AMS to NYC?

[goofypluto]

I need to book a flight back from AMS to NYC, but I'm not sure what the best option is. What do you guys think? J doesn't look like it's worth it and I'd rather save the miles for a longer flight. All of my flights are in coach.

1) Right now, if I pay cash, it would be in the high $300 range in coach per person. It will most likely be on Iceland Air so I will have to stop in Iceland. I probably won't have time to do the free stopover, but it's an option if I really wanted to get value out of my paid ticket.

2) I can use 30k UA (transferred over from United) for coach and build in a 1 day stopover in Lisbon. Thing is, if I do this, it looks like I won't be getting good value out of the UR points since I will be getting close to a penny per UR point. It's the Lisbon 1 day stopover that is tempting me.

I have an existing flight from NYC to LHR, on United, also used 30k UA. I didn't book it as a r/t since I was unsure when I needed to come back. Another option is to eat the cancellation/redeposit fee and cancel that flight and then book my trip as a r/t with a free one way to Hawaii or something. I'm not sure if it's possible to pay and change my flight from a one way to a r/t? I tried looking up to see how much that would cost, but it's not on the list of fees so I'm thinking this isn't possible.

What does everyone think? Thanks in advance =)

 

[dukerau]

Sounds like you need to consider sunk cost. Assuming you don't have status with UA, you already have a one-way award booked AMS-NYC, so the cost of the cash flight on Iceland Air is $300 + award cancellation fee ($200). You could change your itinerary to route through LIS with the overnight layover you want at a cost of $75 ($100 if flight is within 21 days).

I think that your idea of changing the one-way to an open-jaw with a stopover (that's how United would view your "r/t with a free one way) would work by phone only and would incur the change fee ($75, or $100 if within 21 days). Of course as part of this you could also re-route through LIS as part of the same change.

 

[smittytabb]

I need to book a flight back from AMS to NYC, but I'm not sure what the best option is. What do you guys think? J doesn't look like it's worth it and I'd rather save the miles for a longer flight. All of my flights are in coach.

1) Right now, if I pay cash, it would be in the high $300 range in coach per person. It will most likely be on Iceland Air so I will have to stop in Iceland. I probably won't have time to do the free stopover, but it's an option if I really wanted to get value out of my paid ticket.

2) I can use 30k UA (transferred over from United) for coach and build in a 1 day stopover in Lisbon. Thing is, if I do this, it looks like I won't be getting good value out of the UR points since I will be getting close to a penny per UR point. It's the Lisbon 1 day stopover that is tempting me.

I have an existing flight from NYC to LHR, on United, also used 30k UA. I didn't book it as a r/t since I was unsure when I needed to come back. Another option is to eat the cancellation/redeposit fee and cancel that flight and then book my trip as a r/t with a free one way to Hawaii or something. I'm not sure if it's possible to pay and change my flight from a one way to a r/t? I tried looking up to see how much that would cost, but it's not on the list of fees so I'm thinking this isn't possible.

What does everyone think? Thanks in advance =)

Well as someone who knows Lisbon quite well, (have been there 8 times and 7 years in a row), a one day stopover seems a waste. The airport is not near to the center. The only hotel near the airport is a Marriott and while I stay there all the time, it's not at all close to what you'd want to see. There is a metro stop but it's a long walk. At any rate, not sure it's worth a detour for that little time.

In addition, LIS is one of the hardest major European cities to fly to the US from. You can get to EWR and that is about it. US Air used to have seasonal flights to Philly but that's One World now.

 

[goofypluto]

Thanks duke and smitty. I don't have status with UA. =( I will give UA a call and see how much it would be to change my one way to a r/t.

I know 1 day in LIS will be a waste and won't do the city any justice, but hey, 1 day is better than nothing. I do plan to go back and spend some more time there. I actually need to fly into EWR (my home airport) so EWR is perfect for me. The routing I'm looking at would be AMS to LIS to EWR, but I'm still thinking.

Thanks smitty. I didn't know the airport is not near the city center so I will have to factor that in (how troublesome it will be to get to/from the airport etc). If do the 1 day layover, my flight would get in pretty early to LIS, like 9am? And then the flight back to EWR, would be later in the evening so I won't need a hotel.

 

[Renee]

When I read the title, the first thing that came to mind is that ridiculously good award value for redeeming etihad* miles to fly brussels air from brussels to nyc for only 21972 miles in coach or 36620 miles in business class. Brussels and Amsterdam are very close and connected by frequent, high speed trains (i think it only takes like an hour?).
http://www.etihadguest.com/Documents/Etihad Guest/member benefits/EYG00020_Brussels Airlines_Redemption Table.pdf

I now see that you only need a one way, (and this award is only available RT) but you are also considering redepositing the miles and such, so i thought it might still be worth mentioning.

*transfer from TYP

 

[goofypluto]

Thanks Renee. You're right; the Etihad award is ridiculously cheap! I looked into your idea when I saw it mentioned on some blogs, but it looks like it is really difficult to find an agent that knows how to do it. A lot of HUCA =( I haven't redeposited my miles yet, still thinking...