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Lauri,
I checked with Delta today to ask about their adoption credit--it wasn't good!
Ugh, "35% off the unrestricted adult fare" (which today was $1,152 EACH WAY for each of us from Indianapolis to Panama). So that's $3,414 for both my husband and I, round trip.
Then the one-way from Panama back home for the kids would be 50% of that same full adult fare of $1,152 (one way), which would make theirs $768 each, or $1,536 for the both of them, just one-way, with a whopping total of: $4,950!!!
Is that even possible?! And that's with the adoption rate!
I checked online at Delta.com and can get Todd's and my tickets for $699.50 each ($1,399 for both), but Delta doesn't offer a reduced child fare when you buy the cheapest tickets online. And it would appear that a one-way fare would be even more expensive (for the kids), so we'd be better off buying them roundtrip tickets, but only using the return leg (for the kids). So doing it this way it'd be $2,798 for all 4 of us, round trip. (Still way more than we can afford.)
Ugh!
So, my question for you is: How can we get SkyMiles? Are they easy to earn? Do you have to get a Delta credit card to get into the SkyMiles program, and do alot of purchasing to earn enough miles for at least one free international ticket?
...I called Wachovia Bank and asked about their "World Points" rewards (if I get their credit card). The answer was insane! We'd have to spend $75,000 to earn 75,000 points, which is what is required to earn ONE ticket from the U.S. to Central America! (And balance transfers from higher rate cards don't count towards your points. But that's the only way we'd be able to "earn" points, since we won't be purchasing anything other than our plane tickets.) Eek!
Ugh, Lauri, if you or anybody else has any other ideas for us, I'm all ears!
Thanks, all!
Rebecca
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We are using Membership Rewards points through our American Express card. Since we use our card for everything and have been saving them for a few years, we were able to at least have enough for one ticket. We need 35,000 per ticket and those transfer directly to Delta. You don't need a Delta credit card to utilize sky miles, but you do have to sign up for the sky miles program. We are using some miles from our last trip so we don't need the full 35,000.
Some other options that we looked into: There are other airlines that fly out of Miami to Panama. We looked at flying to Miami and then getting another airline to Panama. At the time the tickets would have been around $600 total each, but they were not changable. Maybe check with a travel agency on the cheapest they can get you.
Also, look at the dates that you plan to travel. For some reason tickets at the end of the month and the beginning of the month were almost twice as much as tickets in the middle of the month. Delta gives you the discount of 35% based upon the date you are traveling. Our tickets were around $740 from Phoenix roundtrip with the discount, but that was in March. Since this was not considerable more than the cheaper fares and it provided changable tickets, we went with that.
I believe that Delta will also let you have friends and family transfer miles to your sky miles account. You can check with Delta and see if they will do that. Then begin asking friends for a few miles that they don't plan to use.
Good Luck. If I hear anything as we are beginning to look into our second trip (no dates yet), I will keep you all informed.
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Hi Rebecca,
We did some research and we have miles on American Airlines and can fly from Chicago to Miami to Panama City for 35,000 miles. My husband has more than 35,000 and I have less so they said we could transfer miles from my husband to myself (for a small fee of course). So if you know anyone who travels a lot and has lots of miles maybe that would be a good gift for them to give your family! I think Continental or Northwest also flies into Panama City. We also have miles on Northwest and that was a possibility if we flew out of Minneapolis. It was also 35,000 miles. I think that's the standard # of miles to fly from the States to Central America, 75,000 miles is too high!
Good luck!
Julie
Thanks, Lauri and Julie!
Unfortunately we don't know anybody who flies enough to be enrolled in a frequent flyer program to be able to give us their points. And the last time my husband and I flew was 1999! ;)
I was also thinking about the Delta (or any airline) SkyMiles program and what Lauri said about not needing their credit card to enroll. But that would mean we'd have to spend $35,000 (if it's 1 pt. per $1) in the next month or so to get one free ticket.
I think our best bet will have to be buying our tickets online. Most of the rates I saw were for 14-day predeparture reservations, a maximum 30-day return (that could be a problem), and a $100/person penalty for changing the return date. (We could live with that, since it would only be for my ticket.)
I'm just worried about how much a one-way ticket will cost for two children over age 2 for the trip home! :confused:
But I've learned 2 very important tricks on this board so far: 1) buy the tickets on Tuesday night, because they're at their lowest of the week (forgot who posted that), and 2) travel in the middle of the month!
:D Rebecca
Hey Rebecca, Have you considered going the priceline.com route. If you have the freedom of traveling whenever, then using them or orbitz.com or cheaptickets.com. Priceline is where you put in a bid of how much you want to spend and they will find flights for you. If you bid unrealistic fares, they'll tell you to try another bid. I always start out extremely low and move up from there. I know at priceline that they could have you doing a bunch of stops but, the price may be really right. Also, it'll definitely be much cheaper to pay for a roundtrip ticket versus one way. Most airlines allow you to change your ticket for $75 - $100 if you can't travel on the dates you booked the ticket. As for flying, I have traveled numerous times to Panama City on Continental direct from Newark, NJ as I reside in NJ also there are direct flights out of New York. I believe roundtrip airfare from New Jersey was around $450 direct without stops. Perhaps consider a flight east and then south. Miami has direct flights also. Hope that helps.
Thanks, Anita! I think it was you who posted about the Tuesday night fares, right? (That is so true!)
I have used Priceline for reduced hotel stays, so that is an option. But I don't think our travel dates will be that flexible (other than maybe a few days before/after). Plus the thought of flying ANY airline frightens me! Especially since the cheaper flights are usually on the smaller, older jets! ;)
But I can always try with a really low bid and see what happens! :D
Thanks,
Rebecca
P.S. What's happening with your adoption? Any news that you'd care to share?
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