Point Me on the Plane - 2013 List of Best Airlines for Prize Redemptions – Delta and US end of it.

IdeaWorks has as just stated released their annual Switchfly Reward Seat Availability rankings and Delta is just as before at the very bottom for the list, though this year these are joined by US Airways within a two-way tie. As per the blog post:

Air Berlin, Southwest, and Virgin Australia put into the top 6 with the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 editions for the reward survey. For 2013 Air Berlin, GOL, and Southwest share first place with outstanding 100% scores, with every flight queried inside survey providing reward car seats. The list of companies was expanded to 25 for 2013 with the addition of Air Asia, Air China and taiwan, and AviancaTaca. The most significant year-over-year improvement were authorized by global players Environment France/KLM (up 22. 2 points) and Emirates Aircraft (up 12. 1 points). AirTran Airways (a product of Southwest) continued upward movement using a 7. 9 point increase and a nearly 50 point boost since 2011. Comparing total average result for the same 22 airlines within the 2012 and 2013 surveys reveals a half point drop designed for 2013. Thus, overall reward availability is essentially unchanged for the international airline industry. Continuing go on year's theme, survey findings indicate recurrent fliers are better served from the reward programs offered simply by value-oriented airlines. The average among the seven value- oriented airlines inside the survey was 96% that is definitely up from the 2012 reaction 93. 5%. The other more traditional carriers inside the survey group registered 61. 5% which is slightly below what the 2012 average of 62. 9%.

In terms of when to find the best availability, the survey does confirm what the majority of us already know. Legacy carriers release more award seats being the travel date gets closer and last minute travelers may have a more expensive chance of snagging their ideal award once they can wait until several days or weeks before reduction.

Now, as Gary likes to rightly point out each year, the results are thoroughly flawed! They do NOT consider the value of each particular person award (a short hop on Southwest surely can't be when compared to an international trip on AA) or the price tag on acquiring miles in every different program. They are also only reviewing online availability, which for a insurance company like US means that they have a lower score as compared to United, though they ever have identical award space. With all that said, for their very own metal awards, Delta probably truly does belong at the very bottom (even-though I've had some terrific recent luck with poor level awards). Unfortunately for the general public (but good for us), the survey will as just stated be reported on the nightly newscasts plus the advice given is to focus on accumulating miles with the lost cost carriers… I'll get United at 80% and additionally AA at 48. 6% any sort of day over JetBlue in 88. 6%.

Link: Applications travelers to book a hotel at the last moment