Air France, KLM award seat release dates using Virgin Atlantic Miles

[RooFlyer]

I am looking to make my first SkyTeam award seat redemption, using VA miles CDG-LIS in business.

I understand that Delta is the go-to to find availability - correct? I have a Delta account

When I'm looking next June (26th +/- 2 days) , the seats appear to be very irregular. KLM via AMS is there, but not every day. Air France seem to lag KLM by 2-3 weeks.

* Does Air France have a systemic release date using VA miles?

Annoyingly, on the VA booking site, the calendar of availability is erratic. See below. For 26 June it says no seats in the calendar, but clearly there is. Same for other days - the calendar will say no seats, where searching on the particular day will give seats.

Has anyone come across this?

 

[Human]

I've just had a frustrating time myself trying to use Virgin Atlantic points to book an Air France flight.

My experience is similar to yours: very sporadic availability on the Virgin Atlantic website (which I find clunky at the best of times), and often it's a struggle just to understand whether seats are available or not.

My solution (which may or may not be open to you) was to go directly to the Air France website and to book using Flying Blue points. I just happen to have a CommBank Smart Awards Mastercard and (until October 1), Flying Blue is one of their transfer partners.

Air France uses dynamic award pricing, which seems to be part of the reason why they have much more availability on their own website, and why trying to book an AF flight using partner FF points is so frustrating.

 

[jase05]

VS website does this all the time. It’s a clunky website and often you have to search individual days which can be tiring.
I’ve successfully booked AF flights without issue but they do seem to be released a couple of weeks later than KLM flights I’ve found

 

[RooFlyer]

My solution (which may or may not be open to you) was to go directly to the Air France website and to book using Flying Blue points. I just happen to have a CommBank Smart Awards Mastercard and (until October 1), Flying Blue is one of their transfer partners.

I only earn FlyingBlue via purchases of e-SIMs on Kolet. Slow going

So, all our experiences are similar. Just have to wait a few weeks, I guess. Never flown AF; really wanting to try, in J.

 

[prozac]

I only earn FlyingBlue via purchases of e-SIMs on Kolet. Slow going

So, all our experiences are similar. Just have to wait a few weeks, I guess. Never flown AF; really wanting to try, in J.

Miles available to buy at discount atm. Not sure what redemption booking availablity is like.
When I checked I think it worked out at around 100,000 miles for around $1,600 + gst

 

[RooFlyer]

Miles available to buy at discount atm. Not sure what redemption booking availablity is like.
When I checked I think it worked out at around 100,000 miles for around $1,600 + gst

Thanks (although that's US$1,600). As the Virgin Atlantic site is still flaky for me (errors out every Award search, phone app and website), though I'd check out buying AF miles for the 2.5hr CDG-LIS flight I'm going to take, Vs cash fare to see if there is a saving.

Cash cost of cheapest J fare on the day; - A$561 other fares A$860 and A$1,150
Trip miles (in J) - lowest 31,000 then 50,000 and 82,000
Discounted cost to buy 32,000 or 50,000 miles - A$805 or A$1257


So that's a no. or what am I missing?