US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Need 40K First Class award advice

I'm trying to book two 40K first class awards at USairways.com from PNS to LAX. I get the red X (not available) for every day in Jan and Feb.

For the days of travel I desire in Feb, when I request 2 20K coach class awards all 4 flights PNS-CLT and CLT-PNS are available. This makes sense--USAirways.com shows Pensacola as an "Award Travel Recommendation" with availability every day in Jan and Feb.

For the days of travel I desire in Feb, when I request 2 40K First class awards CLT-LAX, there is one suitable connecting flight per day CLT-LAX and LAX-CLT.

So, PNS-CLT/CLT-PNS is available for 20K coach, and connecting CLT-LAX/LAX-CLT is available for 40K first class, but PNS-LAX/LAX-PNS is not available any day in Jan or Feb for a 40K first class award.

Even though 2 40K awards should be available (in my opinion) they are not. I spoke to a reservations agent and he told me that if I could, I should book 2 tickets @ 20K+40K=60K each because he only showed availability for the 80K premium award.

Questions for the flyertalk community:

Who can I call to straighten this out and and book what's clearly available
for only 40K miles per ticket? US reservations is no help because the 40K first class award is only available online.

I'm not preferred--Can I still book 2 premium coach tickets @50K each and upgrade them to first class (if p bucket is available) for 10K each to avoid messing with 2 sets of tickets?

If I book 2 tickets @20K and 2 tickets @40K, is there someone I can call or write to try and obtain a mileage refund for a "40K overcharge"? Has anyone succeeded with this?

The nearest airport served by United Airlines is 250 miles away and driving that distance is not an option for me. Purchasing the tickets to CLT is over 80% of the cost of purchasing the entire ticket to LAX--not an option.

Thanks!

I'm trying to book two 40K first class awards at USairways.com from PNS to LAX. I get the red X (not available) for every day in Jan and Feb.

For the days of travel I desire in Feb, when I request 2 20K coach class awards all 4 flights PNS-CLT and CLT-PNS are available. This makes sense--USAirways.com shows Pensacola as an "Award Travel Recommendation" with availability every day in Jan and Feb.

For the days of travel I desire in Feb, when I request 2 40K First class awards CLT-LAX, there is one suitable connecting flight per day CLT-LAX and LAX-CLT.

So, PNS-CLT/CLT-PNS is available for 20K coach, and connecting CLT-LAX/LAX-CLT is available for 40K first class, but PNS-LAX/LAX-PNS is not available any day in Jan or Feb for a 40K first class award.

Even though 2 40K awards should be available (in my opinion) they are not. I spoke to a reservations agent and he told me that if I could, I should book 2 tickets @ 20K+40K=60K each because he only showed availability for the 80K premium award.

Questions for the flyertalk community:

Who can I call to straighten this out and and book what's clearly available
for only 40K miles per ticket? US reservations is no help because the 40K first class award is only available online.

I'm not preferred--Can I still book 2 premium coach tickets @50K each and upgrade them to first class (if p bucket is available) for 10K each to avoid messing with 2 sets of tickets?

If I book 2 tickets @20K and 2 tickets @40K, is there someone I can call or write to try and obtain a mileage refund for a "40K overcharge"? Has anyone succeeded with this?

The nearest airport served by United Airlines is 250 miles away and driving that distance is not an option for me. Purchasing the tickets to CLT is over 80% of the cost of purchasing the entire ticket to LAX--not an option.

Thanks!

Your problem is that the PNS to CLT leg is not mainline and offers no FC. The crazy system they use will not get around that difference. In a similair case, I have called the reservations desk and explained this to them and they booked it for me at the 40k level. If they don't, then ask to speak to a manager on duty. Eventually you should get it.

You need to call and book it. You will get F from CLT-LAX-CLT and Y for the PNS-CLT-PNS routing.

I agree with other comments. Call US Airways and ask to speak to the manager/supervisor on duty. Clearly explain your problem to them.

Now, about your other question, if you use a 50,000 premium award seat, I think you will be able to upgrade to First Class 24 hours prior to the your scheduled flight, provided there is space available. US Airways allows Silver Preferred members traveling on discounted fares as well as non-Preferred customers traveling on full fare to upgrade 24 hours prior to departure.

Since you are considering a 50,000 miles award, have you considered flying United in First Class for the same mileage? You can use your Dividend Miles to fly United, and I think most of us agree that United has much better domestic First Class.

The OP is non-preferred and would need to purchase E-Upgrades (or use miles to buy upgrade) in order to upgrade a premium coach award. So the First Class award is a better choice as long as it's available.

I got two 40K off peak first class awards PNS-LAX that could not be booked at USAirways.com. For the benefit of other flyertalk members, here's how I did it.

I booked two 40K first class awards CLT-LAX at USAirways.com, put on 3 day hold, and noted confirmation number.

Next, I called .com support at 800-245-4882 and asked for an explanation of why I could book PNS-CLT and CLT-LAX (gave my confirmation number), but not PNS-LAX. After 30 minutes of back and forth the representative came to the conclusion that the website should allow me to book PNS-LAX but wouldn't.

Next, I was transferred by .com to reservations and was given a lesson in marketing (saving this for another post).

Next, reservations transferred me to the award desk and I explained what the .com rep told me. She put me on hold, discussed with her supervisor, and the supervisor added a PNS-CLT round trip to the CLT-LAX round trip already booked. I logged back into USAirways.com and completed the booking. I never talked to the supervisor, but the rep told me that the only reason the supervisor honored my request was that I had spoken to .com support.

Thanks FlyerTalk members!