MikeyZBT

Wife and I are going to Europe next summer.

The flight going is available, exactly what we want. Can we book it now, using 90,000 miles each (biz, saver) and then add the return later if/when it becomes available?

WBurcham

You'll pay change fees.

MikeyZBT

How much? $200 per ticket cause it's international?

mcjava

And probably have to cough up an extra 10K miles for the new, higher 100K for B/E Saver, unless you can do it before the new award levels are implemented.

MikeyZBT

That's actually not a problem. We always assume the flights will cost 100K, just to be safe.

mcjava

good man, good man. Right attitude.

I recently did CO to Frankfurt, back on DL. 95K for the mixed Saver B/E.

Couldn't for the life of me see how CO's BF is any better than DL's B/E.

MikeyZBT

Yeah, I try not to understand any of the little changes in miles required. I just assume 100K and I am good to go.

I can't believe the non-stop LAX-FCO (on Alitalia) is available and the return isn't... argh!

PhilC

$100 and it used to be waived for adding a return http://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_mi...fees/index.jsp

MikeyZBT

So, just to make sure I am clear, I can call back the SMS, have them book the outbound (for my wife and I), they will take the full 90K each now, and then once a return becomes available, I can call back and add that the reservation for a fee of $100 each?

Is all of that correct?

cell7481

Should be it. Dont forget the additional taxes for the extra segments added.

lls138

why would you do that? At least book the return TATL portion to any US city. Then work on a cheap return ticket or changing if available.

ZBT mike, I thought I found something for you. Is coach not an acceptable alternative to BE? The other option is book a coach skychoice on DL metal and waitlist the BE seats on that and other DL flights.

I would lock in the return now rather than pay the $200.

lls138

I see that there are FC intra-europe and FC domestic connection from FCO on 6/21/08 but no BE TATL availability which I guess is your concern. I would either just do coach on the return flights on CO or AF or book the skychoice coach on DL metal and waitlist praying for the BE availability. (remember we cannot see czech, aeroflot, nor aliitalia online so you'll have to cattle prod sms for that info)

lls138

TATL BE flights available on the calendar 6/21: (you figure out the rest)

CDG-MSP on NW 61
LHR-DTW on NW 101
CDG-LAX on AF 78
AMS-PDX on NW 91

these are all available in BE.....NOW

PhilC

Yes but I was originally under the impression that your return date was beyond 331 days, but it sounds like that's not the case. I agree with lls138. If I were in your shoes, I'd book any return option that's available now and waitlist DL FCO-ATL-LAX and FCO-JFK-LAX. AFAIK the reissue fee is still waived when a waitlist clears. When and if AZ FCO-LAX becomes available, you can always choose to pay the $100 fee to change but in the mean time you've got some backup options too.

infoseive

Hi Everyone - I'm new to the forum and would like clarification on this thread (and I'm not savvy to the abbreviations folks are using...). I would like to book 3 tix from Wash DC to Athens for next summer. Outbound is available, but return is more than 331 days out. When I booked this same trip 2 years ago the agent booked one way and left it open for me to book the return with no change fees - but we had added taxes, etc, as was expected when we added the return flights. I understand that it's different now.

When I called Delta Skymiles for help, the agent did not suggest booking one-way and paying a change fee - he said that entire trip must be in the 331 days to book. I also understand that using an agent involves paying fees now, which is not out of the question if an agent can offer me help I can't get from the automated booking system.

I want to make sure that I'm not going to throw away money by booking a one-way now and finding out that I can't make the type of change I want when/if the return becomes available. I've got my outbound one-way on hold right now, until Sat night - so I could book a return with a 2 day stay in Athens when I go back to the site on Saturday. We're booking coach - budget travelers trying to get the most for our miles.

What's the best approach - book a one-way and pay for a change by adding a return when the flights are listed OR book a return with a 2 day stay, and pay for a change on the return when flights are listed.

Thanks for your help!
D