Using Frequent Flier Miles

[Rickster]

Has anyone tried using miles for either the flight or an upgrade? I'm trying to work it with Delta or USAir but so far haven't had any luck.

[NBlue]

Yes -- used the Delta ones. I think it will be almost impossible for you to use the standard 50k miles to get a flight into or out of anywhere in Europe on any Delta flight of partner at this late date -- it certainly was for me. That said, if you use skychoice miles (or double the regular # - 100k) you can still book any open flight. That's how I got mine.

[Jimbo]

I'm using Continental. There are no low mileage flights into Germany to speak of and haven't been since I started looking last sumer. But you can get to airports in the UK for less than 100,000 miles round trip and catch a discount airline across to Germany. I've got some 50,000 mile flights that way. Depending on what tickets I get for games (still trying) I may bite the bullet and switch to some 100,000 mile round trips to Germany.

[NBlue]

Depending on what tickets I get for games (still trying) I may bite the bullet and switch to some 100,000 mile round trips to Germany.

Exactly what I did -- bit the bullet and took the 100k into FRA and leaving from FRA as well.

[Weber King]

I'm flying from Boston to Frankfurt.

Originally, I wanted to use my Delta miles to do so, but the most direct flights (BOS-ATL-FRA, BOS-JFK-FRA, BOS-CVG-FRA) all cost 100,000 miles.

Doing some searching, I found BOS-CDG (Paris) available in business class for 90,000 miles and a flight on Air France from CDG to FRA would cost about $200 max. Unfortunately, I delayed and the fare was gone the next day. I'm still a bit angry at myself about it.

Nonetheless, I booked a flight for 50,000 miles on Virgin Atlantic (a Delta Partner) from Boston to London (Heathrow) and bought a ticket on British Airways from LHR to FRA for $220. I'm hoping that a business class upgrade will be available on the day of travel for the BOS-LHR segment, which probably would cost me another 40,000 miles, but will be worth the upper-class service and bigger seats...

[Etienne_72772]

I am using American miles for my dad and myself. 60,000 each ticket, $55 service charge for each, flying into and out of Paris.

[Raider Red]

My wife and I are using 60,000 each from Dallas to Frankfurt. However, each way requires two stops, which is a bit of a pain. But hey, it's free!

[MarkoC]

I used 60,000 miles on Northwest to upgrade to business class from Minneapolis to London and back. I had to pay a little higher fare than the cheapest coach fare but to me it was worth it. My wife used 100,000 miles for a free ticket on the same route. Her outgoing flight is in coach and is a double mile "rule-buster" award because no standard awards were available. She got lucky on the return flight because a standard award business class ticket was available, which is the same amount of miles as her outgoing coach award.

[markdowling]

Managed to find 50,000 mile seats from Washington on Star Alliance (USAir, United et al). However, we have to leave on the Sunday preceeding the Czechoslavakia game (I wanted to leave on Friday or Saturday) and our flight over goes thru Toronto on Air Canada. It seemed less difficult to find a seat coming back and I got a direct flight on Lufthansa.

[roadkit]

I used 60,000 miles on Northwest to upgrade to business class from Minneapolis to London and back. I had to pay a little higher fare than the cheapest coach fare but to me it was worth it.

Great point - you can't upgrade just any fare. If you purchase the lowest economy/non-refundable fare, you will probably won't be able to upgrade it.

[roadkit]

Managed to find 50,000 mile seats from Washington on Star Alliance (USAir, United et al). However, we have to leave on the Sunday preceeding the Czechoslavakia game (I wanted to leave on Friday or Saturday) and our flight over goes thru Toronto on Air Canada. It seemed less difficult to find a seat coming back and I got a direct flight on Lufthansa.

I'm using United and saw the same deal, but to be honest, I want as few hassles as possible, which means I'm only going to settle for a non-stop (not a problem from Dulles). The thought of my bags sitting somewhere in bowels of the Toronto airport as I fly to Frankfurt was more than I cold handle. :eek:

Unlikely to happen, but I'm a bit of a control freak when I travel. :o

[ChelseaMatt]

I'm flying from Philly through DC into Frankfurt-- leaving the 11th, getting into Frankfurt at 9 am on the 12th, coming back on the 24th. Used 50,000 frequent flier miles on United.

[branko97]

I am using American miles for my dad and myself. 60,000 each ticket, $55 service charge for each, flying into and out of Paris.

Moi aussi. I had reserved RT JFK-Frankfurt in December but let that lapse because of general uncertaintly, and today the itinerary was sold out. So I picked up JFK-Paris, getting there a few days early to enjoy the City of Lights before catching a train to Germany.

There were other itineraries, into Frankfurt via British Airways and direct into Brussels, but the dates didn't work for me. Things seem to be going quickly now.

[dfreshsf]

My wife managed to get a flight on United using 50k just last week. She's joining me for the second week flying into Berlin and then out of Munich after the US-Ghana match. She was on the phone for probably 45 minutes and has 2-3 stops along the way but surprised me by getting the free ticket for only 50k. Now I just need to buy my ticket so I'll be there to meet her. Oh and getting the USSF tickets would be good too.

dh

[radiogal]

I booked 2 seats on United in September using frequent flyer miles. The next day I thought about changing one of the flights, but they did not have Saver awards left in business for several days on each side of my booked flight, so I took the original flight SFO-Chicago-FRA return.

[adr67]

I used 100K miles on Delta for Cincinnati-Frankfort on June 9. No 50K flights available (that I could find) to any European city on any date anywhere near that timeframe!

Still looked to be many options available.

[Sportman77]

I got 3 tix about a month ago for 50K each on Star Alliance(Through United) to Munich. Got a non-stop the way there and only one stop the way back. Munich is less than 2 hour train ride from Ghana game so I am going to stay in Munich and try to get tix to other games in Munich through FIFA.

[leftjab]

i used 50 K miles on United, flying from SFO-Dulles-Amsterdam on June 7-8, and Frankfurt-LAX-SFO (on Lufthansa) on June 24. I booked this in October, as I was able to get a TST-3 from FIFA in late August when they had a few tickets not paid for properly in the first lottery.

[dfb547490]

I got a 100k round trip on Continental from Newark direct to Frankfurt (dep. June 10, return June 24)

[macmacaman]

My cousin and I got two 50k awards on Star Alliance 1 day before U.S. Italy and one day after U.S. Ghana. We're going SFO-LAX-Frankfurt, return Munich-LAX-SFO. SFO directs were booked. This was back in December and now we're playing the oh crap, no tickets game. We've got the rental car, and cheap places to stay outside of the cities (<90 Euros for a double room). We're desperate to score Portugal-Iran and Portugal-Mexico tickets, but gut wrenchingly anxious to ht the lotto for the U.S., hopefully in Sam's Army.