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Hi All,
I’m looking at making a reward flight booking to PUJ. I understand they are difficult to get so I plan on using the “call at midnight” option. To increase my chances of securing the return leg, I am considering making two outbound legs. Do BA allow this? Thinking that I would book the Tuesday and Thursday and if I can secure the return on the Tuesday I will cancel the outbound Thursday leg, alternatively if I miss the Tuesday return I’d try again on the Thursday booking.
Has anyone had experience of this? Any tips on how to secure the return?
GF.
There’s nothing to stop you booking as many flights as you like, if you have the avios, you’ll just need to pay the £35 pp fee if you cancel outside 24 hours. Obviously you can only use a companion/upgrade voucher on one of them so you need to plan your booking/cancellation strategy accordingly if you’re using one.
There’s a very long thread about booking the return, full of tips!
https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/booking-return-leg-with-companion-voucher/
Tips are still valid even if not using a voucher.
There’s nothing to stop you booking as many flights as you like, if you have the avios, you’ll just need to pay the £35 pp fee if you cancel outside 24 hours. Obviously you can only use a companion/upgrade voucher on one of them so you need to plan your booking/cancellation strategy accordingly if you’re using one.
There’s a very long thread about booking the return, full of tips!
Thanks NL. I was kinda hoping that if I cancelled one of the legs where I didn’t use the CV that the agent would be so kind as to apply that to the other booking, although reading the thread you linked to it seems that some agents don’t like being flexible with manual requests?
You can’t apply the voucher to an existing booking, if that’s what you mean. You’d need to cancel and rebook, as long as the avios seats returned to the inventory.
I can relate to the desire for this. I missed out on my return flights once, so cancelled the outbound and had another shot 1 week later. (This was when only 2 club seats were guaranteed)
If you have enough Avios to book 2 outbound, I’d rather go down the strategy of booking my return online at midnight. BUT I would be calling at 23:40 @nd 23:45 from 2 separate lines to increase the chance of being answered to even further increase chances of getting desired Inbound flights.
I’d consider your option only if I had 2 vouchers. I wouldn’t want to risk cancelling the Thursday outbound flight in order to have it rebooked with the voucher. They’d likely go into inventory, but it could go very wrong
Always have a back-up plan as well. The Caribbean (except Cuba) is an easy one to plan for – most islands have connections from US cities such as CLT, ATL, MIA so worst case scenario you do a bit of a detour. I’ve had some really great holidays doing some of these routes!
Always have a back-up plan as well. The Caribbean (except Cuba) is an easy one to plan for – most islands have connections from US cities such as CLT, ATL, MIA so worst case scenario you do a bit of a detour. I’ve had some really great holidays doing some of these routes!
I hadn’t even considered an alternative to direct flight, bloody novice that I am! I’ll look at that too. Thanks again @northernlass.
@FatherOfFour – given the comment about not being able to retrospectively apply the companion voucher I’m now doubting my plan! Also I’ve only got 500k avois so if I book the 3×90000 (270k) that doesn’t leave me with the option to book the return leg without the companion and applying it afterwards.Decisions decisions!
Just be aware that the indirect option is really via a US city and requires a separate cash booking from the US to your desired Caribbean destination. And they can’t be booked together on the same PNR
This doesn’t have to be a problem, especially if you plan in a mini break in the US. Also, avios flights on AA are available from numerous US airports to the Caribbean – including every day between MIA and PUJ.
@NL I had forgotten about using Avios on AA flights. I also agree it doesn’t have to be a problem but it does require additional holiday time if you stay a couple of days in the USA or shortens the stay in the Caribbean
I was really just pointing out that going via the USA to the Caribbean is potentially additional expense (cash or miles + possibly hotel) in addition to using a 2-4-1. And definitely involves separate bookings plus requires possession of a US Esta since you clear immigration and customs in the USA even if you manage to create an itinerary that allows you to transit without leaving the US airport.
But it is a creative way of getting to a destination using a 2-4-1 and opens up the possibility to see other places on the way.
Exactly – as with all things avios-related, if you’re set on a particular destination you need to be prepared to exercise some creativity and flexibility!
Having said all that, availability doesn’t actually look that bad on SeatSpy, especially if OP was happy to travel in PE on one or both legs.
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