Booking a ‘mileage ticket’

I have read many times that “mileage tickets” are supposed to be the most difficult to get. However, I have been able to book tickets using frequent-flyer miles, for both business and economy class, several times. The way I did it was to book as far in advance as I could and to be flexible with my travel dates.

When we went to French Polynesia in October ’09, I contacted Continental as soon as I had my approximate travel dates, about nine or 10 months before the trip. By being flexible, I was able to secure two economy-class tickets on Air France. Then, when we went to check in online a few days before departure, we were given the option to upgrade to seats with more legroom for a fee, and we did.

I helped my brother book his mileage tickets to Venice, Italy, through Alaska Airlines, which is a partner with Air France. Again, by booking nine or 10 months ahead, I was able to secure two business-class tickets on Air France for October ’10. The dates weren’t exactly what he had requested, but they were pretty close and he was happy with the booking.

Using mileage, I’ve been able to book economy-class tickets to Antigua, Guatemala, through Continental; economy-class tickets arriving at Peru and then departing from Ecuador through Continental; business-class tickets to South Africa through Delta, and business-class tickets to Thailand, with a stopover in Japan, through Continental.

Some of these tickets took a lot of patience to book. It’s very important to treat the agent on the phone as your friend, because she is. She’s going to get you a “free” ticket!

In a couple of cases, I had to be on the phone for almost an hour exploring all the different options, such as partner airlines and alternate routes, in order to snag the coveted mileage ticket.

SARA KRAS
Glendale, CA