BadgerGreg

My wife and I each have Chase Mileage Plus Explorer MasterCards. We are trying to book flights using award points, and according to all the Explorer card info, "The primary cardmember can use their miles to book award travel on any United operated flight at the Mileage Plus Standard Award level as long as tickets are still available for sale."

However, the for sale flights do not appear and cannot be accessed in the "award travel" listing on ual.com. On all phone contacts I am told that we cannot access any still unsold seat. They say that Chase has this wrong, and it is really only if there are still official UAL award seats available, and that it really doesn't mean "any seat!"

Is it because we have Master Cards instead of VISA?
Is it because the credit card numbers changed about 6 months ago after Target and Home Depot breaches?
Is it a Chase error? (I doubt it.)
Is it UAL and their lack of understanding as to what "any seat still available for sale" really means?
What am I missing?
Is there a local USA number at which I might be able to get an answer?
Any suggestions on what the next step should be?

Thank you for any and all assistance! Greg

aacharya

Chase cards get last-seat availability. If you have expert mode on, anything in YN, which is almost always available, except for truly full flights, is bookable. If you don't know about expert mode, don't worry about it for now.

Are the flights you are looking for definitely available to book as revenue tickets, and are they all UA metal (not just UA flight numbers)?

Do you see a notice under your "miles expiration date" thanking you for being a Chase cardholder?

BadgerGreg

The flights are definitely UAL (United Express), and we have flown the route many times, MKE to EUG. On July 1, our travel date, there are currently 22 of 50 seats for booking on the 8:37 AM MKE to DEN leg, and 28 of 50 on the DEN to EUG leg.

There is no "thanks" under the miles expiration date. There is an ad suggesting we "like Mileage Plus credit cards on Facebook," though.

I'll gladly learn how to access and use "expert" mode, if it will allow me to accomplish the award booking.

It's really strange, because prior to this year the UAL website was quite "friendly" for booking flights, and would always show all flights with open seats.

Baze

Sounds like the links got broken when you got new numbers. Not sure how you resolve it but call chase first and make sure your MP numbers are there. Then call UA. Have you made any purchases with the cards since the numbers changed and if yes have the miles posted? Are you sure you are fully logged into Uniteds web site?

aacharya

If there is no "thanks" when you scroll over the term "mileage expiration date", then you don't have the credit card linked properly to your MP number. It may have to do with the cancellation of your number, conversion to MC from Visa, etc.

Also, seat counts are not normally indicative of seats for sale. Having said that, the fare class for standard awards (YN) is wide open for the 2nd leg - the first leg only has "Y" and not YN. That might be due to being regional (Skywest seems to have this issue, but ExpressJet does not), and a glitch in the award booking availability.

Might have to call that in as even I as a 1K and Chase holder, do not see the first leg available at all on awards. But it totally should be and is. (As Y is wide open).

Available Cabins: F6, A6, JN6, C6, D6, Z6, ZN6, P6, PN6, R3, RN3, IN0, I0, Y9, YN9, B9, M9, E9, U9, H9, HN0, Q1, V0, W0, S0, T0, L0, K0, G0, N0, XN0, X0

lindaiah

Not "under" it, exactly... mouse over the link for "Mileage Expiration Date" and see if a box pops up thanking you 'for being a Chase MileagePlus cardmember..."

bruceba

Try to sign in and out and back in. Also turn off (remember me)
I have to do this to be recognized. It opens up the expanded inventory for me.

BadgerGreg

Yes, I was thinking that somehow the Explorer component of the equation got lost somewhere in the new card shuffle. We have charged a lot with the cards, and are getting the points added to our Mileage Plus accounts. Just no capability of doing what is promised with the "any seat, any time" concept. I'll try Chase again and see what they might offer. Thank you for your thoughts!

BadgerGreg

You are very correct. It does show a link thanking us for being a Chase Mileage Plus card member, but no mention of Explorer. Should that appear as well?

mahasamatman

No, all Chase cards show up the same.