Expertflyer comes through again-Booking FF ticket is soooo easy

[Banleno007]

Need two tickets to Dubai from the USA the first week in January. The initial flight out of the US HAS to be on a US carrier (US government contract). United and Delta fly nonstop from IAD and ATL respectively-15 hours each way. There is no way I would subject my employees or myself to a 15 hour overnight flight in coach. They are not going on vacation-they are going to work. They need to be rested and ready to work. And I have a fixed price I must abide by to be reimbursed.

 

BUT to purchase a ticket that is upgradeable on United or Delta is about $900pp ABOVE the price of my contract PLUS I need a whole lot of miles for the upgrade.

 

So to Expertflyer I go (again and again and again).

 

I was able to get a ticket routed this way-DFW/FRA/LHR/DXB. And on the return, they are flying from DXB/HKG/LAX/DFW (week vacation on the return). Completely around the world in business class on AA-150,000 miles each.

 

IF I didn't have the subsubscription to Expertflyer, I would have had to keep checking all the airline websites and HOPE I happened to log on at the SPECIFIC time the DFW/FRA segment was available in business class.

 

But due to Expertflyer, I was able to set up alerts for three airlines and lots of different routings-through LHR, through BRU, through FRA, BCN and even the long way around through NRT. There was plenty of availability on BA from either Europe or Japan to DXB, so that was not a problem. But getting OUT of the US on a US carrier was. Holiday season, prime time when everyone wants to use their miles for upgrades or long haul business/first class seats.

 

Viola!!!! Alert from EF about availability on DFW/FRA. Even found availability out of TUS to DFW (with an overnight at DFW). So all miles, all the way, round the world, all in business class.

 

You must pay for the premium subscription ($9.99) to get the email alerts and be able to search 3 days + or - a specified date. But $10.00 is pretty darn cheap to ENSURE you get the tickets you need.

[frugaltravel]

You must pay for the premium subscription ($9.99) to get the email alerts and be able to search 3 days + or - a specified date. But $10.00 is pretty darn cheap to ENSURE you get the tickets you need.

 

Just to clarify that is $10/month and if someone pays for a year at one time they get two months free ($100/year).

[PennyAgain]

EF pays for itself very easily and is as stated above.

[snaebyllej]

Let's see. A posting #1 advertising a product, a posting #2 and a posting #3 enthusiatically agreeing?

 

This is an exact copy of a posting from 2008. Someone's business a little slow these days?

[greatam]

Let's see. A posting #1 advertising a product, a posting #2 and a posting #3 enthusiatically agreeing?

 

This is an exact copy of a posting from 2008. Someone's business a little slow these days?

 

What a cynic!!!

 

This is exactly the route I flew my employees with AA miles into Kuwait City in 2008. And I have since used the same route myself when I need to go to the Middle East again using a combination of award tickets or upgrades. And yes, co-incidentally for the same reason-government contract, fixed price, MUST be ready to work (or at least stand in line for hours for government clearance). And yes, I found the combination on Expertflyer.

 

For those of us that fly a lot, EF is just one of the tools that we use all the time to find those elusive award tickets or even more of the time for me, upgrades for international flights.

 

No advertising, just a great way to find ways to use miles, which is a common question on this forum.

[greatam]

The initial flight out of the US HAS to be on a US carrier (US government contract). United and Delta fly nonstop from IAD and ATL respectively-15 hours each way. There is no way I would subject my employees or myself to a 15 hour overnight flight in coach. They are not going on vacation-they are going to work. They need to be rested and ready to work.

 

Why should they be rested? KBR, ITT, CSA (what used to be CSA), Mantech, etc. etc. all put their employees on the nonstops to Kuwait City or DBX IN COACH!!!. They think this is just fine. And then if they are going into Afghanistan, you get to hang around Dubai for a long time standing in line after line getting clearance waiting for transport.

 

I am with you on this. I, too, have government contracts and have had the same routing except LHR to KWI for the same reasons for my employees. And also for myself.

 

My new contracts all state I can use any airline although there is PREFERENCE (you know how that goes-more money for US carriers). I have been booking the Etihad/AA codeshare which seems to satisfy all the requirements and gives me more money plus only one plane change out of Chicago.

 

Just got two more contracts. This thing is heating up again in the Middle East and there are a lot more regular Army in Camp Arifjan/Virginia/Buehring and SPOD then there was 6 months ago.

 

Just curious-what do you do???

[greatam]

Let's see. A posting #1 advertising a product, a posting #2 and a posting #3 enthusiatically agreeing?

 

This is an exact copy of a posting from 2008. Someone's business a little slow these days?

 

I apologize for calling you a cynic. That IS my posting from 2008. Why anyone would copy it almost 4 years later is beyond me??? Good catch

 

I have nothing to do with EF except pay them my yearly subscription.

 

Hey Banleno007,

 

Why are you copying my posting almost word for word from 2008?

 

Now I really want to know what kind of contract YOU have with the US government???

[FlyerTalker]

Wherever the posting came from, I will join along with the hearty endorsement of EF. Along with KVS, they have been a godsend for finding flight availability, fare documentation, and especially for award and upgrade data. I have been able to piece together award bookings that astounded the airline agents who eventually booked them.

 

For the once a year flyer, it may not be worth both the costs and the learning curve (especially for KVS that requires more study). But if you take a couple flights a year, it's a great way to look "under the hood" (or "under the bonnet" for Globaliser, who's been absent for a bit).