Frequent Flyer miles to Colombia

Save the Wildcats says on Dec 30, 2004, 15:39:

Thanks Bill I'll keep that in mind for my 2005 trip. Can you buy someone else's frequent flyer miles, though, or would there be an issue with that? I honestly don't know.

Thanks!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Bill1243 says on Dec 30, 2004, 17:23:

answer to Wildcat Technically the airlines don't like it, but it is done all the time. It is totally ok to give away miles to friends. The fact that money changes hands has no bearing since the airline doesn't know it. There is a big market in miles, primarily because many of the people with the miles have no use for them while other flyers need them badly. And it is such a much better ticket than regular tickets....and cheaper too.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

arthur brode says on Dec 30, 2004, 19:11:

Bill I might be interested in purchasing frequent flyer miles.I will be flying from Puerto Rico to Colombia around summer or fall of next year.Has anyone here on PBH purchased miles from you before?

http://www.calirentals.net/

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Bill1243 says on Dec 30, 2004, 20:24:

to Arthur Yes, several people have, although I don't always know their user ID.

I can give you references if you need them.

Bill
bill1243 at yahoo.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

miamimike says on Dec 31, 2004, 16:10:

eBay Frequent flyer miles Checked this out on eBay and saw 3 auctions presently on FFM but no Bargains-all were in the Dollar per Mile price range with "Buy now options" At this time I didn't see any "No reserve auctions" for FFM.

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gomezman5 says on Dec 31, 2004, 16:39:

Bill is on point except... It's not that the airlines don't like it....it's actually prohibited to sell them......But, like he said you can give your miles away. So for all practical purposes, people do sell them, but you must know the name of the person of who is giving away the miles. In fact, my counsin in Bogota was asked by name by the American airline agent in Bogota when I gave her my milage. Also, it is the person whose name the milage is under, that must redeem the milage and procure the ticket in the name of the person he is going to give (sell) the ticket to. Technically nobody can give the milage to anyone. The milage can only be redeemed by the holder for a ticket. For anyone interested in doing this, I would suggest you contact this person for the details.

Also, for American airlines, there are two different milage rates from the US to Colombia. There is peak and off peak. If you want to travel peak (now until about mid January) it will cost you 35,000. However after mid January (of peak)until about the first week of June, it is only 30,000 milage. But honestly, the rates have reduced lately, I have seen round trip fares as low as 525 round trip from the states. Changes will require that change fee. But, free changes are not that easy with milage awards either. You can change without a fee but.......ONLY if there is a milage award seat available on the day and flight (all flights) that you will be traveling on. And I too have a lot of milage that I use. Believe me, because there are so few milage seats, I would not count on being able to change to days that you want to change to. It will be much more likely you can change paying the 150 fee.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Bill1243 says on Jan 1, 2005, 13:17:

response Gomez, you are exactly right...people who are flying should know the name, city and job of their new "friend". Some airlines are pickier than others. As to MiamiMike, a bargain is anytime you can fly for less than the cost of regular or bulk tickets. This is especially so with miles, since the flights can be changed at NO cost, which is a huge advantage to many people. In addition, the ticket is good for a whole year...which is great for those living there who want a trip back once a year. Or also for bringing up people here for long periods of time. This is because if you price regular tickets over 60 days, the rate starts to skyrocket.

It doesn't work for everyone, but it does work well for people whose flights normally cost them $650 and above. This is particularly for people from many northern cities, or for people who have to connect from Class B airports.

As far as changes go, I have to disagree with you on that. Airlines generally free up their seats a day or two before a flight....particularly to destinations that are not well traveled. Many a time have I just called them up and changed it on very short notice. It requires some flexibility, but it always has worked great.

Bill
bill1243 at yahoo.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Save the Wildcats says on Jan 1, 2005, 14:05:

Thanks Bill for the clarification - that makes sense. My friend and I are flying down in October and I'm paying for her trip (unlike me, she used to live out of the country and is quite comfortable with international travel). I will be in touch!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gomezman5 says on Jan 1, 2005, 16:01:

But Bill Seat freeing up??? No sir, not with American. Their seats don't free up---not for milage seats. Hardly ever. I know this from personal experience of flying with them over 15 years. American has a set total of how many seats it allows for milage redemption. The number is very few. While certain seats within a few days before a flight may free-up, those seats go back into the general inventory of aseats available for sale, not for milage redemption. They NEVER add milage seats to the inventory once they have already reached theri set amount. Now, if a person with a milage seat cancels his flight within a few days of departure, that seat will be available to another person seeking a milage seat. Since there are only about 8 seats at most on any give flight, the chances of you getting a seat are not that good.

You also have to consider in reality as opposed to in theory how people buy seats. If I am in Colombia and I decide to change my return, I, like most people have to make very definite arrangements as to when they are returning. If I am due to return to Miami on January 5, and I want to return on the 17, I need permission from work, or need to make arrangements with my family, maybe pay bills--hence I'll call the airlines and make a date certain for which I can return. I and most people can't afford to be calling the airlines in the days prior to the 17th (the day I want to return) hoping that I will get a flight on or around the 17. Additionally, for many Americans, unless they live in Miami, New York or Atlanta, they almost always have to take at least 2 flights to get to and from Colombia...Which means you have to have milage flight available on both (all) flights. I am certain, most people cannot take chances of that nature. Who wants to go through their vacation wondering whether they are going to be able to get a seat back home when they know they have to be home at a certain time? I'll say what I said above, there are many many more seats available if all you are looking to do is pay the 150 dollar change fee, as opposed to a very long shot of trying to get a milage seat on the day you want to change your return flight. I would never tell anyone on a vaction to wait to a few days prior to the day you want to return to the states, to check with the airlines to see if a milage seat has opened up, especially if there only about 8 on each flight....That would be rolling dice. I don't know about you, but when I am 4000 miles from home, and I really don't have a choice of airlines, and it's an expensive ticket....I want some certainty as to when my return flight is available to me

0 funny, 0 helpful.

miamimike says on Jan 1, 2005, 21:26:

Skyauction.com I've seen some pretty good deals to Colombia from Miami,NYC and Houston and I think LA for bid at this Website-sometimes you have to ready to go pronto-not an option for everyone but for those that grab their bags and run-some great prices.

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Bill1243 says on Jan 4, 2005, 00:15:

to Gomez Gomez,

My experience and miles are with Delta, and I've noticed that a day or two before the flight they clear the wait list and then open up more seats...after all, why waste seats that are not going to sell the regular way. American may restrict to 8 seats total, but again, my experieince is on Delta. Also, being on a waitlist for the days you really want to go, even after you've ticketed it, gives you a better chance at getting the seat. Waitlisting is tougher on their partner airlines however.

As far as flexibility with changes go, yes, it is a necessary element of miles tickets.... if you have that flexibility, they are great. And if you are staying more than 60 days, they are the only way to go, since tickets of more than 60 days get very expensive when purchased the regular way. I have sold many to guys for their fiancees as they bring them up here.

And as far as price, for tickets less than 60 days, it's not going to save money if flying from Miami or a few other gateway cities. But if flying from the north, or connecting from a Class B airport, it will save money just about every time over the cost of regular or bulk tickets.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

YEP says on Jan 4, 2005, 01:11:

Just to get top on this talk about tickets
What's a "bulk ticket" ??

TIA


-------------------------------------------------------------------
Just another scandinavian getting ready to explore South America

------------------------------------------------------------------- Just another scandinavian getting ready to explore South America

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Bill1243 says on Apr 15, 2005, 15:17:

a bulk ticket is A bulk ticket is also often called consolidated tickets. They are sold by wholesalers who buy up big blocks of seats from the airlines. They then turn around and offer them to retail travel agents. The price is usually less than the regular price, but not always. For instance, if an airline is having a big sale the bulk ticket usually cannot beat it.

The whole system is built to get around the "set" rates of international flights.

For Colombia, I have found that from my area I save about $100 by getting a bulk ticket...usually.

I have no idea if they are available to people in other countries outside the U.S.

Again though, flying on miles is the best way to get there, especially if you live in the north, or are flying from a Class B airport, or if you are traveling for more than 60 days, since those length tickets cost a lot more when purchased the regular way.

Write me if you want more info on traveling on miles. bill1243 at yahoo.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.