Wait for reward seat?

I'm trying to book a reward flight from LAX to LHR, but no current availability. I'm told seats do become available nearer departure but wonder how late I should leave it before booking a paid seat?

[Neil]

That is a risk only you can decided. The danger is, if you wait too long, then all the lower fare buckets will sell out leaving you with only the very expensive higher fare buckets left to pay.

Once rewards are initially all gone, then it is usually in the days just before the flight that some more might be released, but there is really no rule as to how and when they decide to release them.

Hi Jason,
Not sure if you are after an UC reward but here is my recent experience. In July I booked three of us on the VS8 LAX-LHR for May 2010. At the time of booking there were only two UC rewards (G's) on the VS8 and none on the VS24. Thinking that another G would eventually be released we booked one of us an upgradeable S Premium Economy fare intending to throw 20K miles at it the moment a G appears. However, despite having a contact in VS Premier Team checking virtually daily, no more G's have been forthcoming on that VS8, indeed the two we have are the only ones ever to have been released on that particular flight. What has happened is that the VS24 (the later flight) is now laden with G's! So, rather than risk one of us never getting that vital G on the VS8, we have bitten the bullet and each paid a 70 change fee to switch to the VS24.

Hope this helps, also do check out the VS24 if you have been looking mainly on the VS8.

Cheers
James

PS: I'm sure what will happen next is that VS will cancel the VS24 on our date (like they did last May) and we'll end up back on the VS8 anyway! [8D]

Thanks guys. I'm looking for an UC seat - hourly checking on the website the odd day does pop up. I'm flexible by a couple of days either side, so ok to hang on a few more days I think.

Wish there was a way to get on a priority/notification list or something...?!