Upper Class Reward - book Single or Return?

I have a question and would appreciate any advice. I am looking at booking 4 Upper Class return flights from LHR to Dubai next year. I understand that reward seats become available to book 336 days before, although I appreciate not all flights/routes seats are released within this period.

If and when the seats do become available, obviously the outbound seats will become available before the return seats.

So do I book the outbound seats on a single booking (if and when they become available and then hope the return seats become available 5 days later (length of trip planned) and make the return leg as another single booking OR

Do I wait for the 5 days and see that that both the outbound and inbound are available and make the outbound/inbound booking together.

I guess there are risks with both! With the single booking I may get the outbound but not the inbound - how likely will this be? Or I wait the 5 days and find the outbound has gone anyway!

Any thoughts most welcome.

[buns]

The key with booking Reward Flights is flexibility

Asking for 4 Gs outright on a flight might be a bridge too far and you you might have to consider 2 in Upper and 2 in Premium if they are available

If you secure the outbound than sit on the computer until the inbound date becomes available

buns

[Neil]

I would personally wait. Not sure if you are looking to book full rewards or upgraded ones from Y/PE, if the latter you really have no option to wait until the return as you can only book one way in the most expensive fare code.

Also, you might find it takes a few days (or longer) before reward seats are released, they don't automatically release some straight away.

Thanks.
I am looking at booking full rewards.

If I did book Upper one way and PE the other – what fare code in PE do I need to book to ensure I can change these at a later stage to Upper with more miles, subject to availability of course.

Many thanks

[Neil]

Thanks.
I am looking at booking full rewards.

If I did book Upper one way and PE the other – what fare code in PE do I need to book to ensure I can change these at a later stage to Upper with more miles, subject to availability of course.

Many thanks

All PE rewards book in to the P fare code, you can then just add more miles if/when UC rewards become available.

If you are talking about paying for PE and then upgrading to upper, you will need a S or W fare, but this can be quite pricey.

Thanks - just looking for full rewards redemptions.
Is there additional fees (other than taxes) from moving from a P Fare code to UC?

[Neil]

Thanks - just looking for full rewards redemptions.
Is there additional fees (other than taxes) from moving from a P Fare code to UC?

No actual change fee or anything like that provided it is the same flight and you are just upgrading with more miles to a UC reward.

I have tended to book to where I really want to visit and then see what inbound flights have become available, its worked out some of my best trips have been in one airport and out of another
and I have got an internal flight to it. In your case I would wait and see what comes up in and out and the number of days in between.

If you are booking outright reward seats (rather than upgrades) then booking two one-ways is risky because you may unexpectedly struggle to find availability for the return, at which point you have either to buy expensive one-way revenue fares or cancel your Gs and lose miles in the process.

Thanks for all the hints.

Do you think the FC will "hold/Reserve" seats until a confirmed booking is made? I'm sure I have done this in the past, but it may have been for revenue fare tickets and not rewards. Just thought I might be able to hold the outbound for a few days until the inbound becomes available.

[Neil]

They will hold a reward seat for 48 hours (sometimes 72 if you ask nicely) just like a revenue fare.

Neil

I agree you will be extremely lucky to find 4 reward seats in UC all together on one booking.

There really aren't that many reward seats made available in one go, hence the plan B suggestions people are making here with some PE and some UC rewards. But... best of luck!

Thanks all for your help and comments.

Just to update you, I managed to book all 4 UC seats outbound on the day they were released. This was a one way booking so took a bit of a risk.

With regards inbound, I secured 1 UC and 3 economy, then a day later (being today) I managed to switch the X3 economy all to UC.

So all booked for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2013.
Thanks again.

Fortune favours the brave - well done!