Factors and miles are an extremely helpful strategy to fly extra cheaply and comfortably. Nonetheless, utilizing them additionally signifies that you’ll typically have fewer choices than for those who purchased your flight with money. That is as a result of airways launch restricted award availability, particularly in terms of common dates and routes.
That signifies that you’ll have to compromise by flying at much less handy instances or on extra sophisticated itineraries.
Nonetheless, as my real-life instance under exhibits, you possibly can generally flip an inconvenience — within the type of a schedule change — right into a extra snug journey. This is how I not too long ago did it on a flight from Australia to Malaysia.
An inconvenient however doable flight
I’m initially from Australia and have plans to move residence for my typical Christmas go to on the finish of this yr. On condition that it is such a good distance, I attempt to tack on a visit some place else in Australia or the Asia-Pacific area to make it a two-for-one journey.
I have been sitting on a stash of Singapore Airways KrisFlyer miles for a few years now, and so they have a onerous expiration date of 36 months from after they have been earned (or transferred from a financial institution program, in my case). Mine have been set to run out in February 2025, and I wanted to discover a strategy to redeem them for journey within the subsequent yr. So, when I discovered a business-class seat on a connecting itinerary from Melbourne, Australia, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, through Singapore, I jumped on it.
Nonetheless, the flight I booked would not have essentially the most handy departure time at 7 a.m. Plus, the flight is not on a typical day; it departs on New 12 months’s Day. For sure, I do not suppose I might’ve been in one of the best of spirits after the earlier night time’s festivities. Then got here a welcome break that will assist increase my choices: a schedule change.
2 schedule modifications
It is common for airways to tweak their schedules earlier than departure to accommodate plane, demand and route modifications.
Prior to now month, I’ve obtained emails from Singapore Airways notifying me of two schedule modifications.
The primary pushed again my arrival time to Kuala Lumpur by a mere 5 minutes. This appeared affordable, so I accepted the modifications.
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The second introduced my departure time from Melbourne ahead by 5 minutes to six:55 a.m. That is after I thought, “I ponder if I ought to strive my luck at asking to change to a later flight that day. Absolutely that will not work.” Nicely, I used to be fallacious.
Utilizing a schedule change to my benefit
Often, there must be a “important” schedule adjustment for you to have the ability to rebook on one other flight. It varies by airline, however usually, your departure or arrival time wants to vary by at the least one hour, or a nonstop flight wants to change to a connecting itinerary. (United Airways is among the most beneficiant carriers, providing rebooking for modifications as quick as half-hour.)
The e-mail I obtained mentioned I may both settle for the change or name the airline to debate options. So, I did some analysis beforehand and selected my ideally suited itinerary, which might depart virtually 4 hours later than the airline initially proposed — at a decent 10:35 a.m. — and reduce my connection time in Singapore in half from three hours to 90 minutes.
Whereas that will not give me a lot time to get pleasure from Singapore Airways’ glorious lounges at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), it makes for a faster transit. And within the occasion I am delayed on the primary leg of my journey, I am going to relaxation straightforward understanding that I can leap on a later flight on the Singapore-to-Kuala Lumpur hall, the busiest worldwide route on the earth.
I defined to the agent that the schedule change — that vastly inconvenient five-minute schedule change — not labored for my journey plans, and I needed to change to the later flight. I gave her the precise flight numbers and departure instances of the 2 flights I needed to be on.
Despite the fact that there was no Saver-level award availability on these flights, she escalated my case; after 23 minutes on the telephone, a brand new itinerary was despatched to my e-mail.
Backside line
What constitutes a “important” schedule change typically varies between airways — and, certainly, particular person customer support brokers — however it’s nonetheless value a attempt to alter your flights to have a extra snug journey.
Associated: What to do when an airline modifications your flight
My recommendation is to control your e-mail for any schedule modifications, make the agent’s job simpler by researching your ideally suited itinerary earlier than contacting them, be well mannered and be keen to listen to no.
In spite of everything, you may by no means know except you strive.
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