Reward flights and Amex reward upgrade to PE

I would like to book 2 reward flights to MBJ next November and then upgrade them to PE using my Amex upgrade vouchers. I realise I am too early to book at the moment but would be grateful for some advice on the timing and process.
I understand I need to book a T class reward fare first and then upgrade to U. I can search for reward flights on the VA site and when I see availability I assume these are T class. However when I search for PE reward flights I get an error.

So first question is what is the best method to find available PE reward flights. Do I use the Expert flyer search? Or better to brave the phone system and call up? I would hate to book the T class only to discover I cannot then get an upgrade to U.

Any advice on best order to tackle this in? At the moment there is T reward availability up to mid October so another month or two and will I see T for the end of November?

Also are flights to MBJ always non-stop or do they sometimes go via one of the other islands.

Any help appreciated - planning a honeymoon and want to get all the arrangements right

Don't worry about the T availability if you want to upgrade to PE. There needs to be a U available. VS will then 'create' a T for you, and upgrade it with your voucher.

I get caught in a loop when I try and search for reward flights at the moment (I'm trying to book one myself!) so can't see why no PE are showing up, but it should be possible to do that online too, but you will have to phone VS to book and use the upgrade voucher.

[Neil]

I would personally call VS to search for reward flights. They will be able to search a period of dates much quicker than you would be able to using dummy bookings on the VS site (which is the only way online to find reward availability).

As locutus has said, you need to 'buy' with your miles an Econ 'U' fare and then use your voucher to upgrade to PE. The release of rewards is very difficult to predict, and there is no set system as to when/how they are released, so just keep checking/calling VS.

MBJ is usually direct, it is normally the smaller Islands that have been multi-stop.

Neil

One small word of caution.

You will sometimes get a VS representative say that there must be T availability which then is changed to a U.

This is not correct. If they say this thne ask them to speak to their supervisor. This has happened on numerous occassions.

Thanks for all the replies. I'll leave it until the New Year and then give them a call when there are reward flights appearing for my preferred dates and ask them to search for a PE upgrade.