Why don't "Any seat, any time" standard award flights show up on UAL website?
Apr 22, 2015, 9:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Milwaukee area
Programs: AA, Delta, UAL
Posts: 17
Why don't "Any seat, any time" standard award flights show up on UAL website?
We have a Milageplus Explorer card, and have for years. The promo materials say the we can book "any seat, any time" and can get any empty seat for Standard (25K points one way) points. Yet there are flights that show up as available on the "search by schedule" and the "search by price" screens, but that do not appear on the "search by awards" listing. Any ideas? I did talk to someone at UAL (always an adventure) who gave me the story that there are no award seats available, even though there are dozens of unsold seats on the flights. It used to work fine, but is there something new I'm missing? Thanks!
Apr 22, 2015, 9:15 pm
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
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Posts: 52,135
It sounds like you might be in that "half logged in" state. Try explicitly logging out and logging back in - that usually does the trick for me. It's also possible that their database is messed up and they don't have your Explorer card associated correctly with your account.
Apr 22, 2015, 9:26 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Milwaukee area
Programs: AA, Delta, UAL
Posts: 17
I always am logged on with my points showing. Could the fact it's a MasterCard Explorer vs a VISA Explorer card be a factor? I'll keep plugging away. It is strange, since it's worked in the past with the Explorer MasterCard.
Apr 22, 2015, 9:35 pm
#4
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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The expanded standard economy award inventory on a domestic flight is YN.
FWIW, I've seen some weird fare bucket availability on connecting itineraries lately. Are you looking at nonstops or connecting flights?
Apr 22, 2015, 9:41 pm
#5
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
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It sounds like you might be in that "half logged in" state. Try explicitly logging out and logging back in - that usually does the trick for me. It's also possible that their database is messed up and they don't have your Explorer card associated correctly with your account.
Used to be you would have to log in after a period of inactivity, but now you can see your points, but you are not logged in
Call it undead if you like
Follow mahasamatman's suggestion - if there is no problem with your card association with your account, that :-: should :-: fix it.
Last edited by EmailKid; Apr 22, 2015 at 10:10 pm
Aug 31, 2015, 8:47 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Milwaukee area
Programs: AA, Delta, UAL
Posts: 17
Still can't access the "Any seat, any time" as promised by UAL
We have Mileage Plus Explorer cards, and have for years. UAL's site promises that in addition to a free checked bag, if there are seats for sale on a UAL flight, we Explorer card holders can use standard points and claim that seat on the flight. They call it "any seat, any time." This worked about a year ago, but no longer does. When using the website, there are lots of seats on many flights, but many of those flights do not appear when the "award travel" spot is highlighted. We've had Chase check, and there are no other active Explorer Card accounts to muddy the water. Is there a way to contact someone higher up than the reservation people in Manila? Any suggestions are welcomed.
Greg
Greg
Aug 31, 2015, 8:51 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K and MM, AA EXP
Posts: 427
We have Mileage Plus Explorer cards, and have for years. UAL's site promises that in addition to a free checked bag, if there are seats for sale on a UAL flight, we Explorer card holders can use standard points and claim that seat on the flight. They call it "any seat, any time." This worked about a year ago, but no longer does. When using the website, there are lots of seats on many flights, but many of those flights do not appear when the "award travel" spot is highlighted. We've had Chase check, and there are no other active Explorer Card accounts to muddy the water. Is there a way to contact someone higher up than the reservation people in Manila? Any suggestions are welcomed.
Greg
Greg
Good luck!
Tim
Aug 31, 2015, 8:51 pm
#9
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Posts: 52,135
Are you sure you're fully logged in? Sometimes on united.com, you can appear to be logged in, but you're really not.
Aug 31, 2015, 9:11 pm
#10
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
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Posts: 66,842
The two common reasons for this problem are:
- Not fully logged in. This is a problem with Expert Mode also. Best way to test is go to see your posted flight details and then do the award search.
- Missing YN fare bucket -- a problem with a few UX flights -- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ghts-only.html
Sep 1, 2015, 7:25 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Milwaukee area
Programs: AA, Delta, UAL
Posts: 17
I assume I am logged in, since my points totals and existing reservations are there and viewable.
The info from UAL says "any flight any time on United operated flights" If I call reservations, I have been repeatedly told that this is wrong, and that there are no award seats available. I even had a supervisor tell me regarding the problem, "the bank is lying!"
Calling in has not worked for months. I am told that this benefit does not exist and that there are no award seats available. They can't understand that this is not specifically an award seat, but they refuse to recognize the Explorer card benefit as posted on their own website. An overseas supervisor told me that "the bank is lying!"
The info from UAL says "any flight any time on United operated flights" If I call reservations, I have been repeatedly told that this is wrong, and that there are no award seats available. I even had a supervisor tell me regarding the problem, "the bank is lying!"
Calling in has not worked for months. I am told that this benefit does not exist and that there are no award seats available. They can't understand that this is not specifically an award seat, but they refuse to recognize the Explorer card benefit as posted on their own website. An overseas supervisor told me that "the bank is lying!"
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 2, 2015 at 12:08 am Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Sep 2, 2015, 12:07 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,395
Try navigating through the website until it requests your password -- I've found that pulling up the details for an existing reservation will do it. After that, you should see the YN inventory when you do an award search. It seems that the website has a "half-logged in" state where it knows who you are and will show you your account information, but it treats you as logged-out for the purposes of the award search.
Sep 2, 2015, 12:33 am
#13
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Sep 2, 2015, 1:00 am
#14
Moderator: United Airlines
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As suggested logging out and then logging in and then do the flight search is the only reliable way to be sure. Those using ExpertMode have had this problem from the beginning.