Hey all, Wanted some opinions. I am currently getting ready to book a flight RDU-LAX and i have a few options which one do ya'll think is my best bet and why. Option #1 book a 40k First Class award. Option #2 purchase a roachy fare of 198+taxes etc then upgrade using a 20K award. Option #3 book the roachy 198 fare and try to upgrade using Space Positives the day before. As i am sure some of you know im a college student and money is always tight, i am also driving out to vegas over the weekend so the extra 200 would be nice. OR would you try to get an award on UA. Anyway, what do ya'll think?

[This message has been edited by JLM_USAIR (edited 11-10-2003).]

Being a fellow college student, I understand your quandry. Since you're going to Vegas, I'd say save as much money as possible and use the award. That way, you have another $200 to gamble away/spend on hookers. However, I know some people will have problems with using 40K miles on that flight and the watered down FC experience. Honestly, because I have so little money and an abundance of miles right now, I'd use the miles. I don't know your situation, but that's my opinion.

i have about 60,000 in the bank now. Part of me wants to use em all, because of US's shaky state of affairs.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by JLM_USAIR:
i have about 60,000 in the bank now. Part of me wants to use em all, because of US's shaky state of affairs.</font>

Don't be silly. Book a coach award. Use the other 40k miles for spring break with your SO or something -- US isn't going to go away any time soon. Even if all the doom and gloom come to fruition these things take time.

One more thing -- if you're considering an F award because there are no coach award seats available don't Book a premium coach award instead. You get all the flexibility of a full Y fare plus the ability to upgrade it just like a full Y fare. It's a much better deal than a standard F award (assuming that the UG works out...)

Is the premium award upgradeable at the time of purchase, under the buy Y get F program?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TomBascom:
One more thing -- if you're considering an F award because there are no coach award seats available don't Book a premium coach award instead. You get all the flexibility of a full Y fare plus the ability to upgrade it just like a full Y fare. It's a much better deal than a standard F award (assuming that the UG works out...)</font>

But I thought with an F award, you get the same flexibility than with premium. What advantages does the premium have over the F?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by JLM_USAIR:
Is the premium award upgradeable at the time of purchase, under the buy Y get F program?</font>

Yes, you can upgrade it, but you need upgrade currency to do so.

In other words, for a CP, it's basically a free upgrade. Silvers and Golds need electronic upgrades to do it.

For CPs, the domestic premium awards (coach) are the best thing going. The international premium awards (coach) are a close second (if you have systemwides laying around).

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Don't feed the trolls.

Speaking of premium awards, do you think we'll ever get premium awards on other *A airlines? Or will we always be stuck with the regular awards?

You can use now trade Dividend Miles for hookers?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kreeft:
Being a fellow college student, I understand your quandry. Since you're going to Vegas, I'd say save as much money as possible and use the award. That way, you have another $200 to gamble away/spend on hookers. </font>

Hookers aside (although not for lack of importance), I think the decision as to whether to use miles or pay $200 depends upon how many miles are in your account, and what other traveling you plan to do over the next several months. You may be better off spending the $200 on airfare, and using the miles for a free ticket on a more expensive trip once US joins the *A. It seems a shame to waste a free ticket on a $200 flight, even if you're a poor student. Can't you get your folks to kick in some gambling money? Tell them you'll give them half of your winnings.

Don't worry about US's state of affairs.

I'd pony up the $200 for the cheap fare and use 20k to upgrade. But first check and make certain upgrade seats are available before you buy!

Here's the math:

Spend $200 and 20k miles. You will earn about 5,400 miles (add in any bonus miles?) for the RDU-LAX roundtrip depending on where you connect. So you are really only out about 15k for the upgrade - net. If you burn 40k for the award, you're down 40k...

Enjoy LAS! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ATC:
You can use now trade Dividend Miles for hookers?

</font>

I don't even want to think about what you can get for a Systemwide Upgrade.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AtlanticBeach:
I don't even want to think about what you can get for a Systemwide Upgrade.</font>

Aren't we getting a bit confused about our mission? I would think the real questions should be -- how many miles can we earn? Is there a double miles bonus? And are these bonus miles or tier miles? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif