Curse you lucky Flex-bookers!
Oct 28, 2016, 4:32 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Programs: United MileagePlus Silver, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 8,798
Curse you lucky Flex-bookers!
I live in Vancouver - Most of my business travel is to the US, so I'm United Gold.
However, I just booked a November work trip to Halifax, so I'm on AC. Per corporate policy, I had to book Tango, costing me the sweet, sweet qualifying miles I would have earned on Flex that would have tipped me into United Platinum.
To those of you who get to book Flex I say this: I hate you
And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
However, I just booked a November work trip to Halifax, so I'm on AC. Per corporate policy, I had to book Tango, costing me the sweet, sweet qualifying miles I would have earned on Flex that would have tipped me into United Platinum.
To those of you who get to book Flex I say this: I hate you
And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
Oct 28, 2016, 4:43 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE MM, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton G,Nexus, Amex MR Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 4,425
I live in Vancouver - Most of my business travel is to the US, so I'm United Gold.
However, I just booked a November work trip to Halifax, so I'm on AC. Per corporate policy, I had to book Tango, costing me the sweet, sweet qualifying miles I would have earned on Flex that would have tipped me into United Platinum.
To those of you who get to book Flex I say this: I hate you
And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
However, I just booked a November work trip to Halifax, so I'm on AC. Per corporate policy, I had to book Tango, costing me the sweet, sweet qualifying miles I would have earned on Flex that would have tipped me into United Platinum.
To those of you who get to book Flex I say this: I hate you
And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
Oct 28, 2016, 6:16 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YYC
Programs: AC 50k 1MM, Marriott LT Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,400
FWIW you can probably do this with your corporate travel agent too. I have done it many many times on DL, UA, AC, etc booked via Concur/Amex Travel. That works even better than trying it through AC (who are perfectly correct to say that they can't touch a TA res).
Oct 28, 2016, 7:28 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: YVR
Programs: UA Premier Platinum
Posts: 3,759
Yes any competent TA can handle an upfare and they should be aware that no change fee applies as well (though the TA may charge their own service fee for the change).
Oct 29, 2016, 6:32 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: YOW
Programs: AC E75 / Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 952
I live in Vancouver - Most of my business travel is to the US, so I'm United Gold.
However, I just booked a November work trip to Halifax, so I'm on AC. Per corporate policy, I had to book Tango, costing me the sweet, sweet qualifying miles I would have earned on Flex that would have tipped me into United Platinum.
To those of you who get to book Flex I say this: I hate you
And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
However, I just booked a November work trip to Halifax, so I'm on AC. Per corporate policy, I had to book Tango, costing me the sweet, sweet qualifying miles I would have earned on Flex that would have tipped me into United Platinum.
To those of you who get to book Flex I say this: I hate you
And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
Luckily we have an arrangement with AC whereby I pay less for flex than tango.
Oct 29, 2016, 8:27 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AC E35K, NEXUS
Posts: 4,368
One way to work around these type of policies is to put off booking your travel until the last minute and tango may not be available. I'm not advocating that you cheat the system, but sometimes the system isn't really fair.
Luckily we have an arrangement with AC whereby I pay less for flex than tango.
Luckily we have an arrangement with AC whereby I pay less for flex than tango.
Nov 1, 2016, 8:26 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
Agree, surely it's worth a couple of hundred dollars to move up to Flex. Back in the old days (1980s) I'd regularly upgrade my corporate Y tickets to F, paying the difference for both the extra miles and real premium service. In OP's case there's a significant benefit in paying the difference if it means 100% EQMs and achieving UA/MP Platinum status (and 2 RPU credits). I just paid $110 more for a Flex over Tango fare (YVR-YYZ), got access to free seat selection, 100% mileage and the opportunity to upgrade.
Nov 15, 2016, 12:44 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Programs: United MileagePlus Silver, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 8,798
Point of this post is I'm jealous of you lucky FTers who don't have to do that - You don't have to get out your wallet - You just click the 'Flex' button and the beancounters don't care.
Yeah - If I were to attempt that, I'd be pointedly asked why I didn't book earlier and likely be informed the meeting will be occuring via webex.
Last edited by gglave; Nov 15, 2016 at 12:52 pm