News broke yesterday of a 90%-off sale with Garuda Indonesia. Acting swiftly, I successfully booked (held) a first class ticket from Jakarta to Amsterdam, a hurdle in itself, but now I face the specter of how to ticket it.
1. Mile purchase requested
I requested to buy 19,000 miles using this .pdf form and e-mailed it to CS@garudamiles.com. I have not heard back yet (it is the weekend, though) and did not even receive an auto-reply. My first hurdle will be whether Garuda can process this without 1.) A physical card and 2.) without an Indonesian credit card.
I am not a CITI customer and thus have no Thank You points. A friend offered to share some points with me, but that likely means the ticketing obligation would fall upon him. Travel with Grant shares how to transfer CITI points to other people, but I do not even have a Thank You points account.
Does anyone have experience with this? Can I get set up a Thank You points account without a CITI bank account or credit card? I think I know the answer…
2. Ticket over the phone?
The USA “ticket offices” (below) don’t exist. At least not really. I was on the phone several times yesterday and learned that 1.) customers are not allowed in the ticket offices (they seem to be more like call centers) and 2.) the offices do not deal with award tickets.
Tw0 agents answering the North American 800-342-7832 number informed me that the award reservations could be ticketed over the phone. I find that hard to believe, especially when my third conversation went like this:
ME: So I can ticket this reservation over the phone once the miles are in my account?
AGENT: The head office can help you.
ME: But can I ticket over the phone or must I visit the office in-person to pay?
AGENT: The head office can help you.
ME: Yes, I know they can help but can I ticket over the phone?
AGENT: The head office can help you.
ME: Okay, maybe I am not being clear. I live in Los Angeles. Right near the Encino office. You are saying I cannot ticket my reservation there?
AGENT: You can only ticket with the head office.
ME: And do you think, noting that I live in Los Angeles, I will need to fly to Jakarta if I want to ticket this reservation?
AGENT: The head office can help you.
Somehow, I think ticketing over the phone is going to be very difficult. If the points somehow post and I somehow and amble to pay over the phone, I will consider it nothing short of a minor Christmas miracle.
3. A Trip to Jakarta? Or Singapore?
Normally, I would not think twice about hopping on a plane to Jakarta to book this…but I am married with a child now.
Two more negative factors: Jakarta is one of my least-favorite cities in the word due to the traffic and I’d have to come back again in a couple months to actually fly the itinerary.
That said, I am absolutely considering a trip to Jakarta on 12/26 to ticket this. I need two more Hyatt stays to get Diamond for 2017 and there is a nice Grand Hyatt in Jakarta that I stayed in earlier this year.
Lucky reports that ticketing in Singapore may be possible, which would be a much easier option than Jakarta. Hmm….
But my goodness, perhaps that is a little excessive just to fly one exotic airline for 14hrs in first class? I’d still pay $570 for the 19K miles and $200 in taxes, so it is not like the miles are totally free. Maybe Rapid Travel Chai is right.
Since we are so late in the game, I’d probably have to burn miles to get to Jakarta/Singapore which would be another expense…so, yeah, this is not looking all that attractive. And yet I cannot seem to give it up! I know many of you are in the same boat.
Last Thoughts
At any other time of year, I could just take my wife and son with me and we could spend a week in Bali — I have never been — but this is the week between Christmas and New Years. Flights are packed, resorts are packed…the perfect storm.
My “Hail Mary pass” is to somehow do this over the phone, but absent an unlikely combination of exceptions or the even more unlikely official policy change, I may have to let this one go.
I do realize many are trying to book these who are able to get to a genuine ticketing office so if I cannot get this ticketed or jump on a plane by 12/27, I will release my held ticket.
Bad ass ! (: nice
As you said you have a wife and a child which means you have a life 🙂 This Garuda deal was the most innovative way for them to get attention at almost no cost since almost nobody will be able to take advantage of this offer due to its ridiculous rules.
Have to scoff at anyone stateside who bothers with this “deal”. The only ones who do have no life or are looking for publicity. Or are just plain stupid.
Good luck! If I lived in Jakarta or Singapore, I’d take advantage of this deal but since I’m in the USA, I’ll take a pass. I will, however, keep this in mind in the future and perhaps credit some of my skyteam flights to GarudaMiles. After all, all I need is 19,000 Garuda miles for a one-way first class flight from SE asia to Europe from this promo. 😉
false hope, was about to seek your paid service to get it ticketed but since you cant even do it yourself. I have to give up too
Hey Matthew. Would love to take over the ticket. Would it be possible for name change to mine ?
Not sure. I’ll decide Monday if I’m going to SIN or not. If I don’t, we can explore that option. Seems probably not possible but who knows.
Ok sure Matthew. I am willing to try since i leave in sg and am more than willling to take over the tickets
Hi matthew, happy holidays ! Would you be coming over to singapore/jakarta for the tickets ? would you be reserving them still ?
Hi Joel, I will be ticketing the reservation.
Hi Matthew,
First, congrats on scoring that coveted R seat!
I’m amazed you’re considering flying to Singapore to issue the ticket.
Do get in touch if there’s any way I can help you with the ticketing and save you a trip. I’m based in Singapore, and will visit the GA local office next week to get my own ticket issued. (Sadly, I could only get O instead of R. Wonder if I can still wrangle a R seat next week haha)
Good luck!