Feb 8, 2017, 9:00 am
Last edit by: mia
This thread covers how to use Ultimate Reward Points for booking all types of travel via the Ultimate Rewards portal.
1) How do I book a ticket? Choose my airfare class?
Login to ultimaterewards.com
Click: Use points > Explore and Book Travel
Click the button that defaults to [1 Traveler, All]
Change "Class" (the first entry in the pull-down) from All to Business
Click: Close
2) How far in advance can I book?
In mid-November 2017 it was reported that airline reservations are available only 270 days in advance. Read HERE.
3) How do I book hotels?
Follow the steps above to log on. There are standard looking search engines offered for airfare, hotel, etc at that point.
4) How do I get the better redemption rate offered on some Chase cards?
The upper left corner of the UR page will show you which card you are logged in with. If you hold a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you will be shown a better price on points bookings, as a 1.5 redemption rate is offered as one of the benefits of this card. If you log in to the UR portal from a different UR card, such as the Ink, you will not be offered this rate.
5) Where else can I find information?
This thread is a consolidated resource which covers topics including:
Fare buckets, here
Price differences between open market air fares and UR bookings, here
Selecting seat classes
Using cash and points to pay for tickets
and more.
The previous discussion, through 2016, can be found here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase...ly-2015-a.html
1) How do I book a ticket? Choose my airfare class?
Login to ultimaterewards.com
Click: Use points > Explore and Book Travel
Click the button that defaults to [1 Traveler, All]
Change "Class" (the first entry in the pull-down) from All to Business
Click: Close
2) How far in advance can I book?
In mid-November 2017 it was reported that airline reservations are available only 270 days in advance. Read HERE.
3) How do I book hotels?
Follow the steps above to log on. There are standard looking search engines offered for airfare, hotel, etc at that point.
4) How do I get the better redemption rate offered on some Chase cards?
The upper left corner of the UR page will show you which card you are logged in with. If you hold a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you will be shown a better price on points bookings, as a 1.5 redemption rate is offered as one of the benefits of this card. If you log in to the UR portal from a different UR card, such as the Ink, you will not be offered this rate.
5) Where else can I find information?
This thread is a consolidated resource which covers topics including:
Fare buckets, here
Price differences between open market air fares and UR bookings, here
Selecting seat classes
Using cash and points to pay for tickets
and more.
The previous discussion, through 2016, can be found here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase...ly-2015-a.html
Booking Flights, Rooms, Cars, etc. w/ Ultimate Rewards Points, 2014-2017
May 23, 2017, 9:59 pm
#211
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 278
Ok, I know people have reported discrepancies in pricing on the UR search engine, but until now I have not seen it. I am currently trying to book flights from MSY to YEG on UA, and there is about a difference of $300 per ticket in the price on UA's website and the UR engine. The economy flights are the same, but the bus class and first are out of line. Is there any way to reconcile this, or do I just move on? I always value UR at 1.5 to 1, but if it varies by booking, I need to only use them when I can get the 1.5, and do something different the other times.
Again, any way to get the google flights/UR website price to show up in the UR tool?
Again, any way to get the google flights/UR website price to show up in the UR tool?
May 24, 2017, 7:11 am
#212
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
May 24, 2017, 9:36 am
#213
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 278
I wonder if it's worth even calling UR to see if they can match the UA price.
May 24, 2017, 9:50 am
#214
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
May 24, 2017, 10:27 am
#216
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
I don't think it's worth calling if a fare is only available on united.com, but if it's available on Expedia or Priceline I think it's worth asking. We seem to have mixed reports on how Connexions reacts, some agents/supervisors/managers say WYSIWYG, but some have reported success.
May 24, 2017, 10:31 am
#217
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 278
I don't think it's worth calling if a fare is only available on united.com, but if it's available on Expedia or Priceline I think it's worth asking. We seem to have mixed reports on how Connexions reacts, some agents/supervisors/managers say WYSIWYG, but some have reported success.
May 24, 2017, 10:46 am
#218
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Some websites will construct mixed cabin routings, but display the fare as if it is all first/business class. This may not be evident until you delve into the details.I am not a UA flyer, I don't know if united.com does this.
May 24, 2017, 5:47 pm
#219
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 278
It's the same flights. I guess I could call them.
May 24, 2017, 7:45 pm
#220
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA ExecPlat, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,446
Anyone having trouble with the site? Doesn't work on my laptop nor phone. Getting this
Looking for something at https://ultimaterewardstravel.chase.com/?
Error occurred on server https://ultimaterewardspoints.chase....lNav/UsePoints
Return to our home page: Home
works again
Looking for something at https://ultimaterewardstravel.chase.com/?
Error occurred on server https://ultimaterewardspoints.chase....lNav/UsePoints
Return to our home page: Home
works again
Last edited by philemer; May 25, 2017 at 8:25 pm
May 24, 2017, 7:59 pm
#221
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 278
Anyone having trouble with the site? Doesn't work on my laptop nor phone. Getting this
Looking for something at https://ultimaterewardstravel.chase.com/?
Error occurred on server https://ultimaterewardspoints.chase....lNav/UsePoints
Return to our home page: Home
Looking for something at https://ultimaterewardstravel.chase.com/?
Error occurred on server https://ultimaterewardspoints.chase....lNav/UsePoints
Return to our home page: Home
May 25, 2017, 4:32 am
#222
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 278
I'll actually saving about 5% by breaking the flights into separate tickets on either site.
May 26, 2017, 5:44 pm
#223
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,171
I wound up calling UR bookings last night. They just confirmed the price is what it is. An $1157 flight is showing $1436, so the 1.5 UR multiplier is actually only 1.21. I'm going to have to get creative with this one. The outbound is actually $467 on UA and $642 on UR. The return is $625 on UA and $688 on UR. So, I'll most likely buy separate tickets, use UR for the return effectively at 1.36, and pay the cash price on the outbound where I would have only had 1.09 to 1. This gives me a chance to use my barclays A+ points and UA gift registry to buy the cash tickets. I would rather do that now that burn them on flights where I could have had the full 1.5 multiplier.
I'll actually saving about 5% by breaking the flights into separate tickets on either site.
I'll actually saving about 5% by breaking the flights into separate tickets on either site.
May 27, 2017, 12:47 pm
#224
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 278
They can't just 'confirm the price is what it is' if you can independently see the fare basis and fare construction on a site like ITA that shows a different amount. They don't get to charge a markup. Just keep hanging up and calling back and escalating until you get someone who knows what they are doing.
Edit: I am calling them now. First csr blurted out that all flights are marked up over what the airlines charge everyone else. I then told that it is only one class, on one specific airline, in this given booking range. Economy class and Delta are correct. I am on hold now for a "specialist."
Final Update: After 45 minutes on hold, they said they called and spoke with United, and there is a price that united holds on each fare as the "actual price." They said what all the other tools out there show is the internet price, which is an incentive not to use a travel agent. Well, that is the biggest load of bait and switch I have heard in a while.
So, I'm going to doing some splitting of this ticket and work it across some other points and credits (it's worth about $400 to $500 to do that). For the most part, I have found the correct prices on the UR site. However, this $2800 trip is making me rethink which card comes out of my wallet on a daily basis. I'll keep using my CSR for a lot of spending, but I think my non-bonus category spend will likely start hitting my arrival plus before the chase going forward.
Last edited by Newgene; May 27, 2017 at 1:40 pm
May 27, 2017, 4:12 pm
#225
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,171
Yeah, it's bizarre. ITA matrix shows the same price as UA website, expedia, etc. The only outlier is the UR website. I'll try to call again.
Edit: I am calling them now. First csr blurted out that all flights are marked up over what the airlines charge everyone else. I then told that it is only one class, on one specific airline, in this given booking range. Economy class and Delta are correct. I am on hold now for a "specialist."
Final Update: After 45 minutes on hold, they said they called and spoke with United, and there is a price that united holds on each fare as the "actual price." They said what all the other tools out there show is the internet price, which is an incentive not to use a travel agent. Well, that is the biggest load of bait and switch I have heard in a while.
So, I'm going to doing some splitting of this ticket and work it across some other points and credits (it's worth about $400 to $500 to do that). For the most part, I have found the correct prices on the UR site. However, this $2800 trip is making me rethink which card comes out of my wallet on a daily basis. I'll keep using my CSR for a lot of spending, but I think my non-bonus category spend will likely start hitting my arrival plus before the chase going forward.
Edit: I am calling them now. First csr blurted out that all flights are marked up over what the airlines charge everyone else. I then told that it is only one class, on one specific airline, in this given booking range. Economy class and Delta are correct. I am on hold now for a "specialist."
Final Update: After 45 minutes on hold, they said they called and spoke with United, and there is a price that united holds on each fare as the "actual price." They said what all the other tools out there show is the internet price, which is an incentive not to use a travel agent. Well, that is the biggest load of bait and switch I have heard in a while.
So, I'm going to doing some splitting of this ticket and work it across some other points and credits (it's worth about $400 to $500 to do that). For the most part, I have found the correct prices on the UR site. However, this $2800 trip is making me rethink which card comes out of my wallet on a daily basis. I'll keep using my CSR for a lot of spending, but I think my non-bonus category spend will likely start hitting my arrival plus before the chase going forward.