Using UA Mileageplus miles on other airline
Aug 28, 2014, 1:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Delaware
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 1,393
Using UA Mileageplus miles on other airline
Greetings All:
My wife and I have a significant number of UA Mileage Plus miles and we're looking to travel to China in just under a year. I'm doing my research now.
We were looking at the posability of using our UA miles on another airline, and if I understand the process correctly, they are redeemable on any Star Aliance Airline, correct?
Assuming the answer to the above question is correct, how would I go about searching for inventory / price? Do I go through UA's website or the partner's website?
Thanks in advanced!!! :-)
My wife and I have a significant number of UA Mileage Plus miles and we're looking to travel to China in just under a year. I'm doing my research now.
We were looking at the posability of using our UA miles on another airline, and if I understand the process correctly, they are redeemable on any Star Aliance Airline, correct?
Assuming the answer to the above question is correct, how would I go about searching for inventory / price? Do I go through UA's website or the partner's website?
Thanks in advanced!!! :-)
Aug 28, 2014, 2:44 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,665
Yeah, you can use them on any Star Alliance carrier. Most obvious options for non-UA carriers are CA, NH, OZ, BR but there are still some nonconventional possibilities on TG or SQ to NRT and ICN then connect to CA, OZ, or NH there and I believe you can still route through Europe as well.
Aug 28, 2014, 5:34 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Delaware
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 1,393
Aug 28, 2014, 5:57 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: San Antonio, TX
Programs: 1K
Posts: 784
Worst-case scenario is you can book over the phone if .bomb isn't giving you the right flights or is pricing incorrectly.
Aug 28, 2014, 6:19 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Delaware
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 1,393
Given that I won't have my Silver Status when we book, I don't think I'll be calling the regular call center on the phone. I'll probably jump on a train and head to Penn Station New York and spend some time with the agent there. Even if it takes a few hours longer, it will save me some sanity.
Aug 28, 2014, 9:59 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott/SPG/Hilton Gold, PreCheck + Clear
Posts: 2,306
We were looking at the posability of using our UA miles on another airline, and if I understand the process correctly, they are redeemable on any Star Aliance Airline, correct?
Assuming the answer to the above question is correct, how would I go about searching for inventory / price? Do I go through UA's website or the partner's website?
Assuming the answer to the above question is correct, how would I go about searching for inventory / price? Do I go through UA's website or the partner's website?
There is one cool loophole though: if the longest leg of the trip is in UA F or J, you can still include a very substantial F or J leg on a *A partner at no added cost. I'm traveling SGN>NRT>ORD>BOS in a few weeks on miles, and because the NRT>ORD leg is in UA GF, the six-hour SGN>NRT redeye in NH J didn't add to the cost.
Aug 28, 2014, 11:07 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,159
Are you planning to book in a premium cabin? You may be aware that, while economy bookings require the same number of miles regardless of which airline is used, *A carriers' premium cabins now carry a significant extra cost.
There is one cool loophole though: if the longest leg of the trip is in UA F or J, you can still include a very substantial F or J leg on a *A partner at no added cost. I'm traveling SGN>NRT>ORD>BOS in a few weeks on miles, and because the NRT>ORD leg is in UA GF, the six-hour SGN>NRT redeye in NH J didn't add to the cost.
There is one cool loophole though: if the longest leg of the trip is in UA F or J, you can still include a very substantial F or J leg on a *A partner at no added cost. I'm traveling SGN>NRT>ORD>BOS in a few weeks on miles, and because the NRT>ORD leg is in UA GF, the six-hour SGN>NRT redeye in NH J didn't add to the cost.
Aug 28, 2014, 12:25 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott/SPG/Hilton Gold, PreCheck + Clear
Posts: 2,306
Interesting. I tried to check your assertion just now, but it's devilishly hard to find an itinerary where that's an option. But my understanding of the new rules was that the longest leg is what triggered the pricing, end of story.
Aug 28, 2014, 2:33 pm
#10
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Join Date: Mar 2010
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Actually, I am going to prove myself wrong.
I just checked ORD->BKK for travel on 8/29.
UA metal to HKG in GlobalFirst connecting to Thai metal to BKK in First Class prices out at 80,000 miles.
I didn't realize this...going to have to re-look at some options now.
I just checked ORD->BKK for travel on 8/29.
UA metal to HKG in GlobalFirst connecting to Thai metal to BKK in First Class prices out at 80,000 miles.
I didn't realize this...going to have to re-look at some options now.
Aug 28, 2014, 3:21 pm
#11
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Location: Canada
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Aug 28, 2014, 3:47 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K; *G and *A Top 1000; HHonors Diamond; *$ Gold; Global Entry
Posts: 2,272
Given that I won't have my Silver Status when we book, I don't think I'll be calling the regular call center on the phone. I'll probably jump on a train and head to Penn Station New York and spend some time with the agent there. Even if it takes a few hours longer, it will save me some sanity.
Aug 28, 2014, 3:57 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott/SPG/Hilton Gold, PreCheck + Clear
Posts: 2,306
Cool! I wish there'd been an NH F option SGN>NRT, but the planes they use for that route don't appear to have F cabins.
Aug 28, 2014, 11:26 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,665
Correct, NH only had C intra-Asia and in most cases not a very good one at that. SQ and TG have some routes with F, not sure if CA does or not. OZ has the cabin on some but sells it as C.
Aug 29, 2014, 11:10 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: LA - MEL
Programs: UA 1k *G, AA Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 332
Just did this 2 mo ago 2 pax..all in f on ca and oz. Be flexible w dates. Do it online.youll spend a lot more than u think for *a flight but worth it. Go f or c if possible get lieflat seats . Check seat guru before u book
Btw *a flights avoid fuel surcharge and f or c gets u lounge access
Btw *a flights avoid fuel surcharge and f or c gets u lounge access