Thanks Arlene hope your return works out - you can tell how much research I have done :( :(

Some of the flights originating from LAX are less than flights originating from JFK....go figure!

Just as an FYI. I know everyone wants to secure a flight right away (myself included!). However, there could be some interesting developements next summer when the new "Open Skies" agreement takes effect throughout Europe. This agreement allows any airline to fly out of any airport in the EU to any airport in the US (of course there are some restrictions).

For example, Air France just announced that they are going to fly from LAX to London Heathrow. British Airways has been hinting that they are going to fly from JFK to Paris and other Euro cities.

This will break some monopolies on some routes and may even get some nice fare sales (even in business class!)

Just a thought.

That's really good info, John. Thanks.

I booked my daughter and I learned something new. We split the awards. Coach DFW to London Heathrow 60K miles. Then Business London to CPT 75,000 miles. I always thought that you had to use the mileage level of the highest class of service as the amount of the award. She did not have enough miles for all business but now the longest flight is in business. She is very pleased. Now just getting the trip home, have to wait for them to be on the system.

All miles have been put in the correct accounts and confirmation has been made. Fly from Vegas to Atlanta and will overnight there and leave the following day at 4 p.m. (no rushing) and it will knock 5 hours off the trip. Get from Joburg to Johannesburg and will stay a couple nights and then on to Cape Town on the 13th. Double checked with Delta and it does include the return. Will book the return formally on the 2nd of Nov. Thanks Peter for all your help and advise! Alot going on this week. We bought our first Hybird. Got a Toyota Highlander for John to drive. We can go go from Vegas to L.A. on a half a tank of gas. John goes to ortho doctor tomorrow to schedule foot surgery. The air thing was really bugging me and it is now one more thing to not worry about.

Sorry about the mess up on the third sentence!
Judy I know you all know what I met to say.

You're very welcome :) Good luck to John in his foot surgery!!!

We are booked, too. We leave here on the 11th, with a 3 1/2 hour layover in Atlanta, then on to JNB, arriving at 4:30 pm on the 12th. 120,000 miles each, hopefully we can come back when we want to, or they will refund the miles at no charge. Right now we are flying economy from Memphis to Atlanta, but waitlisted for 1st. Since it's a 45 minute flight, economy is just fine as long as we get the extra luggage allowance. Now I'll try for the return when it opens.

Yay dude!

We've managed to snag Business flights out on Star Alliance carriers but can't yet do the return, since it's not yet loaded. Lordie, the United service center in India is an absolute horror to deal with. Most of the agents don't know the system and cannot be at all creative in finding routings. Then, they have to stick with their script and read you all sort of stuff about which you haven't the remotest interest. At two in the morning, it just ain't what you want to hear!! And unlike the computer companies which use Indian service centers, United does not seem to have vetted the agents for English language ability. One of the guys I talked to yesterday did not have the slightest idea what the term "non-revenue inventory" meant, even though he works in the FF (thus, non-revenue)section of United's service center. As Linda L. at B&K told me a couple of weeks ago, using FF miles is not a game for the faint-of-heart!!!

I, too, hate talking to reps in India. My bank is Citibank and I always get India. I tell the rep that I am sorry but I just can't understand them (in a very nice way) and ask to speak with someone in America. I always get connected to an American rep. Delta did the same thing and they had no problem connecting me to someone that speaks English cleraly. Judy

Fortunately I never get connected to anyone but a US rep for Delta, perhaps because of my Gold status on Delta. For United, the best time to call is mid-afternoon to mid-evening West Coast time. During these times, you're likely to get the Hawaii call-center which is the best in United's system. My experience with this is calling as my mother who is Premier (lowest elite level on United).