I'm still trying to create my first MR. What am I doing wrong (other than trying to book at the last minute) with my MR searches?
I have been trying for two days to find a *A trip from MCI to basically anywhere in the world. My only constraints are that I would need to leave MCI May 4th after 6 or 7pm, return anytime May 7th, and need to keep costs under $1300USD.
I have tried w/ travelocity's dreammaps, farecompare, kayak, sidestep, UAL.com, and ITA (using commands such as mci:: UA+, BCN), but still haven't found anything.
Asian destinations such as NRT, ICN, SIN, PVG, and PEK have all failed
European destinations such as LIS, BCN, MAD, BRN, AMS, CPH, PRG have also yielded zilch.
I thought I was home free when I found a trip to GIG for $1200, but with visa turnaround times, it's not feasible.
Any advice?
Any advice?
Yes. Explain your goals further. For instance, how many miles do you need? Why do you need to go on those specific dates? Is there anything else that might work? This is integral in determining a mileage run, at least assuming you want to minimize cost. Your search scope changes dramatically if you want 4,000 or 5,000 miles versus 20,000 miles. Also, which cities are you able to depart from? One could assume the cities listed in your profile, but 9/10 times I assume that from a FTer, they tell me they can depart from somewhere else only/as well.
Give us all the potential variables and maybe someone can help you work something out. There may be some 0-day/3-day advance purchase fares out there, but your chances increase dramatically when you look at the 7-day/10-day/14-day advance purchase fares.
The travelocity dreammaps don't filter by carrier, so how does one locate a good MR without trial and error (simply plugging in destinations)?
For a search like yours (where the dates and alliance are fixed, but the destination is not), I think trial and error is the way to go. Luckily, ITA makes it relatively easy to do trial and error because you can fit 20 or so cities in that "destination" box...that was how I found the Warsaw ticket.
Sounds like it's too late now, but I did manage to cobble together an almost-all-Star-Alliance itinerary to Warsaw, which is also a cool place to visit...would have been slightly under $1300, although the CPM ($0.13/status mile) stunk.
It's too bad you weren't looking in another alliance, though - could have gotten you to Frankfurt for around $1000 in OneWorld or London under $800 in SkyTeam! I suspect that at this late date that's simply a function of certain flights being booked-up more than others, than anything.
Enjoy Prague - I was there in February for the first time, and thought it was terrific!
---
$1007.27 in US Dollars
1 adult @ $1007.27
Hide booking details
This ticket is non-refundable.
No changes may be made to this ticket after purchase.
Airport legend:
ORD: Chicago O'Hare
WAW: Warsaw Frederic Chopin
Chicago, IL to Warsaw, Poland: 4669 miles 9 hrs 15 min
LOT Polish Airways Flight LO 4 on a Boeing 767 (jet) in coach class
(breakfast, dinner)
Departs Chicago, IL (ORD) Fri, May 5 9:55p 9 hrs 15 min
Arrives Warsaw, Poland (WAW) Sat, May 6 2:10p
1 adult in booking code W, covered by fare (A1) below
Note: The flight from Chicago (ORD) to Warsaw (WAW) is overnight.
Felix Halim .NET :: Day 4, Contest Proper (Nov 7, 2003)::
Fortunately, in the last minutes, our program gave the correct answer for the Certificates and IBM gift (ballpoint and pencil) are hold by Mr. Thompson
http://felix-halim.net/story/icpc03/day4.phpHOME |
Warsaw, Poland to Chicago, IL: 4669 miles 10 hrs 0 min
LOT Polish Airways Flight LO 3 on a Boeing 767 (jet) in coach class
(meal, dinner)
Departs Warsaw, Poland (WAW) Sun, May 7 4:35p 10 hrs 0 min
Arrives Chicago, IL (ORD) 7:35p
1 adult in booking code M, covered by fare (A2) below
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Booking details
If you want to buy this ticket, contact the airline (LOT Polish Airways: 1-800-223-0593) or a travel agent. If you use a travel agent to buy this ticket:
If your travel agent is online and has an e-mail address, e-mail this itinerary to them
If your travel agent is not online, print out this page and fax/give it to them
It is very important to use exactly the same booking codes and fare codes that we've used on this page in order to match the price we've found.
Fare (A1): LO CHIWAW WJMAY3M fare (rules) $337.50
Fare (A2): LO WAWCHI MJWA3M fare (rules) $497.50
Tax: US September 11th Security Fee $2.50
Tax: US International Departure Tax $14.50
Tax: US Passenger Facility Charge $4.50
Tax: US International Arrival Tax $14.50
Tax: Poland Airport Tax PLN 60.00
Tax: US Customs Fee $5.00
Tax: US Immigration Fee $7.00
Tax: USDA APHIS Fee $5.00
Tax: LO YQ surcharge $100.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total for 1 adult passenger: $1007.27
(as of Sunday, April 30, 2006 10:11pm)
---
$248.60 in US Dollars
1 adult @ $248.60
Hide booking details
This ticket is non-refundable.
Changes to this ticket will incur a penalty fee.
Airport legend:
MCI: Kansas City Int'l
ORD: Chicago O'Hare
Kansas City, MO to Chicago, IL: 403 miles 1 hr 30 min
United Airlines Flight UA7414 on a Canadair RJ 700 (jet) in coach class
(operated by UNITED EXPRESS/MESA AIRLINES)
Departs Kansas City, MO (MCI) Fri, May 5 7:15p 1 hr 30 min
Arrives Chicago, IL (ORD) 8:45p
1 adult in booking code Q, covered by fare (A1) below
Chicago, IL to Kansas City, MO: 403 miles 1 hr 20 min
American Airlines Flight AA2499 on a MD-80 (jet) in coach class
Departs Chicago, IL (ORD) Sun, May 7 10:15p 1 hr 20 min
Arrives Kansas City, MO (MCI) 11:35p
1 adult in booking code L, covered by fare (B1) below
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Booking details
If you want to buy this ticket, it's probably best to use a travel agent (this ticket involves multiple airlines, which can get complicated). If you use a travel agent to buy this ticket:
If your travel agent is online and has an e-mail address, e-mail this itinerary to them
If your travel agent is not online, print out this page and fax/give it to them
It is very important to use exactly the same booking codes and fare codes that we've used on this page in order to match the price we've found.
Fare (A1): UA MKCCHI QA fare (rules) $113.49
Tax: US Transportation Tax $8.51
Fare (B1): AA CHIMKC LA7DNR fare (rules) $98.60
Tax: US Transportation Tax $7.40
Tax: US Passenger Facility Charge $9.00
Tax: US Flight Segment Tax $6.60
Tax: US September 11th Security Fee $5.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total for 1 adult passenger: $248.60
(as of Sunday, April 30, 2006 11:31pm)
Any advice?
Yes, plan ahead. Keep an eye out on DreamMaps or Farecompare for good fares and then see what's available and determine the best routings. This is also not nearly as good a time to do a MR as is early in the year and in mid-fall.
Yes, plan ahead. Keep an eye out on DreamMaps or Farecompare for good fares and then see what's available and determine the best routings. This is also not nearly as good a time to do a MR as is early in the year and in mid-fall.
While farecompare is good at showing rates, I find that I'm never able to actually book any of the fares it shows. I ended up finding a terrific trip to Prague via the airlineconsolidator.com website. This was definitely a last minute thing. Not a good MR in terms of miles (~ $0.10/mile :( ), but it's a cool weekend trip.
Yes. Explain your goals further. For instance, how many miles do you need? Why do you need to go on those specific dates? Is there anything else that might work? This is integral in determining a mileage run, at least assuming you want to minimize cost. Your search scope changes dramatically if you want 4,000 or 5,000 miles versus 20,000 miles. Also, which cities are you able to depart from? One could assume the cities listed in your profile, but 9/10 times I assume that from a FTer, they tell me they can depart from somewhere else only/as well.
Give us all the potential variables and maybe someone can help you work something out. There may be some 0-day/3-day advance purchase fares out there, but your chances increase dramatically when you look at the 7-day/10-day/14-day advance purchase fares.
Thanks for the response.
My goal was to find a cool May 4-7 weekend destination, departing from MCI, in either in Asia or Europe. Cost wasn't really an issue, as long as it was under my $1300USD cap.
I ended up booking a trip to Prague, but would be interested in finding out how to locate good deals for the future. I get UA's weekly emails, but they don't really ever show much of value. The travelocity dreammaps don't filter by carrier, so how does one locate a good MR without trial and error (simply plugging in destinations)?
 How much does getting a small tattoo on your hip/stomach hurt?
 Do anyone else have an itchy anus? ?
|
Last minute UA MR?