Ski-Air Travel
- Thread starter jimk
- Start date
Heads-up for United FFers: winter award sales drop on Monday Dec 1. I'll be online at midnight to see if I can score a roundtrip to Munich for less than 60K. Given subpar experiences over the past two winters, I'm tempering my expectations.
I was always surprised that you don't take advantage of that nonstop flight unless it cost significantly more money or miles because it's on Swiss.
10-4 that. For better and worse, there's no confusing us with western Americans!
ChrisC
Well-known member
Yes.
I am very frugal about airfares. We suffer with multi stop itineraries in order to cash in FF miles at a reasonable ratio to cash cost. And I won’t use those miles if I’m not getting close to 1.5 cents per mile in value.
As for the 1.1 million mileage stockpile I am warned by some friends that as people age they become less willing to fly coach for long haul travel. So there may come a point where we need those miles for upgrades.
As for the 1.1 million mileage stockpile I am warned by some friends that as people age they become less willing to fly coach for long haul travel. So there may come a point where we need those miles for upgrades.
ChrisC
Well-known member
It’s expensive doing long range flights from the west coast.
It’s $800 on Swiss Airways. It’s an indulgence.
Milan is so cheap $450.
My
UK friends spend zero money on trips. Max $100 per night. We do spend some on dinner.
My business school friend sleeps with the gay guy. Same room - two beds. I don’t care.
I tell him to hit me if I snore.
It’s $800 on Swiss Airways. It’s an indulgence.
Milan is so cheap $450.
My
UK friends spend zero money on trips. Max $100 per night. We do spend some on dinner.My business school friend sleeps with the gay guy. Same room - two beds. I don’t care.
I tell him to hit me if I snore.
From the "first-world problems" department: United's Cyber Monday sale offers no big award discounts on nonstops from EWR.
- 60K miles to Munich
- 60K miles to Geneva
- 70K miles (seriously?) to Zurich
- The only quasi deal is 49K miles to Milan.
I share that SOP but always look for Lidl: better and cheaper.
That's possible; however, for my needs the issue is that over the past two years United has jacked up its FF award levels. Just for laffs, I checked Delta from JFK to Zurich and if you're flexible with dates, there are roundtrips for as little as 40K, same with Milan. Unfortunately, those are the only nonstop Alps gateways that they service from JFK. I've used up all my Delta miles so United (along with partners Swiss and Lufthansa) at far more convenient Newark Airport is my only option.
What are cash prices to Europe this winter to compare to those mileage awards? I’ve found that the late January time frame is usually so cheap that FF awards are a bad deal. March/April cash prices tend to be higher.
$683 per person was the best I could find for those shoulder weeks around the Feb school holidays, which I know would definitely not meet your requirements for cashing in an award. For us, minimizing outlay is the overriding priority so we're using FF miles and the Indy Pass throughout, including a couple days at the Skiwelt -- not a favorite here, I know, despite its extensive size.
Given that we already know where and when we're skiing and staying (completely counter-intuitive for me in the Alps), I went ahead and booked a good half-board deal for five nights at a hotel just outside Innsbruck.
No, particularly since you are probably paying a few $ along with the 50K miles. How are you accruing miles fast enough to keep using them this way? It can’t be from the credit card spend that gets me most of mine.
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I still don’t see why SkiWelt is needed advance booking in March. I notice that the Kaunertal and Pitztal glaciers are on Indy Pass, certainly doable from Innsbruck, and Stubai is part of the Innsbruck group. Those 3 plus others in the Innsbruck group can easily fill a week.
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OK, I've shared enough about this trip. Time to dissect someone else's plans!
Not ski travel but it's to mountains so relatively related.......
I'm actively looking to book flights to Munich for next September so we can do some walking around Slovenia and the Dolomites. I'm seriously considering a stopover in Hong Kong or Singapore on the way there or the way home. Anyone checked out either city?
I'm actively looking to book flights to Munich for next September so we can do some walking around Slovenia and the Dolomites. I'm seriously considering a stopover in Hong Kong or Singapore on the way there or the way home. Anyone checked out either city?
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
spent 2 day in HK....Very cool place, worth the stop over...We did a real cool hike plus a great meal at the Mandarin Oriental.... My wife has been to Sing many times, said it's just a nice clean city..