IAH - OTP : AA : BIZ

[sriki]

I am looking to book two business class tickets from IAH to OTP on Sept 3/4 2015 using AA miles. BA has availability routing through LHR but the ~$1000 fee on it kills the deal for me. Is there any other routing that I can use to avoid the fees?

I am also planning to return from FCO to IAH on Sep 19/20 and that also seems to be routing from LHR and so ridiculous fees. Is there any alternative?

I do not have access to any other program miles for this trip unless it's a minor positioning flight using United miles (<100k). But, I do have enough AA miles to cover almost all routings.

Thanks for nay help.

 

[Matt]

I am looking to book two business class tickets from IAH to OTP on Sept 3/4 2015 using AA miles. BA has availability routing through LHR but the ~$1000 fee on it kills the deal for me. Is there any other routing that I can use to avoid the fees?

I am also planning to return from FCO to IAH on Sep 19/20 and that also seems to be routing from LHR and so ridiculous fees. Is there any alternative?

I do not have access to any other program miles for this trip unless it's a minor positioning flight using United miles (<100k). But, I do have enough AA miles to cover almost all routings.

Thanks for nay help.

It's not pretty... but you can get to Berlin and fly Air Berlin TXL-OTP. IAH-ORD-TXL-OTP

Not sure if there is award space though...

Houston (IAH) to Chicago (ORD) — Mon, Aug 3
US Airways 4287
Dep: 11:20 am
Arr: 2:05 pm
2h 45m
Embraer RJ-175
Economy (S)

OPERATED BY REPUBLIC AIRLINES AS AMERICAN EAGLE
Layover in ORD
1h 20m

Chicago (ORD) to Berlin (TXL) — Mon, Aug 3
US Airways 6910
Dep: 3:25 pm
Arr: 7:00 am
8h 35m
Airbus A330
Economy (Y)

OPERATED BY AIR BERLIN
Layover in TXL
Tue, Aug 4
2h 20m

Berlin (TXL) to Bucharest (OTP) — Tue, Aug 4
Air Berlin 8270
Dep: 9:20 am
Arr: 12:25 pm
2h 5m
Airbus A319
Economy (Y)

 

[sriki]

It's not pretty... but you can get to Berlin and fly Air Berlin TXL-OTP. IAH-ORD-TXL-OTP

Not sure if there is award space though...

Houston (IAH) to Chicago (ORD) — Mon, Aug 3
US Airways 4287
Dep: 11:20 am
Arr: 2:05 pm
2h 45m
Embraer RJ-175
Economy (S)
View attachment 1257
OPERATED BY REPUBLIC AIRLINES AS AMERICAN EAGLE
Layover in ORD
1h 20m

Chicago (ORD) to Berlin (TXL) — Mon, Aug 3
US Airways 6910
Dep: 3:25 pm
Arr: 7:00 am
8h 35m
Airbus A330
Economy (Y)
View attachment 1259
OPERATED BY AIR BERLIN
Layover in TXL
Tue, Aug 4
2h 20m

Berlin (TXL) to Bucharest (OTP) — Tue, Aug 4
Air Berlin 8270
Dep: 9:20 am
Arr: 12:25 pm
2h 5m
Airbus A319
Economy (Y)
View attachment 1258

Thanks @Matt The dates are in September and not in Aug. I found the following for Sept 3rd but I don't think this is what I want.

IAH - CLT US2261 Sep 3
CLT - MAD US748 Sep 3
MAD - TXL AB8963 - ECON Sep 4
TXL - OTP ABXXX - ECON Sep 4

With some many connections and domestic biz combined with two more economy flights at the end, it looks like more trouble than its worth. OTP seems to be a hard place to get to with Oneworld with just AB & BA having flights into it.

 

[Matt]

Yeah, you really need some UA or URs for this one, maybe there could be a trade in it?

 

[taxicabnumber]

What about a positioning flight on the other end? Get yourself to (e.g.) MAD then buy a better MAD/etc - OTP...

 

[MarkD]

The spreadsheet found here is worth its weight in gold: http://travelcodex.com/2014/06/hacking-award-seats-europe/

It shows the major alliance airlines and their hubs for trans-atlantic flights. I'm trying to use it for a SFO-CPH flight not through LHR also.

 

[niehaubs]

BlueAir and WizzAir are 2 low cost euro carriers that fly into OTP if you can get to a place either of those fly from and are willing to pay for a leg.
KLM flies into OTP from AMS or CDG, I have used both those routes, but I live in CVG and SkyTeam it all the way. Best AA option I can ever find is ORD/TXL/OTP. I would then just use Avios up to Chicago if I could not add on my leg. Sadly for me, getting out of Cinci bumps almost every award to something higher than the lowest level so have to position earlier or later than I want sometimes.