Background: with the AA shutdown issues jeopardizing my Feb trip to NZ (I'm not shut down yet but believe I have a target on my back), I've booked an alternate domestic trip (refundable) to fill the potential void. At the same time, I'm still trying to find a way to make this trip happen. Alternate award flights are not to be found ... unless I book a Quantas flight for 1M each, 1 way! I don't have that much. However, it seems that CX will let me waitlist for one of many flights both ways. It's not "cheap" but it's reasonable all things considered. I've waitlisted with them ONCE for some short SE Asia hopper flight and it worked out, but I had a backup plan and only 20k was at stake.
Questions
- How lucky have people been with netting J award flights putting in for them 6 weeks out. Any tips?
- This is a real gamble for me. Apparently I have to put up 70% of the award each way. A one way waitlist entry will cost 133k (I think). That's a lot of miles to strand on the chance the wait clears. Can I make 2 OW waitlist entries (out and back) on the same 133k? In short, is that 70% committed when the first waitlist is made, or do I still have "70%" to waitlist a flight home?
Getting both flights would wipe out all of my MR and I'd have to use some Marriott points for a small deficit. Damn Rakuten for their quarterly and the delayed distributions otherwise I'd have plenty with no games being played. The good news is I'd only have to stretch if both flights cleared and then I would have saved my NZ trip. Which creates another interesting dynamic ... I don't want the return leg if I can't get the outgoing.
I was prepared to fly home in paid coach if AA tried to strand me in NZ. I don't believe they'll even let me get there.
Not committed yet; I just realized this is an option yesterday. Any tips, pointers or ideas would be appreciated. TIA!
Questions
- How lucky have people been with netting J award flights putting in for them 6 weeks out. Any tips?
- This is a real gamble for me. Apparently I have to put up 70% of the award each way. A one way waitlist entry will cost 133k (I think). That's a lot of miles to strand on the chance the wait clears. Can I make 2 OW waitlist entries (out and back) on the same 133k? In short, is that 70% committed when the first waitlist is made, or do I still have "70%" to waitlist a flight home?
Getting both flights would wipe out all of my MR and I'd have to use some Marriott points for a small deficit. Damn Rakuten for their quarterly and the delayed distributions otherwise I'd have plenty with no games being played. The good news is I'd only have to stretch if both flights cleared and then I would have saved my NZ trip. Which creates another interesting dynamic ... I don't want the return leg if I can't get the outgoing.
I was prepared to fly home in paid coach if AA tried to strand me in NZ. I don't believe they'll even let me get there.
Not committed yet; I just realized this is an option yesterday. Any tips, pointers or ideas would be appreciated. TIA!