Best partner for late release of reward seats

[FlyingFiona]

I'm a Velocity newbie. Are there any partners who typically release reward seats at T-30 or less?

 

[Human]

ANA and United come to mind.

 

[FlyingFiona]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for those. Not only am I not familiar with Velocity partners, I'm not used to planning a, overseas trip in such a short space of time. Usually I have flights locked in a year-ish out.

 

[MathNerd]

ANA and United come to mind.

United not so much anymore (at least in J). It's all zeroed out with their recent culling of IN space.
In Y you'd be fine, but why would you redeem valuable VA points to fly in UA Y?

 

[Human]

why would you redeem valuable VA points to fly in UA Y?

Well, maybe you're like me: points rich but money poor. Or maybe you're also like me and you couldn't find Business class flights out of the country, given the short timeframe, so you've redeemed your points for Economy flights for some of the way. Or maybe you have a family and the only way you could possibly afford to fly at all is to redeem points for Economy flights for all of you. There are any number of perfectly legitimate and valid reasons.

Of course you get more value-per-point redeeming points in Business or First class. But sometimes there are very good reasons to redeem points for Economy flights and it's important that we don't inadvertently put other AFFers down just because they choose to use their points differently fron the way we would choose or prefer to use them.

 

[MathNerd]

Well, maybe you're like me: points rich but money poor. Or maybe you're also like me and you couldn't find Business class flights out of the country, given the short timeframe, so you've redeemed your points for Economy flights for some of the way. Or maybe you have a family and the only way you could possibly afford to fly at all is to redeem points for Economy flights for all of you. There are any number of perfectly legitimate and valid reasons.

Of course you get more value-per-point redeeming points in Business or First class. But sometimes there are very good reasons to redeem points for Economy flights and it's important that we don't inadvertently put other AFFers down just because they choose to use their points differently fron the way we would choose or prefer to use them.

I'm points poor and money poor too - it's a slog to save up the points needed for my trips, and with the HCOL at the moment the cash reserves are low too!

I've also redeemed points (QF and VA, even SQ) for domestic/international flights, when the cash prices have been through the roof.

No offence intended whatsoever with my comment, apologies if it came across that way. The recent move by UA to remove the most valuable partner award space, just when I (and many others) needed it, has been a punch to the guts but you just gotta roll with the punches, I guess.

Safe travels!

 

[Happy Dude]

KrisFlyer has a monthly drop of last minute award flights at discounted rates. I can’t recall what it’s called but there should be a link somewhere here. The routes change so some fortuitous luck or malleable plans on your part is required.