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I took part in the SAS millionaire challenge and was awarded the million miles in January, it seems there were some reward flights available with KLM and Air France and now pretty much nothing when the flights are available on Air France for miles. SAS has only 3 long haul destinations outside of USA/Canada and availability in business is ridiculous with miles cost of just below 1 million each way. I was able to get a 50k nusiness to BKK last month by pure luck but finding it very hard to spend my miles. Anybody else in this situation now?
I don’t understand why an increasing number of people seem to jump to labelling things as a scam nowadays, just because they don’t fit in with their preconceived ideas?
@Benoituk Could I suggest a less click-baity rage title for your first post on a forum? It might engender a greater desire to offer advice?There will have been a number who did this challenge and now sitting on a large pot of points, in addition to those who already had one. The fact that you can’t travel precisely when you want to travel using these points is not a scam but a reality.
There may be others in the forums more familiar with the SAS points who can offer advice, but I advise dialling down the shouty rhetoric
What about the guy who was featured on here (Barry?), it would be interesting to hear back from him.
Also, what was the general picture for redemptions prior to the millionaire challenge? I’m wondering if this is the equivalent of BA advertising a similar challenge for 200k avios, which can be used for a CW flight to HND (subject to availability) …
SAS has never had good award availability outside of North America.
And after the change to Skyteam getting a business class award on a partner airline is impossible.
You might be able to get an award one-way but not the other.Welcome to the site. I’m diamond with SAS and was gold with BA before I left blighty so understand some of the nuances between the two reward programmes.
In a nutshell SAS does not guarantee any availability unlike BA, and there is no fixed moment in time they release soace. I would recommend a subscription to awardfares as this is my beat source to get the flights i want.
I would tend to agree SAS isn’t the best… its relatively challenging to get seats with them in premium cabins long-haul, but I’ve not had an issue in europe when ive needed it. Long haul I tend to use partners and last year had business class return to CPT, in November to BGI with VS and next year have already secured NBO return in Biz for 3 people with AF. It’s a case of planning working out release dates and then setting alerts.
As others have said, it’s not great but to suggest it’s a scam is a bit strong!
Welcome 🙂
If you got the million, it’s not a scam. You just need to be very flexible with times/dates and snap up award bookings very early.
Good luck and report back!
Scam as an accusation is already pretty far out for most cases. Putting it in Block Capitals in a topic heading just makea you look hysterical. It’s actually quite offputting.
Most schemes nowadays require booking a year in advance to get availability. Surely you knew this situation with SAS before undertaking the challenge…..?
My troll alert is tingling
Thanks to those who responded with constructive feedback.
In my headline I put scam and an interrogation mark as this is exactly what I am experiencing.I’m very flexible with my dates and destinations. When I took the challenge I knew I wouldnt be able to use the SAS awards much but was counting on reward flights with KLM and Air France which seemed to be present when I searched in February and March but less so now. I am getting a lot of availability with Saudia.As some of you said, this is my first post on here and to come for me like this because i used the word scam is a bit much and as Lady London said about me off putting. If you dont have anything nice to say then perhaps best to say nothing.
I’m genuinely interested in the experiences of people who have SAS bonus points to spend or who have won the million miles challenge and get their point of views. I’m really not interested with the opinions of keyboard warriors who will call me out on the use of a word especially when English is not my first language
Thanks to those who offered genuine constructive feedback.
To the others, as suggested this is my first post on this forum and to come for me the way you did because of the use of one word is to quote Lady London here, off putting.
Scam is close to the reality I’m facing. When you spend in excess of £2500 to win this challenge and are faced with not being able to book reward seat, it is frustrating.
Availability on routes with Air France and KLM seemed present when I searched in January and February but less so now and I’m genuinely interested in getting the input of SAS members and people who have won the million challenge to get their views. I’ve looked at routes to South America, Asia and middle East in Economy as well as business in the next few mouths and 1 year ahead and nothing available. The reward flights are available to book on the Air France website though.I’m much less interested in the opinions of key board warriors who will call me out, not a native English speaker, on using what may be an hyperbole. If you dont have anything nice to say to a new member, my advice would be to perhaps say nothing.
Lol. If VS offered such a challenge, you might be able to get a one-way UC seat to MCO with the points.
Lol. If VS offered such a challenge, you might be able to get a one-way UC seat to MCO with the points.
I actually looked at VS availability and the flights on AF are available to book but not via SAS. VS rewards availability are actually pretty good in my opinion. I returned from Mumbai last month for 34k points in Business
It’s not like plenty of people here didn’t say that it was stupid to do the challenge for most people. Lesson learned. Next time put the £2500 on premium bonds.
@benoituk I stand by my observation that your post was the digital equivalent of stomping into a room of strangers and shouting, and my post was intended as advice on how to get the best out of this forum.
Compare your post with that from another from a new poster asking about Avios and Asia Miles further down the page. Two very different ways of asking for help, and I venture to suggest more people would be inclined to help the other poster
It has nothing to do with whether English is your first language or not. To then follow your post up with phrases such as “come for me” and “keyboard warriors” certainly doesn’t help the matter
And in any language on the internet, Block Caps = Shouting. Any word in any language. So yeah maybe you only knew enough English to know the scam word (unlikely … given your excellent English).. but even then, putting it in Block Caps, = shouting.
Fully justified in a title needing emergency attentiom of course.
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