Help with Award Booking to MAD

[PointSeeker07]

I am trying to plan a trip for 2 from DFW to Spain, hopefully without flying through LHR and paying those high surcharges. I would prefer first class or business if its full flat beds (not angled). Dates are pretty flexible as we can leave anywhere from Sept to Nov for a total of 8 business days (not including the weekend).

Here are the points we have:
Amex 100K
AAdvantage 159K
BA 421
SPG 168K
UR 143K

I was able to find some F class on American but unfortunately nothing without going through LHR. I wouldn't be oppose to flying out a different airport and getting an award economy or flying into a more F class award available Europe destination. I could always take the train to MAD

Thanks for any help

 

[Mountain Trader]

Check out Iberia flights to MAD. They fly non-stop from ORD and a couple of other US cities. I've flown them and the in-air product is better than AA, though their ground ops are quite bad. You have enough SPG miles to top off your AA account for a saver award on IB metal. Or you could use you BA miles, transfering them to IB and booking with IB direct. You can also use the BA miles to get around the US to whatever gateway you wind up with.

 

[Matt]

Check out Iberia flights to MAD. They fly non-stop from ORD and a couple of other US cities. I've flown them and the in-air product is better than AA, though their ground ops are quite bad. You have enough SPG miles to top off your AA account for a saver award on IB metal. Or you could use you BA miles, transfering them to IB and booking with IB direct. You can also use the BA miles to get around the US to whatever gateway you wind up with.

Agreed. IB J is a very nice example of business class (they don't have F) I like the non-stop from JFK. Old pricing was 40K in J for Avios... haven't looked to see if it was part of the recent award changes. AA might be better use of miles if including positioning.

 

[PointSeeker07]

What is the beat way to search award space on IB.

 

[Matt]

I use BA. Do segments IE JFK-MAD or ORD-MAD only.. look for the DFW part separately.

 

[PointSeeker07]

Uggg not having any luck with IB without going through LHR

 

[Matt]

Uggg not having any luck with IB without going through LHR

IB doesn't go through LHR say 'no stopovers' ...

 

[MickiSue]

If you can go TO LHR on AA, the cost is much less, as it's BA that charges the high amounts for redemption.

I'm flying VCE-GTW-LHR-JFK-MSP, coming home. The only flight that's BA is VCE-GTW, and I'm paying about $150 to redeem. All the rest are AA. I just have to get myself to LHR and spend a night. Actually, it breaks up what is usually a torturously long journey, so I'm OK with that.

 

[PointSeeker07]

I don't mind having to break up my trip, but right now going DFW-LHR-MAD is about 500 roundtrip. I will check if I can do TO-LHR

 

[PointSeeker07]

IB doesn't go through LHR say 'no stopovers' ...

I do as no stopovers but still putting me through LHR. Maybe im doing something incorrect

 

[Matt]

I do as no stopovers but still putting me through LHR. Maybe im doing something incorrect

Make sure your departure airport is one of the nonstops- IE ORD//JFK

 

[smittytabb]

I do as no stopovers but still putting me through LHR. Maybe im doing something incorrect

If it is putting you through LHR it is a code share with either AA or BA. IB flies everyone through MAD. Pick up the phone and see if someone can find some alternatives for you. Often that is the best way to sort it all out. AA lets you hold an international itinerary for several days. See if you can lock one in and keep looking.

 

[MickiSue]

Again, if you can avoid the codeshares with BA, even if you are flying through LHR, it will cost less.

 

[smittytabb]

Again, if you can avoid the codeshares with BA, even if you are flying through LHR, it will cost less.

Once you hit Europe everything AA is codeshared with either AB, Finnair, IB or BA. The big issue is if you are flying AA metal across the pond or another carrier. AA only flies into a handful of airports in Europe: London, Rome, Madrid, Paris, Helsinki, Dusseldorf...After that you connect to something not AA.

 

[KennyBSAT]

The IB TATL J seats I'm currently seeing around that time of year are MEX-MAD. There are two seats most dates on the 12:40 flight and a few dates with the preferable 7:30 PM flight. It's 10 hours so you actually have long enough to sleep vs. 6 hour flights from JFK or BOS. Call AA and ask if that if you can get that routing after finding a date with flights DFW-MEX and MEX-MAD.