Award Travel to Guam

New to the forum!!

Trying to book travel PHL to Guam for the holidays (Dec 23/24 - Jan 4/5). Ticket prices are extremely $$$, so I'm investigating using miles. Dates are flexible, but I would like to arrive before Christmans and leave after New Year's. Problem is there is doesn't seem to be much Economy Saver availability. I have 200K UA miles banked up, but would really love to only use 65k, which is the bare minimum to get to Guam.

Anybody have any clever ideas for booking? I've been looking for stopover routes via NRT, HKG, as well but the award mileage isn't based on final destination (Guam). It was adding each leg, ie. PHL-HKG = 32500, and then HKG-GUM 15000.

Thanks for any ideas!

I may have found a possible booking, but the United booking tool keeps failing on me. Is this because I'm invalidating a booking rule?

12/18 - PHL->BKK Economy Saver Available (BKK is my stopover)
12/24 - BKK->GUM Economy Saver Available
1/10 - GUM->PHL Economy Saver Available

Does this sound like a valid booking route? Should I call United and try to book?

Can't hurt ... IMO PHL-SFO/LAX is likely to be your biggest challenge anyway. There's availability through KIX from SF on several days around that time, including on the 22nd and 23rd. You might want to consider buying a one way ticket to SF on 12/21 for 300+ bucks, then do SF-GUM on the 22nd, GUM-PHL on 1/10. I wouldn't try to connect same day on the 22nd off an early PHL flight, could be risky if anything goes wrong.

I think the problem you're having is that you're trying to go backwards. Dosen't a stop over have to be on the way to the destination? I think you could do a stopover in HNL but not any of the Asian cities.

It sounds very painful to go all the way to BKK to get to GUM, in coach, just to save miles!

I would actually like the vacation in BKK, so I don't mind indirect routing. Can anyone tell me what the MPM for PHL->GUM is?

Thanks

For PHL-HKG, you definitely need to use miles at that time.

But for HKG-GUM, have you thought about United Vacation HK:

http://www.ua-vacations.com/package/...guam-main.html

BTW - Welcome to FT.

Thanks for the tip on HK vacations, but I won't need lodging in Guam and will be staying longer than 5 days.

Is it possible to go PHL->somwhere in Europe->BKK->Guam? How restrictive is United on routing? I'm assuming I would have to get back via the Atlantic to avoid RTW ticketing?

The more and more I think about and search for availability, I'm thinking about booking an epic vacation (including 23 hour layovers for fun) and flying in business class throughout.

I also have a few more work PHL-SYD trips planned for this year, so I'll probably hit 1K before going to Guam if that makes a difference in booking.

You may exceed the MPM.

I do not believe Mainland -> GUM permits TATL routings.

The proposed itinerary should book just fine though you may have to call it in if the website doesn't price it correctly.

Mainland to Guam should price at 70k in coach; US-BKK should price at 65k from what I'm seeing on the charts. It is entirely possible that the system will only charge you 65k even with the stopover in GUM as it will see BKK as the destination.

If you have not tried, try the ANA award booking engine and search for all flight options. I see plenty of JFK - NRT - ICN - GUM. Coming back GUM - HNL - NY area (less availability).

It should be 65K in economy. Call UA to book as the ANA flight (JFK - NRT) does not show up on UA engine so you will pay no fee.

Try it from LAX and pay to get to LAX, or even try it from HNL?? (Sorry, I didnt have time to run some possibilities