Executive Travel : No Rush on Those Airline Awards--Yet

As airlines gear up for what they hope will be one of their busiest summers in years, business travelers have worried that more restrictive mileage requirements that take effect next year will cause a rush on awards as people hurry to book free seats before next February’s deadline. But airlines say the number of seats available hasn’t changed.

Airlines expect a jump in mileage redemption requests, but it may come closer to the end of the year, said Tony Molinaro, a spokesman for United Airlines. And because award tickets are good for a year, the real crunch may occur next summer.

United, Continental Airlines, American Airlines and USAir are raising the number of miles required to earn free air travel.

In most cases, instead of requiring 20,000 frequent-flier miles to get a free trip within the continental United States, it will take 25,000 miles next year.

“So far there’s been no big spike up (in redemptions), but they still have seven or eight months left,” Molinaro said.

Because the number of seats allotted for use by travelers with free tickets is limited, customers have the best luck of securing seats if they plan well in advance, book less popular flights or are willing to be wait-listed for flights, airline representatives said.

Continental Airlines, which not only increased the number of miles required to get free tickets but also reduced the number of types of rewards it offers, said redemption requests are running about the same as always. However, tickets in general are more difficult to get because of new low fares the airline now offers.

*

“We are seeing a busier summer than we’ve seen in several years,” Continental spokesman David Messing said.

The airline isn’t alone. The Travel Industry Assn. in Washington is projecting a 4.5% to 5% increase in all types of travel this summer.

About 230 million people are expected to take trips this summer, and 15% of those trips will be by air, association spokeswoman Shawn Flaherty said. The travel industry outlook is brighter because consumer confidence is at its highest level in recent years, she said, and good travel cycles follow recessions in fairly predictable ways.

Despite airline reports that award seats are as available as ever, some industry observers are detecting more frustration on the part of passengers trying to find free seats.

Are more people redeeming their awards, and are more people having trouble getting reservations with them?

“Yes to both,” said Ken Heldt, director of frequent-flier services for RAN Decisions, a Colorado Springs, Colo.-based consulting company that specializes in corporate travel programs.

But part of the problem is expectations, he said.

One reason people may perceive that it is harder to get tickets this summer is that many people want to travel to the same places--popular vacation spots--and those tickets dry up quickly in summer.

*

“Sometimes you can’t even find a revenue (full-fare) ticket to Hawaii,” Heldt said. “People are exaggerating the situation when they say, ‘I can never use an award when I want to.’

“In fact, they probably could use their awards if they were willing to fly during off-peak hours or to less popular destinations,” he said.

“I’ve never had a problem in using my own personal flier miles,” said Chris Chiames, a spokesman for the Air Transport Assn. in Washington, a trade group representing airlines. “But then again, I choose my flights. I know I can’t (use the award) to take the 5 p.m. from New York to Chicago. That flight is all business travelers, and the airlines know they can sell it out at full fare so won’t offer any free seats on a leg like that.”

For passengers who prefer to keep their points instead of rushing to use them during what may be a particularly busy time, Heldt says there are many ways to make up the additional points required for free tickets.

Points can be earned by using special credit cards and long-distance calling cards, eating at certain restaurants, staying in hotels, even sending flowers, he said.

*

Such strategies have definitely helped minimize the impact of the higher mileage minimums, said David Stempler, executive director of the International Airline Passengers Assn. in Washington.

“The point we have been making to our members is that there haven’t been any raises in these programs for a very long time, plus with all the (tie-in programs), the extra 5,000 miles is noticeable but less significant,” he said.