Guess i'll be the first, Booking SQ Suites FRA-JFK Help
- Thread starter kidooo
- Start date
kidooo
Level 2 Member
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PointSeeker07
Level 2 Member
Unfortunately I don't think you will have any luck. I started searching in Nov for the same and every date is taken for the remainder of 15 and beginning of 16. The word is there is almost 0 % that waitlist will open up.
thepaul500
Level 2 Member
How many seats are you looking for and what date range? Over Christmas I almost pulled the trigger on this flight as it had 2 saver level open both directions, most days.
MarcusBWI
Level 2 Member
In general, it would be helpful to let us know what dates you are looking at traveling. However in this case, as a couple of people have mentioned, that is an insanely difficult flight to book with points. I think JFK - FRA in first/suites is about as difficult on Singapore as it is on Lufthansa. It's just an incredibly popular route.
Last year, I was looking into booking a suites class ticket from SIN to Europe--I was flexible on which airport, and what the dates were (it just had to be sometime in August). When I looked through the entire month of August (this was back in September or October), FRA didn't have a single suites class ticket available at the saver level. Other cities had plenty of availability, but FRA was zilch.
So, I definitely wish you luck in your booking--it's possible that somebody who is currently booked could cancel, but from what I've read it's a tough challenge.
kidooo
Level 2 Member
Thanks guys, I am looking for April 15th or 16th. I realize this is a very hard route so I guess my question is more about tips or hacks to making it more possible.
For example if I were to book that flight in economy and then wait list the suites, would that give me an advantage over regular wait listing? Would I need to have enough miles in account t for the suite rate to do that?
For example if I were to book that flight in economy and then wait list the suites, would that give me an advantage over regular wait listing? Would I need to have enough miles in account t for the suite rate to do that?
thepaul500
Level 2 Member
Any consideration of going the other way around? FRA-SIN-HKG/ICN-SFO, different airline to JFK? There is 777 availability going that direction on those dates
NEPIC
Level 2 Member
This route seems especially difficult
If you find out what SQ are able to accommodate, please let us know! It would be good data...
Nick
It does seem like data points on this topic are rather limited. The FT thread has mostly negative reports of the waitlist on this flight, but Matthew (upgrd blog) reported being 2/2. The FT thread also has some reference to being able to waitlist an F award while already having a J, but it's unclear if this means two separate awards held or if SQ can waitlist on top of the booked saver award with just the difference in miles.
If you find out what SQ are able to accommodate, please let us know! It would be good data...
Nick
kidooo
Level 2 Member
prob not,
What would the mileage rate look like on a route like that? (that would be like a 25+ hour trip no?)
MickiSue
Level 2 Member
I was looking for biz/first on MXP/JFK for Nov, 2013 on Delta via AKA points. I had the outbound, and had paid the full RT biz points, because had biz on the last leg home. Obviously, the trans-Atlantic was the part I really wanted to be in biz/first.
A CSR for AKA suggested calling daily, starting about 2 months before the flight. So, I did. At 7 am for me, it's 5 am for them (located in Seattle), and the partner desk CSRs open for business then.
We became friends, as the same two or three people work that desk. Finally, about 4 weeks prior, and 1 week prior to me leaving for Italy, there were some seats in biz/first. Having taken the time to call, and be pleasant every time I was told "No," I had become someone they were willing to do extra work for.
The seats showed in their system, but they couldn't book them, for some reason. They said they would keep trying, and I should call back in two hours. I did. They still had trouble. Said to call back in two more hours. But, before I could do that, they called me; the seat had been reserved.
Now all that was needed was to upgrade Husband, booking with Delta miles, for his seat. This, of course, was a much easier process, as it was Delta metal.
Two center row seats in Biz/first. Ahhhh. Worth the time, and the best way that I can think of for you to find the seats you are looking for. Start calling, daily, NOW. Be sweet and kind. Call early in the morning, before they're tired and cranky. Be prepared to have to call for the return trip while you are in Europe; I've done that, too. So have the international number ready.
A CSR for AKA suggested calling daily, starting about 2 months before the flight. So, I did. At 7 am for me, it's 5 am for them (located in Seattle), and the partner desk CSRs open for business then.
We became friends, as the same two or three people work that desk. Finally, about 4 weeks prior, and 1 week prior to me leaving for Italy, there were some seats in biz/first. Having taken the time to call, and be pleasant every time I was told "No," I had become someone they were willing to do extra work for.
The seats showed in their system, but they couldn't book them, for some reason. They said they would keep trying, and I should call back in two hours. I did. They still had trouble. Said to call back in two more hours. But, before I could do that, they called me; the seat had been reserved.
Now all that was needed was to upgrade Husband, booking with Delta miles, for his seat. This, of course, was a much easier process, as it was Delta metal.
Two center row seats in Biz/first. Ahhhh. Worth the time, and the best way that I can think of for you to find the seats you are looking for. Start calling, daily, NOW. Be sweet and kind. Call early in the morning, before they're tired and cranky. Be prepared to have to call for the return trip while you are in Europe; I've done that, too. So have the international number ready.
Road Humps
Level 2 Member
The trouble with waitlisting is that you need all the points for the higher class in your SQ account before you can waitlist. They don't deduct them but they have to be there to hold the waitlist.
So you have to do it in a specific order:
1. Waitlist higher class
2. Book lower class
3. Cross fingers
If the higher class opens up then you need to cancel your lower class booking to make the miles available to confirm the higher class. However, if waitlist never clears then you've now just marooned miles in the SQ program and those expire on a relatively short leash.
So you have to be willing to gamble that the waitlist will clear or have a backup plan for the marooned miles. I guess I got very lucky - I booked SQ Suites RT on JFK-FRA last summer for this May and got the exact dates I wanted. Just recently added two travelers on same outbound flight, albeit in Economy. I considered waitlisting C for them but wasn't willing to risk marooning the miles.
So you have to do it in a specific order:
1. Waitlist higher class
2. Book lower class
3. Cross fingers
If the higher class opens up then you need to cancel your lower class booking to make the miles available to confirm the higher class. However, if waitlist never clears then you've now just marooned miles in the SQ program and those expire on a relatively short leash.
So you have to be willing to gamble that the waitlist will clear or have a backup plan for the marooned miles. I guess I got very lucky - I booked SQ Suites RT on JFK-FRA last summer for this May and got the exact dates I wanted. Just recently added two travelers on same outbound flight, albeit in Economy. I considered waitlisting C for them but wasn't willing to risk marooning the miles.