I booked a family trip for 4 in business for August. I can keep the dates if I have to, but it would be better for my work if I could change the trip to July. I know at this point I'm in award booking wasteland and that's almost impossible, so I'm not expecting it but I will keep looking. I've found business class flights from ORD to both FRA and MAD, and I've found availability for a secondary flight from FRA or MAD to the other (we're looking to go to Frankfurt and Madrid for the summer trip, doesn't matter which order), its the return flight to the states that's proving difficult. I have enough miles for 4 business class seats through all 3 alliances 1 way, so it's just about finding availability. I'd also like a lie flat seat. Any suggestions?
MAD or FRA to ORD
- Thread starter sound48
- Start date
I think if you are striking out you might want to open up to other airports - JFK might help? Then be willing to mix cabin JFK-ORD if needed.
I know it's not ideal for planning but things tend to open up closer to departure date. I booked myself and my wife on a Lufthansa flight from PHL-FRA-VIE (for a trip to Vienna/Istanbul in May) and Turksih IST-YYZ in February because I knew the Turkish flight was going to go quickly. Ideally I wanted to fly Austrian EWR-VIE direct with a lie flat seat around the same time I booked. Last week, those seats opened up along with an Air Canada YYZ-PHL seat back home and I paid a change fee and now I got the exact flights and routing I wanted.
If you start looking maybe one month before your desired date, most likely, you'll see things open up - especially on Lufthansa. Although, you'll have to be careful which type of aircraft you book in business, just cause they still have aircraft with angled lie flats (the biggest reason I didn't want to fly PHL-FRA on air Airbus A340-600, along with the fact that you have to transit in FRA). If you can swing the points, I would book hotels for both your July and August date and cancel once your plans are set in stone. (I know this is a lot tougher with a family of 4 because you would like to plan ahead more than I would have to traveling with just my wife and I)
MickiSue
Level 2 Member
I agree w/jlee. If you can get anything on any flight that gets you into the states, do it.
Then start calling the CSRs as early in the AM as possible, to see if upgrade seats have opened up. If my experience is any indication, they open about 4 weeks ahead, and, just when you are getting desperate, one day ahead. If you haven't gotten the upgrade seats b/4 you leave, be sure to have the overseas CS number handy. Probably won't be a toll free number, but you don't hang on hold that much for them, either.
Then start calling the CSRs as early in the AM as possible, to see if upgrade seats have opened up. If my experience is any indication, they open about 4 weeks ahead, and, just when you are getting desperate, one day ahead. If you haven't gotten the upgrade seats b/4 you leave, be sure to have the overseas CS number handy. Probably won't be a toll free number, but you don't hang on hold that much for them, either.