USVI-On-Line

The window to book air for my 2009 trip will be coming open on June 30. I likely have enough miles to get a free ticket on USAir if I play around with my return date (ie not returning on Saturday), which isn't a problem. What I am wondering is if I am able to get the one free how do I handle the other ticket?
- do I book it same time so I insure we have the same flight schedule?
- do I gamble and hope the price comes down?
- or the last option - do I just leave Charlie home?

Never did this before so I'm looking for some pointers.
Thanks!

I'm not a pro on using FF miles but there is a forum where you can post that question and get all the pros to answer it. It's the Frequent Flyer forum (theres a forum for everything!). Here's a link to the US Air discussions. I don't know if you can post as a guest.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=612

thanks, I will look over there!

Mary Beth, I did just this for my February trip this year. I booked my ticket using awards and had that locked down. Then, I tracked the fare via Yapta for my husband's ticket. Turns out that the fare never came down for me so I finally just booked it but it was months later. I would occassionally check to see if the plane was filling up - it was a gamble but it worked out for me. Good luck!

We will be attempting to use miles for 2 (out of 3) tickets for our VG trip.

As it relates to seats, lets assume I buy 2 seats using FF and one without and I can't get the seats together, what are my chances of calling up the airline and getting our seats changes so we are all sitting together?

Anyone has experience with this?

Pre-kid, it never bothered us to be seperated but travelling with a child changed that.

Using FF points is the only way I travel. Usually you can change seats around after booking, especially if the particular airline allows you to do that on their website like American does. I can change my seats anytime as long as their are available seats. When traveling with a person who must purchase their seat, it works best (usually) to book all at the same time and select seats together. Research all flights that look good and begin with your favorite to see if FF seats are there and then go down the list until you hit one that works.

I would probably have two browsers open, book the one with ff miles and immediately book the one that I was paying for.

If the kids weren't a factor, I would not care if I were even on the same plane as my hubby as long as we got there around the same time.

Leave Charlie ... take me I have 90k miles waiting to be used for June of 09! Sorry, Charlie.

mbw, I assume it's just the two of you, and that you're not traveling with kids. My answer is based on that assumption. A few years ago, we did a trip where my husband flew a different flight than me. We used FF miles to get him to St. Maarten direct, but I had to go through San Juan. It actually bought me a night by myself in de ilons, which was nice (lots of sleeping).

We did this because we booked his ticket with miles first, and then the fare on our direct route never came down low enough for us. I was a poor grad student at that point. I'd book your FF ticket and then watch the flights to STT and see if the prices come down. You have quite a while.

What's the worst that could happen? You go on the FF ticket and your husband flies on a different flight? It's not the end of the world, and I think 330 days out is a lot early to buy a ticket.

No kids. Well next year we will be traveling with my sister and her daughter but Sis is on her own with travel plans

thanks for the advice. I will see what flights are looking like come end of the month. I plan to book the FF ticket right away but I may float the other seat. Will let you know how it goes

Out of all your choices it sounds like leaving Charlie at home is the easiest Poor Charlie!

With the way flights are changing/cancelling these days, it's really a tough call.

Normally, I'd agree and say get the FF now and wait on the purchase, but with flights cancelling left and right, I think I might opt to do the purchase at the same time and track with Yapta and get a refund voucher.

However, with all of the changes being made, then letting the FF stabilize before the purchase, might be the way to go.

But.....

Phew - glad this is your problem and not mine. We do FF a lot, but never FF one/buy one.

Sorry to be no help at all!!

Have fun!