I always like to write about good award redemption opportunities as I see them pop up. A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Japan Airlines launching service between Tokyo and Boston on the 787 starting next May and that there was plenty of business class award space. I briefly mentioned that ANA, the 787 launch customer, had announced that their first longhaul route with the 787 would be Tokyo Haneda to Frankfurt starting in January.
At the time the flight wasn’t yet loaded into the system, though now it is and there’s plenty of award space in business class!
The service launches on January 21 and initially operates Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Starting February 1 the service will be daily.
Best of all, based on the looks of it, ANA has a really nice staggered business class product on the 787.
So if you want to be one of the first to try the 787, this is an amazing award redemption opportunity. Keep in mind that if redeeming Continental, Untied, or US Airways miles, you can route from the US to Asia via Europe for the same cost as going via the Pacific. So you could book an award from the US to Japan via Europe for either 90,000 US Airways miles or 120,000 Continental/United miles and incorporate the above flights into the itinerary.
After many phone calls with CO, I finally succeeded in booking NH 204 from FRA to HND. Here's my long and winding road.
For a while after becoming available online last Thursday, I was told that CO's internal system was not loaded with NH203/NH204.
Last Monday, the flights became available in their system, but I was told that the flight did not price and that they would work this out in a matter of...
After many phone calls with CO, I finally succeeded in booking NH 204 from FRA to HND. Here's my long and winding road.
For a while after becoming available online last Thursday, I was told that CO's internal system was not loaded with NH203/NH204.
Last Monday, the flights became available in their system, but I was told that the flight did not price and that they would work this out in a matter of a few days.
Yesterday, the flight became bookable and I got the tickets issued!
I almost gave up twice when I was told that my routing (FRA-HND-PEK) is regarded backtracking and not permissible even if I'm just transiting (later corrected that it's permissible), and also when I found out online the flights were gone for my desired dates (later found out that the agents kindly held the seats for me.)
After this endeavor, I've ended up with this itinerary of B787 on ANA, A380 on SQ between JFK-FRA and A380 on Lufthansa, all in business class. Thank you for your tips, lucky, which made all this possible. Only the LH A380 pales in my itinerary!
Just booked it via United, so not sure what the problem at CO's call center is.
I called CO today and they weren't able to book NH204 FRA-HND. It shows up as available online, but I can't book online due to the routing I'm using.
Any thoughts, anyone? Has anyone successfully booked NH204 through CO (online or over the phone)?
Seems as if it all finally posted or at least is no longer blocked by US Air as I was able to book an award via in February for busines class.
@ Speedy -- Absolutely, you can fly from the US to Japan via Europe with United miles (120,000 miles in business class).
Flight blocking aside, can you book US to Japan with UA miles? I've done this to South East Asia a couple of times but never thought about Japan. Would JFK-FRA-NRT, for example, be possible to book?
Thanks for your info, lucky.
When I called Continental, they say these flights have not been loaded on their system yet and not bookable online or by phone.
Did you actually succeed in booking the flights with Continental or any other Star Alliance airline?
I tried May-June and HND-FRA on NH203
and C class not available. End of January there were some dates open.
@ jmd001 -- I suspect not, though I'm not positive.
@ bmvaughn -- Through US Airways it might just be possible!
@ Matt -- US Airways has a tendency to block some ANA flights, so that might be the case here.
Has anyone been able to book with US Air Dividend Miles? They say the schedule for HND-FRA hasn't been uploaded to the Star Alliance system.
Thx for posting! I was originally booked in Thai C FRA-BKK-HKG, guess I'll have to spend some time in Tokyo on my way to HKG.
Yup Jan 26, 28, 30, etc. bookable right from CO.com
Can you route from the US to Europe via Asia? Might even be faster for those of us in Seattle :)
Is the area on the floor between the seat and the "wall" a legal place to store stuff on take-off and landing?
Chris, January 26 is showing availability.
I checked tons of dates and all they had was coach. Must have been a limited time offer.
too cheap to cough up $150 change fee! :D
Damn the dates I wanted is zeroed out in C.
Benny - change it?
too bad i already book my award :(