens scarf up the coach tickets?

 

[NancyIL]

As with any airline's frequent-flyer program, the best flights using the least amount of miles/flight credits have to be booked almost as soon as they are available for booking.

I have never flown enough times in a 12-month period to earn a free one-way ticket on AirTran. Instead - I have been getting vouchers for a one-way business-class upgrade with 4 flight credits.

 

[maciec]

I figured as much. How do you get the vouchers for the upgrade?

 

[dioxide45]

We successfully used 16 A+ credits each for round trip from DAY to MCO over July 4th weekend 2010. We fly out on Saturday Morning (not direct) and return Tuesday evening (direct). You have to be flexible and there isn't always direct flights available and you may need to connect.

You do have to book early, but if you are flexible and willing to travel mid week, you can usually find something.

We were even able to save the $6 seat selection fee by first looking up our flights on Kayak and then linking to AirTran.com, then after logging in we abandoned our current reservation we were looking at and clicked on the Reservations tab and went through the process for booking a reward flight. When we got to the seat assignment step we were pleasantly surprised to see no charges for the seats, just like if we were booking through Kayak. It never hurts to experiment.

 

[NancyIL]

I figured as much. How do you get the vouchers for the upgrade?

I log-in to my account, go to my rewards, then redeem other rewards. I have redeemed 4 credits just before one or more expires, and the vouchers are good for 1 year. To redeem the voucher for an upgrade, I call AirTran just after midnight eastern time the day before my flight.

Have you been trying to book your award flights as two one-ways or as a roundtrip? If the latter, try booking each flight separately.

 

[maciec]

I log-in to my account, go to my rewards, then redeem other rewards. I have redeemed 4 credits just before one or more expires, and the vouchers are good for 1 year. To redeem the voucher for an upgrade, I call AirTran just after midnight eastern time the day before my flight.

Have you been trying to book your award flights as two one-ways or as a roundtrip? If the latter, try booking each flight separately.

Neither yet, this is a pre-emptive fact finding mission if you will for our trip at the end of August.

 

[maciec]

We successfully used 16 A+ credits each for round trip from DAY to MCO over July 4th weekend 2010. We fly out on Saturday Morning (not direct) and return Tuesday evening (direct). You have to be flexible and there isn't always direct flights available and you may need to connect.

You do have to book early, but if you are flexible and willing to travel mid week, you can usually find something.

We were even able to save the $6 seat selection fee by first looking up our flights on Kayak and then linking to AirTran.com, then after logging in we abandoned our current reservation we were looking at and clicked on the Reservations tab and went through the process for booking a reward flight. When we got to the seat assignment step we were pleasantly surprised to see no charges for the seats, just like if we were booking through Kayak. It never hurts to experiment.

I learned the Kayak trick here on the DIS. I am crossing my fingers that I will be able to get something once August gets published. They are only up to July 10th right now.