My dad has always been the biggest supporter of my little "hobby." When I first started mileage running (back when I was 15) it was actually a father-son activity. Some Saturday mornings he'd drive me to the airport in Tampa in time for my pre-6AM flight, and sometimes he'd actually fly with me. As odd…
Continue reading: To the Vaterland with my Vater: Introduction
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Thanks for sharing this, Ben. Looks like the makings of a great trip. Question: what do fees/surcharges look like when using Aeroplan miles to book LH?
@ Len -- Roundtrip fuel surcharges between the US and Europe are roughly $850, plus the taxes, so it's about $1,000 all-in per person. Definitely on the steep side.
Benny, I'm really excited to read this trip report. I'll have to forward this one, as well as the trip you took with your mom, to my parents to see if that will help convince them to start collecting miles.
Two seats out of Houston is quite lucky. I was watching the space over the summer and there was hardly any last-minute availability for one, much less for two.
What's your strategy for the positioning flights given that you can't book more that few days out? Do you purchase last minute revenue flights, separate award ticket, something else?
@ Papa Smurf -- Indeed prior to seeing those two seats I had almost never even seen one seat, so I was *really* excited. Usually domestic award space is pretty good, so I had no issues securing space on those flights.
@ Lucky - now we know how you got this nom de plume 🙂 For my in/out weeekends, IAHFRA availability is nonexistent. Doesn't look better out of other airports. Can't wait to read reports from you and your father though.
P.S. In case anyone can fly out of Houston on October 15 (Wednesday), there's F space on IAH-FRA. The only date in October at the moment.
Over the summer FRA-IAH opened up (2 seats) very late one night a few days before our return to the US. GF was asleep by the time I got the alert and when we woke up in the AM it was gone.
I wasn't upset, though, since it takes off about ~7 hours before the 2nd ORD flight (which is what we took), and 7 extra hours in Rome isn't something one complains about.
I love the parent commentary! This is great! I'm hoping you'll do some of the writing in the German accent you used on the live update of the trip.
"[Houston] is historically one of the toughest routes on which to find award space"
Which is funny, since up until 3-4 years ago it was one of the EASIEST routes on which to find Lufthansa first class award space.
So allow me to reformulate as "Recently Houston has been one of the toughest routes on which to find award space" 🙂
I think the title should read "heimat" rather than vaterland. Mind you, vaterland is correct but a dialect.
Your vater must be a source of luck as well! For both of you to get awards seats on the IAH-FRA and FRA-MIA flights on LH's newest planes is really awesome! I'm looking forward to read your reports.
@ KG -- never-wrong Wikipedia only gives "Vaterland" as an option. Three choices in Russian though. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatherland
How could you backtrack, TWICE? I don't understand and I book AP awards very often. FRA SZG FRA and FRA BRU FRA... Yes POT + stopover but usually you'd at least have to fly through a different city. Colour me confused!
I can't wait for Herr Schlaeppig's commentary, since it had been a long time to go home.
@KG Das Vaterland is referred to the land you come from. Die Heimat refers to the place you have in your heart. Think of it like House and Home.
So you go to "Das Vaterland" but you "hast Heimweh nach Heimat" (longing for home )
@lucky: Sounds like a great trip! I took mein vater to visit the town that his grossvater emigrated from a couple of years ago. We flew over in LH business class (his first TATL O experience) and had a great time. Have fun!
Thanks Lucky - I'll put my question a different way. For this trip (or others in general), do you typically ONLY book the trip within 15 days (so you KNOW LH F will be available), or do you book the trip early and thus book "placeholder" flights in advance of T-15 (such as, the much less desirable, older version LH C)?
@ UA-NYC -- Generally speaking I'd advise others to lock in a backup itinerary and then hope Lufthansa first class opens up within 15 days of departure. In this case I didn't book a backup itinerary since both my dad and I were really flexible on dates and routes, so I was confident something would open up.