www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Has anyone tried to use their US Airways Dividend Miles to fly to CR?

I have over 100,000 and US Airways says ALL dividend seats are sold out as far in the future as they can look (Aug 2007). WTF

I can't believe I can they don't have a Dividend seat available between now and Aug 2007

I am now getting dividend miles. I hope it is not that bad. A/A has tried to up grade me to first class to use my miles. Maybe Usair would do the same.

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Take a walk on the wild side.

I tried to redeem US Airways mile to ANYWHERE in the Caribbean (Belize, Aruba, St. Thomas) and So. American (i.e. Brazil) and Costa Rica. Nothing available AT ALL. They looked all the way to Aug 2007.

They told me to try Europe. WTF. They did have open flights to Italy.

AA has fairly good avialbility if you plan ahead. I recently booked in April on nonstop Saturday departure and return flight out of Dallas for 30000 miles. Never have tried US air as have only flown them one time.rbc100

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In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

Totally agree with RBC on this. I've gotten 4 to 5 free trips per year (for the past few years) with AA, using FF miles. If you can plan ahead, they're usually pretty good about it. This past month, I booked trips to CR in Feb, March, April & May (2007) all with AA FF miles.
MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Used AA twice last year for free flights. Just book in advance....no problems.

I had not problem with Continental, but I don't have enough miles there anymore.

I got a bunch with US Scair/

Fishtaster,

I used 60,000 to book my PHL - SJO flight last month. Plenty of award seats were available in coach, but were designated "premium" awards (costing 60,000 instead of 30,000). I then checked out First Class, which had plenty of "mileage saver" award seats @ 60,000. I ended up booking the First Class ticket for 60,000.

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Blue Devil

Pura Vida...enjoying life to the fullest...

Fishtaster,

This is my experience as well. You must be flying from a starting point that is very over used or has limited seats. Try looking at seats from Charlotte then work backwards until you find a starting city that works. There are TONS of 60,000 point seats.

have started buying coach tickets and upgrading to first class with dividend miles...bear

I ran up my US/America West miles flying to SJO as a Platinum last year, and then they cut back their flights to one a week through most of the year, and only a few showing in Jan-Feb available to use (which I grabbed).

What I did was to check doing a ticket in reverse, originating SJO and "returning" there a few months later. I wrapped that in a NW ticket that might be a dead account in a couple years anyway, so -- 2 trips, basically free.

Just did the first pair of "originating" flights, and now my 2 "returns" make another trip around SB time.

Sometimes, award seats open up right before a flight date, so if you're flexible, maybe you get something.

Otherwise, BlueDevil's idea -- check for First Class for the same mileage is worth it; also the using it for upgrades.

I've got one paid ticket ahead while still a Plat -- I should know during the week ahead if I'm upgraded and then call in a mileage upgrade if I'm not, so thanks for the reminder. The US FC service is not spectacular, and an exit row is usually good enough for me, so...

Another US paid ticket in March, after I'm demoted to -- what level? That would be the time to do an upgrade use of miles, I guess, but I still resist the idea that an upgrade is worth using the 30k that should have gotten a whole trip.

Otherwise, when the online mileage requests don't work so well, the most frequent advice is to call the Partner Desk of most FF programs, and see what their human knowledge and experience can do for you.

Lately, I've had Kiev/Russia on my mind, so 50k should go for that next summer. Probably have to really work that FF Partner desk, send somebody a gift certificate bribe or something... hmmmm, does it say anything about losing your account over that?

Had to change my "1st" trip to Feb. 28th from North West Arkansas to SJO and it cost me $30.00 and 30,000 miles. Much better than the $565.00 they wanted for round trip! Will be staying till March 6th.

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Blues, Butts, Boobs and Booze ---from the best seat in the house!

With some airlines you can still get a mileage ticket even if all mileage seats are gone. I did this when I went to Alaska.
Instead of getting a ticket with 25,000 miles I had to use the 40,000 amount for a coach seat. Usually 40,000 gets you a 1st class seat to Alaska.
That was with United miles which can also be used on USAir because they are part of the Star Alliance. The reason that mileage seats on US Air go so fast is because of being part of the Star Alliance.

u.s. airways proposes merger with delta air

If they merge with Delta do my old America West miles get combined with SkyMiles? Between them I may have something.