Mileage Run Discussion - Searching / Booking MR's on the new United website -- need help

I was a bit of an expert on booking MR's on the old UA website. I still have a little place in my heart for .bomb. Now that we've moved over to .pss or whatever you want to call it, I'm having trouble.

Take the PIT-LAS fare for example. This is basically $100 each way, assuming you can get G inventory.

For Sept 11, ITA shows PIT-IAD-LAX-LAS is available with all segments in G for $100. But I cannot get that to book on united.com.

If I search a one-way as PIT-LAS, I get numerous 1-stop itins, including PIT-LAX-LAS in G. But no two-stop itins (except the occasional 'direct' flight)

The next thing I did was search PIT-LAX-LAS, i.e. forcing the connection in LAX (which the above search confirms is definitely available in G). UAL.com prices this into K, despite the fact that it has exactly the same flights as the previous search. And it's $159. Married segments?

So I'm at a loss as to how to build a 3-segment itinerary on the new United.com. I'm scared that this is a SHARES limitation. I'm not sure if this can be booked at Orbitz / etc because I want to use some e-certs, thus the need to make ual.com work!

Thanks.

It's the old CO site so any CO tricks will still work. Normally you'd be able to do an advanced search and specify G class and it would work but that trick isn't working for your itinerary (though PIT-IAD-DEN-LAS works). The problem is that CO's engine can't "think forward" several steps for a complex search. If you search 3 separate segments it may show L, K, etc. even when G is available. Keep clicking through and it will usually work. If it doesn't work, call (assuming it isn't a trick/mistake).

Was there a specific reason you want to fly through IAD and LAX? PIT-EWR-SFO-LAS is more miles and you'd be on a 738 instead of an A320 for the transcon.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af272/BryanIAH/ScreenShot2012-03-25at103207PM.png

It's the old CO site so any CO tricks will still work. Normally you'd be able to do an advanced search and specify G class and it would work but that trick isn't working for your itinerary (though PIT-IAD-DEN-LAS works). The problem is that CO's engine can't "think forward" several steps for a complex search. If you search 3 separate segments it may show L, K, etc. even when G is available. Keep clicking through and it will usually work. If it doesn't work, call (assuming it isn't a trick/mistake).

Was there a specific reason you want to fly through IAD and LAX? PIT-EWR-SFO-LAS is more miles and you'd be on a 738 instead of an A320 for the transcon.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af272/BryanIAH/ScreenShot2012-03-25at103207PM.png

I never used the CO site, so I don't know those tricks. Is there a primer anywhere? :)

Of course, I want PIT-IAD-SFO-LAS.... I just wanted to demonstrate the issue, and the first case I found was via LAX.

I was able to replicate your example. And yes, I guess I was becoming disgruntled that it started out showing the itin as $500+. But it reprices later.

Thanks a lot!