AMS-JFK vs. LHR-JFK

We're planning to nonrev on one route or the other on September 21 or 22. Way to soon to worry about loads but it seems to me that with many business flyers using VS to and from London, the DL loads are down in J and it might be easier.

We'll get to either from VIE on a revenue KLM ticket on the evening of the 20th. I'd like to book the positioning flight since those are starting to get tight. KLM's the best choice to AMS and since KLM and EasyJet Flex are priced about the same to London, we'll take KLM for the paltry ST+ benefits and MQM's.

One factor to consider is that LHR departure taxes, especially when traveling in J, are much higher than AMS and most if not all other European gateways.

Thank you, I knew the taxes were high and didn't realize that we had to pay them as nonrevs. That just got confirmed by our son who did a trial listing.

Now I realize why it seems easy to get on those flights. I guess we'll stick with AMS and use LHR as a desperation fall back.

AMS was about $50 Jan 2015, since they restructured their high departure fees a few yrs ago. DL LHR/EWR loads have been wide open the past wks. Right around 50% or less. Just FYI.

I had seen the LHR loads which made me think that it would be as close to a sure thing as one can get.

We have one way award tickets over and back and sure to business constraints (I have to work until the day before) and that we're going over with friends, we'll use them and not try to nonrev. The return I is a different story, very high fees and taxes (VIE-SVO-JFK) and a long flight, even in J.
We'd also like to visit friends in AMS so I guess we'll go there unless our looks like we can't get out nonrev. We have until 72 hours before the award flight to cancel and get a free redeposit of miles and$. If we do that and don't get out of AND in 2 days, we'll go to LHR.

it'll still be cheaper than the award tix.

You're flying SVO? May I ask why?

Why SVO - lots of reasons:
1. We didn't decide to do this trip until late April.
2. Our friends wanted to travel in J and use miles for award tickets, but only had about 280K Sky Miles in his account and just a few in hers. We have enough to pretty much do what we want.
3. They had fixed date constraints.
4. We decided to travel together which made it even tougher to find J availability on the same flights for 4 people in J at low award (125K each) at such a late date.
5. The trip encompasses PRG, BUD and VIE. The only routing that got us from the US (them from MSY and us from anywhere) was MSY-JFK for them and JFK-SVO-PRG, VIE-SVO-JFK for the 4 of us together. We could only get 2 J on SVO-PRG and gave that to them since they have a longer trip.
6. I spent over 2 hours on the phone working with a great CSR in Chisolm to get it all out together and booked. We needed to get it right the first time. Our friend is a GM and would have to pay hefty fees if we needed to change anything after 24 hours. We ended up on DL Metal JFK-SVO and SU metal for SVO-PRG and VIE-SVO-JFK. They're obviously on DL MSY-JFK-MSY. We also return the day after them (couldn't get the seats on the same day). The final numbers were 125K miles + $375 each for us and 135K miles + $375 each for them. Theirs were booked as a round trip and ours as one ways.

So that's how we ended up via SVO and on SU.

Some other stuff. We though we might nonrev over a week before but the trip above is 19 days and my business commitments wouldn't let me get away early. We can still do it for our return, and probably will. My wife is a PM and I'm a DM, so we can cancel up to 72 hours before and get our miles and $ back with no penalty. Now that we realize that LHR would be close to a certainty, and still less expensive than the award return portion so we'll probably try AMS for a day and if we don't make it, go to LHR.

Our son is with 9E so we don't have the full set of nonrev benefits that a DL parent (he's single, no kids) would have (S2's and S3's) but we're happy with what we do have. We just got the DL nonrev late last year so we're learning. We use FCFL for our leisure travel which is a nice benefit. We fly DL a lot. I've got 53 segments so far this year and I'll end the year with about 200K MQM (48K rollover), my wife flies less but will end at about 123K MQM counting her rollover.

So, as Paul Harvey used to say, now you know (most of) the rest of the story.

Wow--that's SOME story...I was getting dizzy just reading it. Hubby (aka Boss, since you're somewhat new) recently flew SVO and he said it can be a madhouse in the cabin. Lots of drinking--so much so that they used to run out of......drumroll......VODKA! That's a very ambitious trip. RT SVO is a bit odd to me, but cudos for being that ambitious. Your DL miles/levels are impressive--otcheen horrahshoh

PS--if you've never been to Budapest, get some paprika for gifts! I just buy the bulk stuff (I use alot) and pkg it myself. So many kinds! We loved the Terror Museum--very unusual. We've been to PRG often and BUD several times.Happy to share info. Cheers!

In addition to paprika, I really liked the Eros Pista, a Hungarian hot sauce made from paprika.

It's our first trip to PRG, BUD and VIE. We have 5 full days in each city and will gladly take recommendations and suggestions of things to do, restaurants, etc. We're having a "final planning" get together next week for the detail planners to use for their itinerary and events stuff. We've traveled together before and have evolved to: I am the travel planner and arranger (I'm too much of a micro manager to deal with the day to day activities and keep our friendship intact). The other guy is responsible for hotels and the ladies are responsible for activities, sightseeing, etc. We all contribute ideas and thoughts and they put a reasonable plan together. It always changes but serves as a good basis.

So far, travel arrangements are complete fly over and back - trains between cities. Hotels are booked, We have opera tickets for Vienna. Interest has been expressed about the Horror Museum and the Baths, lunch at a butcher shop, avoiding bachelor and bachelorette parties (we see enough of those in New Orleans). We all like fine art museums. None of us speak anything but English.

Our normal M.O is a HopOn - HopOff to get a geographic feel and one or two days of private tours. There's a company, 'Tours By Locals', than we've been very happy with. We keep the last day open to do things that we didn't find out about until we get someplace. We adjust activities based on the weather. We have fun. We're also all getting up there in years, 60's and 70's so that factors into the schedule.

HoHo is good in BUD. Not good idea PRG. PRG is walking city.
Ideas:
PRG
Prague Airport Shuttle, airport transfers and taxi service from Ruyzne International airport.Travel to Prague! perfect for small group--email for DL discount, as per Chris
Great walk: Take funicular up to Petrin ( we love a short stop 1/2 way @ House Nebozizek) walk along toward castle district (beer/monastery), see everything before heading back down or getting tkt just for St. Vitus (windows!!!!) --the palace is tedious but you might like the elaborate decor/art. Mucha museum is almost a must.
Hang out by main sq and see the clock--try some local food vendors--pork is GREAT (+beer/wine) Often music. Explore tripadvisor PRG. SIde trip to either Karlovy Vary or Czesky Krumlov. Love apts in Mala Strana vs hotels. Different experience--Hoffmeister Hotel cavern for steam bath--fascinating! We love the Rope Maker's Wife restaurant for pig leg. Ck out short boat trips--one is really cool and perfect for 4, but you have to search for the info.
BUD
Terror Museum, Margaret Island. Central Mkt--go hungry (not Hungary!). Can't help w/baths--choose one and try. The HoHo goes up the hill and it's a good stop for snack/view. Make sure you get the real HoHo. There is also amphibus (have not taken). Great source on TA is gentleman named John Farago. Many of my notes are a bit old...

Thanksmrs767er and isppilot.

I've sent your info along to my group.