Liz and I had settled into a pattern that will change a little bit in 2020. Liz is taking a Kristen Ulmer clinic at Alta the last weekend of January, which means we won't be going to the Alps in the usual timeframe that we have copied from James with much success the past 3 seasons.
The period after Iron Blosam Week is also viable for the Alps, with the caveat that to be over there for 2+ weeks we would like to see a late Easter so not to run into school holidays. Last year would have been ideal for that but we couldn't resist the $566 airfare bargain in January.
I first checked Euro airfares a month ago and found them in the $1,200/60K miles range, so decided to wait awhile. Maybe late October is a good time to book. It's not the fire sale of a year ago, but fares dropped to $825/41K miles so I pulled the trigger to fly March 17 - April 7.
41K miles + $84 fees is very good for USA-Europe, though with caveats:
1) That deal was only available on Tue/Wed flights.
2) Paid tickets have just one stop in AMS or CDG. By using miles we have a second plane change in Minneapolis or Detroit. James can comment on whether this tradeoff is worth the risk given my track record with luggage. At least both stops are about 2 hours.
I'm relaxing my standards a bit for cashing miles in view of being almost shut out completely last July and having to pay $2,800pp for airfares on that trip to Tahiti/Australia/Vanuatu. So we also paid 26K miles + $56 fees for RT Calgary in February instead of about $470. The Canada trip is Feb. 19 - Mar. 1. FYI Liz will be at Island Lake overlapping my time at Mustang.
Given the late January timing of Liz' Utah clinic, it's almost certain we'll go to Jackson Hole immediately before or after.
The period after Iron Blosam Week is also viable for the Alps, with the caveat that to be over there for 2+ weeks we would like to see a late Easter so not to run into school holidays. Last year would have been ideal for that but we couldn't resist the $566 airfare bargain in January.
I first checked Euro airfares a month ago and found them in the $1,200/60K miles range, so decided to wait awhile. Maybe late October is a good time to book. It's not the fire sale of a year ago, but fares dropped to $825/41K miles so I pulled the trigger to fly March 17 - April 7.
41K miles + $84 fees is very good for USA-Europe, though with caveats:
1) That deal was only available on Tue/Wed flights.
2) Paid tickets have just one stop in AMS or CDG. By using miles we have a second plane change in Minneapolis or Detroit. James can comment on whether this tradeoff is worth the risk given my track record with luggage. At least both stops are about 2 hours.
I'm relaxing my standards a bit for cashing miles in view of being almost shut out completely last July and having to pay $2,800pp for airfares on that trip to Tahiti/Australia/Vanuatu. So we also paid 26K miles + $56 fees for RT Calgary in February instead of about $470. The Canada trip is Feb. 19 - Mar. 1. FYI Liz will be at Island Lake overlapping my time at Mustang.
Given the late January timing of Liz' Utah clinic, it's almost certain we'll go to Jackson Hole immediately before or after.