New Challenges in Finding Air France Business Class Award Space

by Gary Leff

In the comments to my primer on using FlightStats.com to find available flights (both revenue flights that have availability when you face irregular operations in your travels, and award space on several airlines as well), worldtraveler2018 asks:

Gary, Is it correct to say that Air France no longer shows Business Class Award fare class O anymore (e.g., thru ExpertFlyer)? I checked ExpertFlyer for JFK-CDG flights on 12/24 and don’t see any O fare, but I found Business Class award space at airfrance.com.

“O” is business class award and upgrade space on Air France. Historically it has been viewable at FlightStats.com and also at Expertflyer.

Unfortunately it seems that ‘O’ inventory no longer shows up in either place for Air France transatlantic flights. It does still show on other routes such as intra-Europe flying and Paris-Asia.

And it also still shows up at AirFrance.us which for many will be the easiest way to find he space.

Unfortunately award space that appears on Air France’s website is no longer always bookable by Delta. But it’s bookable with Air France’s own Flying Blue miles, and points transfer from American Express Membership Rewards instantaneously.

Luckily, Air France is one of the few partner airlines whose award space will show up on the (very broken) Delta.com website. Just study up on How to Make Delta’s Skypesos Work for You and you’ll find the search process for those seats a bit easier.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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  1. I could be wrong, but it looks like AF has not released any TATL award space between March 10 and July 31. I need economy tickets, and have not had good luck finding something space for all of us. I keep wondering if they will clear space only within 3-4 months before travel. All the other options require a positioning flight or huge fuel surcharges, or both.

    I am waiting to see if the situation improves, but if not, thankfully, I have other miles that I can use. However, those were saved for other trips.

  2. Space still shows on ExpertFlyer for me. For instance, CDG-DTW on 1 Sept 2013. That inventory is also visible on FlightStats. Greatly reduced availability to partners does not mean that the tools are no longer showing it. They can’t show what’s not there.

  4. It’s clear from what’s been so widely reported on FT and MP that DL is in the throes of transitioning to a new type of FF plan. Honestly, if it offers transparent award availability, broad availability, and a functioning technical platform to book that travel, I will consider it a relief, even if the program is devalued, because right now it is just an ordeal to try to use Skymiles.

  6. @ExpertFlyer Voice — it sure looks like what’s displaying as O inventory is something less than what is currently bookable at AirFrance.us though

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