When Waiting For Space To Open Up Doesn't Work

Hmm, doesn't seem like it failed you at all. Seems like it worked flawlessly.

Did this on a mileage run to STT. It didn't work, and I happened to be there during a big conference so none of the hotels had any space cheaper than $500. I ended up walking around late at night through what felt like a dangerous area and finally found a park bench to sleep on. Spoiler alert: everything turned out fine.

Sincerely,
Homeless In St. Thomas

Did you look at airbnb, hostels and similar non-hotel options?

Often I try and nail down an economy ticket so I have an escape option and look for better options as time approaches. being 1K I can update without cost.

@Lucky, I live 90 mins from DUS in Belgium! If you need a place to stay next time let me know!

Oh man, we missed a chance to start a kickstarter campaign and have it pay for your emergency hotel costs. We wouldn't want you sleeping at the airport my boy.

As someone who visits Düsseldorf at least one or twice a year, you have to watch out when they have a large trade fair ("Messe"). The really big ones will also sell out Cologne and nearby cities as well. It also works the other way, a bit fair in Cologne can impact Düsseldorf.

I always check out the calendar at http://www.messe-duesseldorf.de/uptodate/cipp/uptodate/pub2/md_events,menu,main.md_events.2014/lang,e

Lucky, Dusseldorf hotels are booked and expensive because of a trade fair that's currently ongoing.

http://www.interpack.com/

This is fairly common for Germany, for example, go to Munich/Hannover/Hamburg/Cologne/Dusseldorf etc. when an exhibition is happening and you will pay dearly, sometimes triple or quadruble what the hotel would charge during non-event times.
You have to go outside of the city, sometimes up to 50-100km to find a decent priced room. Saying this, you *can* sometimes get a single room for a good rate because of people cancelling.

Ben;

As a newbie with points what food/service can I expect Business Class from ATL to FRA and FRA to DFW?

@ Rob Black -- Which airlines are you flying?

I was denied an entry into Russia and they put me in the last flight out of Moscow. Landed in Stockholm late at night. All the hotels were fully booked due to some trade fair that was in town.

Called up my company's attorney and she goes "sleep on a park bench. You won't get raped as it's a very safe town" Yikes! Found "the" last available room in town and paid $585 for a night at this really small dinky room at Best Western. The most expensive hotel stay in my career.

How do you the cabin was empty? Where do you get this information from?

@ Henry -- The cabin only has eight seats, and they were all still for sale.

Had this happen to me as well last time I was in DUS. There was a fair going on - but even when conventions go to other towns, I've never seen them take up inventory like they do in DUS. I managed to get my first night at a hotel in Erkrath, which was not TOO far away, before I could move to the Hilton the day after the fair ended.

Are you blogging right now from the club or air? How many glasses of champagne so far? Let us know when you're past your limit so we can start asking personal questions. 😉

Safe travels!

So you couldn't even find any rooms on Airbnb in Dusseldorf?

@ Peter -- The air! And I'm being perfectly civilized with my champagne consumption, sadly enough.

@ Lufthansa -- Keep plying the sole passenger in F on the IAD flight with champagne, (that is until you get to the Champagne de Castelnau.) 😉

Darn, missed getting to say Hi to my favorite blogger... i flew in from AMS around 13:30/14
Could of met for a pre-caviar Falafel or Döner at Oliva at the airport... or maybe you could have guested me into the FLounge.... 😉

YOUR airline Lufthansa

Don't be a wuss you could have slept at the airport 🙂

You really have to get an Air BnB account for just these types of situations. Had my 2nd positive experience with them in Florence, Italy 2 weeks ago. Great place, and way cheaper than a hotel in the area.

Lucky: why not see if one of the hotels that you have top tier status with, could get you a room with the guaranteed room availability benefit?

as someone who lived in my car for the first 4 1/2 months of college, i take a different approach to such things, as (obviously) growing up poor, my definition of 'wasting' money is different than people who haven't had to make decisions between gas and eating for a couple days. ergo, a few hours of inconvenience wins out over 'wasting' (per my definition) $.

with an overseas business class flight to follow, i'd have stayed in the airport, maybe gotten a couple of hours of on/off sleep, and then caught up on sleep on the flight.

i live in hotels full time now, and a few times a year something like this happens. if in a city but 'homeless', even if not a guest, i go where i have top status and ask the front desk if they would hold my bags for me for a few hours. in your case, i'd have stayed at the airport. it's a good reality check to drop a few notches every now and again...

HotelTonight and Priceline Name Your Own Price....

@Avi

I could be wrong, having never tried to use that perk with chains I am top tier at, but even if he could get the room, it probably would have been extraordinarily expensive... The guarantee is only for a room, but there is no guarantee about what you will pay. Also, depending on the program, you typically have to provide the hotel with 24 hours+ warning to use the benefit.

Basically its something you would only use if you absolutely HAVE to be somewhere and the entire city is sold out.

@Lucky – Why not try Airbnb next time? I found an Airbnb in Cologne for $75/night last week that was absolutely gorgeous and in a great part of town. Stayed four nights.

I also looked in Dusseldorf and there was a ton around that price as well, but decided I'd like to see Cologne more. 😉

@ Lucky - everything DID end up working out for you! Hard to complain 🙂

@ Samuel - out of curiosity, what was the issues with Russia? Have a friend going there in a few weeks.

Lucky, for award space that's hard to come by (i.e. Business class US-Europe in the spring/summer), would you recommend grabbing outbound space when you see it and working out the return later?

Hello Lucky,

What do you mean by "very perishable" goods? Do you mean the food, or are you referring to the money they lose by not filling up space, and that chance to make money is lost forever?

@ Regular Reader -- The latter. Once a seat goes out empty or hotel room stays empty there's no chance of any revenue from it.

I would have slept at the airport (if it is an option) if I could even save 1/3 of your extra cost. But first I would have checked Airbnb 😉

@lucky - i thought you booked this through lifemile?? I saw a blog post a few days ago about redeeming Lufthansa first class....

@ Yucci -- Correct, I redeemed LifeMiles for my flight to Europe, while I redeemed Aeroplan miles for my flight from Europe.

Ben;
As a newbie with points what food/service can I expect Business Class from ATL to FRA and FRA to DFW? I am flying Lufthansa and leaving THIS Saturday.

@ Rob Black -- Here's a review I wrote of Lufthansa business class, which should give you an idea: https://onemileatatime.com/review-lufthansa-business-class-seattle-to-frankfurt/

Enjoy your trip!