If possible, I like to include my children in my business travel plans when it works for their busy schedules...and mine. I recently had to book tickets to Hong Kong for a business trip and thought it would be nice to take my two daughters along. Using the online award ticket tool on my airline of choice, I found three coach seats from Florida to Hong Kong in about three minutes for 120,000 points. Easy, right? For basically $100 in airport fees, I'll be able to take my girls on the trip. But something made me stop short of clicking the confirm button online.
I called an agent at the Diamond desk to explain what I was trying to do and to make sure this was the best value and class of service I could obtain with my points. To my great surprise, I was able to secure three Business Class tickets from Florida to Hong Kong and back within minutes of my call for the same amount of miles. Even as a million-mile traveler, I still had a lesson to learn. Of course, I deposed the overly friendly Diamond agent and learned even more tips and strategies during my short call, which I will gladly share with you.
The next time you are trying to cash in your points, remember these tricks:
1) Point Seats "Prices" Can Change Quickly. Airlines have a certain number of "point" seats on every plane. They also have different levels of point seats among them. Depending upon cancelations and demand, the availability of low point seats can go up and down by the minute. Check back frequently even after you have booked an award ticket. If a low point seat becomes available, you can nab it and the difference in points will be credited back to your frequent flyer account. A 140,000-point round trip ticket to Rome can fall to 90,000 in a day and you can bank the 50,000 points for future travel.
2) Flexible travel schedules help. If you are flexible on dates, try different departure and return combinations. Mondays and Fridays are sometimes the most expensive days to travel with points.
3) Try numerous cities of origination. For instance, I am departing from Miami but returning into Fort Lauderdale because lower point seats were available on the outbound flights from Miami. Also, try various connection cities for the same reason.
4) Check partner airlines. If award seats are not available on your main carrier like Delta or United, look at their partner airlines. My family used Delta points to fly to Russia on Aeroflot and returned to the United States on Delta. The agent can look at award seats on partner carriers and in most cases the required points is often lower on partner flights.
5) Merge points. Consolidate your family's points into one account to acquire the necessary total to book award tickets. There's a fee to do this, but sometimes it makes sense. If you have to purchase a ticket, remember to have the family member with the highest status buy the ticket so you receive additional miles in your account. Delta, for instance, gives 1.5 points per mile for medallion members.
6) Follow up. Always call to confirm you've gotten the best deal and you might end up with a helpful agent like I did. Thanks Camille, I'll be thinking of you when I recline into a bed over the Pacific Ocean, with my daughters next to me.
Are there any tips or strategies you've learned? Feel free to share.
