Mileage Run Deals - UA: PHL/ZFV-SAN ~3.8cpm ~$266

Many dates including weekends. Same day turns possible

Sample dates/routings:
PHL-IAH-SFO-SAN and SAN-SFO-IAH-PHL Sep 1-2 for $266 6802Miles/3.9CPM
PHL-EWR-SFO-SAN and SAN-SFO-EWR-PHL Sep 8 for $269 7010Miles/3.8CPM with 500miles elite min

ZFV-EWR-SFO-SAN and SAN-SFO-EWR-ZFV Sep 8 for $262 6510Miles/4.0CPM with 250miles elite mins. Certain possibilities with EWR-ZFV train, see thread om subject

EWR-SFO upgrades can be tough for gold and below, better chance for EWR-IAH-SFO

Many dates including weekends. Same day turns possible

Sample dates/routings:
PHL-IAH-SFO-SAN and SAN-SFO-IAH-PHL Sep 1-2 for $266 6802Miles/3.9CPM
PHL-EWR-SFO-SAN and SAN-SFO-EWR-PHL Sep 8 for $269 7010Miles/3.8CPM with 500miles elite min

ZFV-EWR-SFO-SAN and SAN-SFO-EWR-ZFV Sep 8 for $262 6510Miles/4.0CPM with 250miles elite mins. Certain possibilities with EWR-ZFV train, see thread om subject

EWR-SFO upgrades can be tough for gold and below, better chance for EWR-IAH-SFO

Thanks!

Since it's a G fare, I have my doubts about upgrades clearing... even as a 1K.

Thanks!

Since it's a G fare, I have my doubts about upgrades clearing... even as a 1K.

I hear that. Also depends when you travel. Fly on a Monday morning or Thursday night and you aren't going to clear. Fly on Saturday and you have a shot

Or on Tuesday/Wednesday. I've done MRs on a Tuesday and been upgraded before T-24 from a G fare on all segments as a 1P. But as I see it, MRs are work so upgrades really are just a pleasant surprise.

For some reason I can't get these to book on .bomb for any dates. ITA gives me that price and G fares but any given dates/flights that should match up to that put the LAX-SAN/CLD segments into S+ fares which brings the price up to ~$360. Maddening.

For some reason I can't get these to book on .bomb for any dates. ITA gives me that price and G fares but any given dates/flights that should match up to that put the LAX-SAN/CLD segments into S+ fares which brings the price up to ~$360. Maddening.

I just test booked ZFV-EWR-SFO-SAN-SFO-EWR-ZFV on Sep8 with no problem for $256.70 on .bomb
You have to select multiple destinations and split up ZFV-SFO, SFO-SAN, SAN-SFO, SFO-ZFV and specify the time also (No need to split SFO-ZFV to SFO-EWR and EWR-ZFV since there is only one possible routing)

Good luck getting it to work!

I just test booked ZFV-EWR-SFO-SAN-SFO-EWR-ZFV on Sep8 with no problem for $256.70 on .bomb
You have to select multiple destinations and split up ZFV-SFO, SFO-SAN, SAN-SFO, SFO-ZFV and specify the time also (No need to split SFO-ZFV to SFO-EWR and EWR-ZFV since there is only one possible routing)

Good luck getting it to work!

I tried it from PHL and ZFV but to no avail. I'm getting $320 or more.

I tried it from PHL and ZFV but to no avail. I'm getting $320 or more.

I just booked for $240 for ZFV-EWR-SFO-SAN-SFO-EWR-ZFV on Saturday 9/8. You have to do the following steps:

1. On United.com, select Multiple Flights.
2. These are the flights you'll need to enter: ZFV-SFO, SFO-SAN, SAN-SFO, SFO-ZFV

United routes the ZFV through EWR automatically.

If you want to travel with another FTer, my trains/flights are as follows:
UA6672 (7:19 AM ZFV, 8:21 AM EWR)
UA1057 (10:50 AM EWR, 2:05 PM SFO)
UA993 (3:18 PM SFO, 4:49 PM SAN)
UA419 (6:47 PM SAN, 8:15 PM SFO)
UA1127 (11:34 PM SFO, 8:11 AM EWR)
UA6658 (10:27 AM EWR, 11:30 AM ZFV)

what do you guys mean by .bomb

what do you guys mean by .bomb

That is United.com

how do you guys find the MR deals like this?
ZFV-SFO, SFO-SAN, SAN-SFO, SFO-ZFV

I just booked for $240 for ZFV-EWR-SFO-SAN-SFO-EWR-ZFV on Saturday 9/8. You have to do the following steps:

1. On United.com, select Multiple Flights.
2. These are the flights you'll need to enter: ZFV-SFO, SFO-SAN, SAN-SFO, SFO-ZFV

United routes the ZFV through EWR automatically.

If you want to travel with another FTer, my trains/flights are as follows:
UA6672 (7:19 AM ZFV, 8:21 AM EWR)
UA1057 (10:50 AM EWR, 2:05 PM SFO)
UA993 (3:18 PM SFO, 4:49 PM SAN)
UA419 (6:47 PM SAN, 8:15 PM SFO)
UA1127 (11:34 PM SFO, 8:11 AM EWR)
UA6658 (10:27 AM EWR, 11:30 AM ZFV)

Excellent and thanks for the tip. I'm going to book at least three of these back-to-back so I can qualify for 1K by the end of Sept. I need the SWU now for an upcoming family trip in Nov-Dec to ACC

^^

Excellent and thanks for the tip. I'm going to book at least three of these back-to-back so I can qualify for 1K by the end of Sept. I need the SWU now for an upcoming family trip in Nov-Dec to ACC

^^

If you book the September 8th trip I am doing, let me know!

If you book the September 8th trip I am doing, let me know!

What happens if one skips the EWR-ZFV portion on the return? Or if I skip the first leg- say ZFV-EWR? Is the boarding pass (EWR-SFO-SAN) collected from the train station or at EWR check in counter? (or can I check in online)?

The reason I'm asking is I want to do back-to-back-to-back trips and it's not possible because the return legs gets me into ZFV at 9am the next day which also cuts into the time I need to make the ZFV-SAN-ZFV trip.

I see plenty of $241 RT all through the first and second week of Sept.

:D:D

What happens if one skips the EWR-ZFV portion on the return? Or if I skip the first leg- say ZFV-EWR? Is the boarding pass (EWR-SFO-SAN) collected from the train station or at EWR check in counter? (or can I check in online)?

The reason I'm asking is I want to do back-to-back-to-back trips and it's not possible because the return legs gets me into ZFV at 9am the next day which also cuts into the time I need to make the ZFV-SAN-ZFV trip.

I see plenty of $241 RT all through the first and second week of Sept.

:D:D

Please see this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/continental-onepass-pre-merger/374107-ultimate-zfv-philadelphia-amtrak-co-faq.html

Bascically YMMV :mad:

The reason I'm asking is I want to do back-to-back-to-back trips and it's not possible because the return legs gets me into ZFV at 9am the next day which also cuts into the time I need to make the ZFV-SAN-ZFV trip.

It will be difficult for you to hide the back to back trips from United as your name will be on overlapping reservations.

Just Booked SAN-IAH-EWR-ZFV-EWR-ORD-SAN first weekend in September for $238.00 a.i. not bad.. Thanks and Safe Travels

Just booked BWI CLE LAX CLD LAX EWR BWI for $263 or 4.0 CPM. Sort of in line with what ExitRowLegroom says, sometimes you can have too many segments spelled out in your search, causing it to come back with a higher fare.

Anyone taking this trip on 9/8?

Just booked BWI CLE LAX CLD LAX EWR BWI for $263 or 4.0 CPM. Sort of in line with what ExitRowLegroom says, sometimes you can have too many segments spelled out in your search, causing it to come back with a higher fare.

For what dates?

Anyone taking this trip on 9/8?

I'm doing 9/4, 9/6, & 9/11.

I have decided that my only venture out of the airport will come during my three hour layover in SFO on the return from SAN. There is an In-n-Out Burger about five minutes from the airport via taxi. Being an east coaster, this seems like the best option available to me.

Just finished the first of many MR on this routing. None of the flights were cancelled and I got a UDU to 1st class on the SAN-SFO-EWR leg. SAN-SFO was delayed due to maintenance issue but I had enough layover time to make the SFO-EWR flight. There's also a shower place before security in SFO. For those wondering it's a great option and only cost $11 but it closes at 10:30PM. I was clean and ready for the world when I boarded the SFO-EWR flight at 11PM.

The ZFV-EWR-ZFV was a mess and I intend to skip it on my next trip. UA & Amtrax systems do not interface and I had a hard time printing my ticket at the train station in PHL & EWR.

When I checked in at EWR the UA system could not tell whether I was coming from ZFV and just prompted me to check in full for the EWR-XXX-EWR legs. I also got TOD'ed but declined all offers.

I'm not going to bother with the ZFV-EWR-ZFV leg on my next upcoming MR and drive to EWR instead. Also, relying on Amtrax on the inbound to PHL cost me 4+ hours due to the ticketing issue and Amtrax service woes.

Good luck to the rest of you and hope you are as lucky as I was on the no "Cancelled flights" experience.

;);)

Anyone taking this trip on 9/8?


I'm doing it, on the 2:19 pm out of ZFV and the 5:25 out of EWR, 9:29 pm turnaround back to EWR. Also have the same run on 9/22.

I'm doing it, on the 2:19 pm out of ZFV and the 5:25 out of EWR, 9:29 pm turnaround back to EWR. Also have the same run on 9/22.

Wow! You are playing it close. Any flight delay or cancellation will trip you up.

Wow! You are playing it close. Any flight delay or cancellation will trip you up.

Most of my MRs are timed in a similar fashion. Long layovers mean less time for flights and accmulating miles for me. In case of cancellations and delays etc., I have had reasonable luck with getting re-routed and requesting and receiving credit for original routing. I try to avoid last-flight-out when booking.

P.S. I realize that NYC1K's concern is stemming from his recent ZFV-EWR-ZFV experience and its a valid concern.

I'm not going to bother with the ZFV-EWR-ZFV leg on my next upcoming MR and drive to EWR instead.
)
Watch out for this - sometimes Amtrak's system actually interfaces properly with CO's, and then you are SOL.

When I take advantage of deals out of ZFV, I usually buy a PVD-PHL ticket on the same train and pick up my ZFV-EWR ticket from PVD the night before.

I'm in the middle of one of these runs, so I feel like I can also contribute to the discussion.

Based on my experience, as a previous poster mentioned, the Amtrak/UA relationship is a total cluster. The Amtrak checkin machines show a United codeshare checkin option, but after much work with USA-RAIL, I was unable to get a ticket to print. I ended up going to Penn Station to butter up the disinterested, incompetent Amtrak staff there to get a boarding pass printed (it was an ordeal, but it is possible). For future reference, the process in Amtrak's version of Shares to get a boarding pass to print seems to be:
-- hit F12
-- select field 2
-- select exchange

While I got a boarding pass for the PHL-EWR train, after I flew the EWR-LAX portion of the itinerary, the initial train segment disappeared and an agent told me that the train segment showed as having not been taken. This didn't impact my ability to take any of the flights thereafter.

I have one of these coming up again later this month and I think my approach will be:
1) Print out UA boarding passes at home
2) Go to Penn to get Amtrak boarding pass
3) Take NJ transit to EWR

I'm in the middle of one of these runs, so I feel like I can also contribute to the discussion.

Based on my experience, as a previous poster mentioned, the Amtrak/UA relationship is a total cluster. The Amtrak checkin machines show a United codeshare checkin option, but after much work with USA-RAIL, I was unable to get a ticket to print. I ended up going to Penn Station to butter up the disinterested, incompetent Amtrak staff there to get a boarding pass printed (it was an ordeal, but it is possible). For future reference, the process in Amtrak's version of Shares to get a boarding pass to print seems to be:
-- hit F12
-- select field 2
-- select exchange

While I got a boarding pass for the PHL-EWR train, after I flew the EWR-LAX portion of the itinerary, the initial train segment disappeared and an agent told me that the train segment showed as having not been taken. This didn't impact my ability to take any of the flights thereafter.

I have one of these coming up again later this month and I think my approach will be:
1) Print out UA boarding passes at home
2) Go to Penn to get Amtrak boarding pass
3) Take NJ transit to EWR

I had a similar headache with the UA/Amtrak codeshare issue. I think it might stem from the fact that I actually do take ZFV-NYC Amtrak (with earning going to my Guest Rewards account) from time to time using the same credit card I used to purchase this ticket with.

At check-in at ZFV (I'm actually PHL based, so works well for me), the QuikTrak machine would only pull up future Amtrak travel - not UA codeshare - and didn't have an option for the CO/UA codeshare (I later discovered that if I swiped a different cc/debit card, it would give me the option to type in my CO/UA flight number). In the end, I had to go to the Amtrak ticketing line and have an incredibly slow agent print out a boarding pass after looking up my name on the train I was supposed to be on. FYI, Amtrak agents have NO idea about the UA codeshare program - they don't care about codeshare flight numbers, UA PNRs, etc. and don't know what to do with them even if you give it to them.

On the way back, I got a Rail Transfer boarding pass from check-in in SAN with printed transfer instructions and a notice that I had to check-in with Amtrak. Unfortunately, I arrived at EWR after 7p (Amtrak EWR desk closes at 7p) and only had the QuikTrak machines/red phone to work with. Again, QuikTrak machine didn't pull up my name on any trains, and Amtrak agent over the red phone also couldn't find my record. In the end, the phone agent told me to just get on the train and have the conductor sort it out.

Boarded the train, explained my situation, and then proceeded to spend the next hour of my life on hold with Amtrak and UA as they attempted to figure out what went wrong. Conductor insisted I needed to pay the bulk rate for my trip ($59) and the sympathetic UA agent suggested I just pay it and write customer care for a reimbursement. Important to note that 2 other UA/Amtrak customers were on board (1 ticketed on LH via a travel agent), and Amtrak couldn't find ANY of the passenger's ticket... Completely messed up. I actually have another trip from ZFV in October and hoping it goes a bit smoother.

Most of my MRs are timed in a similar fashion. Long layovers mean less time for flights and accmulating miles for me. In case of cancellations and delays etc., I have had reasonable luck with getting re-routed and requesting and receiving credit for original routing. I try to avoid last-flight-out when booking.

P.S. I realize that NYC1K's concern is stemming from his recent ZFV-EWR-ZFV experience and its a valid concern.

I understand but it's the same plane and the run was late but it didn't matter
:)

Ok,

Latest update. I'm in SAN right now and sitting at the YANCAN restaurant eating fried rice and beef and a glass of 9oz CAB while waiting for my SAN-SFO flight.

I DID NOT take the Amtrax at ZFV and my flights were NOT cancelled when I checked in at EWR . As a matter of fact I got UDU'ed on the SFO-SAN-SFO and the SFO-EWR red eye. Wow UA has been good to me on the UDUs inspite of the venom of TOD.

I have absolutely no intentions of taking the EWR-ZFV portion tomorrow and I'm ok forgoing the lousy 250 EQMs that comes with it. Ditto the ZFV-EWR leg

My advice is to milk the situation right now that UA and Amtrax systems do not talk to each other.

Ok,

Latest update. I'm in SAN right now and sitting at the YANCAN restaurant eating fried rice and beef and a glass of 9oz CAB while waiting for my SAN-SFO flight.

I DID NOT take the Amtrax at ZFV and my flights were NOT cancelled when I checked in at EWR . As a matter of fact I got UDU'ed on the SFO-SAN-SFO and the SFO-EWR red eye. Wow UA has been good to me on the UDUs inspite of the venom of TOD.

I have absolutely no intentions of taking the EWR-ZFV portion tomorrow and I'm ok forgoing the lousy 250 EQMs that comes with it. Ditto the ZFV-EWR leg

My advice is to milk the situation right now that UA and Amtrax systems do not talk to each other.

Why wouldn't you want to take the miles for the EWR-ZFV segment? Pick up your ticket at EWR, take the train to NYP, and hop off.

Why wouldn't you want to take the miles for the EWR-ZFV segment? Pick up your ticket at EWR, take the train to NYP, and hop off.

I drove to EWR, and based on my last experience arriving at ZFV almost 5 hours after I landed at EWR, the best option and the "Right" thing to do. 500 EQMs will not make or break my path to 1K this year.

:D:D

I drove to EWR, and based on my last experience arriving at ZFV almost 5 hours after I landed at EWR, the best option and the "Right" thing to do. 500 EQMs will not make or break my path to 1K this year.

:D:D


They are actually RDU's and not EQM's (PQM's).. Safe Travels

They are actually RDU's and not EQM's (PQM's).. Safe Travels

And you are supposed to get 250 PQM's

i managed to get ZFV-EWR-SAN-EWR-ZFV for $196.70 a/i (4cpm PQM, if my calculations are right -- also, my first MR).

12/8
ZFV-EWR UA6653 2:19pm-3:22pm
EWR-SAN UA1228 5:30pm-8:46pm
SAN-EWR UA1228 9:34pm-5:50am (i hope same plane [both 737-700], so if IRROP on way in, it should be OK)
EWR-ZFV UA6666 8:27am-9:30am

just noticed that longish layover in EWR -- i'd like to hop into a lounge to take a shower since i'm homeless until i land in SFO that night (PHL-SFO on US at 4ish pm), but now i'm worried about my bag which will be left sitting in baggage claim, as i understand.

EWR-SAN UA1228 5:30pm-8:46pm
SAN-EWR UA1228 9:34pm-5:50am (i hope same plane [both 737-700], so if IRROP on way in, it should be OK)


EWR-SAN UA1228 arrives into terminal 1 and SAN-EWR UA1228 leaves out of terminal 2. Definitely different airplanes and be prepared to have to leave security, change terminals and re-clear security.

From terminal 1 to 2 it is probably faster to walk than wait for the inter-terminal bus. Just turn right out of the terminal 1 towards terminal 2.

EWR-SAN UA1228 arrives into terminal 1 and SAN-EWR UA1228 leaves out of terminal 2. Definitely different airplanes and be prepared to have to leave security, change terminals and re-clear security.

From terminal 1 to 2 it is probably faster to walk than wait for the inter-terminal bus. Just turn right out of the terminal 1 towards terminal 2.

ahh thanks for the tip! i've only ever been to the commuter terminal there, iirc.

EDIT: i changed it all up and am going PHL-SFO-SAN-EWR-PHL ($259.20, 4.35 cpm) now, due to what skylane said and factoring the cost and hassle of getting from PHL to 30th St Station.