Change to *A Award routing rules (Effective 11 FEB 2011)
Feb 10, 2011, 6:34 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: FLL
Programs: AA Gold, DL Gold, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, Starwood Gold, too many cruise programs to list
Posts: 655
If I'm reading this right, this means that DEN-IAD-FCO, FCO-ZRH-NBO, NBO-ZRH-IAD-DEN would be allowed? What are we looking at for miles required?
Feb 10, 2011, 6:34 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: All opinions/interpretations expressed here are my own and are not officially sanctioned by UA
Posts: 352
If I would like to go to USA-South Asia via Europe in F, it'll be 160k instead of 145k? 
Also, I don't know what the MPM is but is it possible to go from IAD-FRA-NRT (stopover)-BKK (destination)-FRA-IAD? How many miles will it cost? Thanks. I would like to get an award ticket for end of this year but not sure I should use multiple oneways or round trip with stopover.
Also, I don't know what the MPM is but is it possible to go from IAD-FRA-NRT (stopover)-BKK (destination)-FRA-IAD? How many miles will it cost? Thanks. I would like to get an award ticket for end of this year but not sure I should use multiple oneways or round trip with stopover.
MPM-wise IAD-FRA-NRT-BKK falls in the 10M range.
Okay, I like to help but I can't keep answering each individual routing/mileage question here. I would like to answer more general questions but I can't spend my life being the personal res agent for everybody. Please just call reservations with your questions and if you feel the agent doesn't know what's going on have them check the relevant profiles.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Feb 11, 2011 at 3:03 am Reason: merge
Feb 10, 2011, 6:37 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
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Posts: 26,926
Thanks for posting this info IslandSkies!
Last edited by iluv2fly; Feb 11, 2011 at 3:03 am Reason: merge
Feb 10, 2011, 7:11 pm
#19
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Fremont, CA, USA. UA Premier Platinum 1MM
Posts: 331
Should be okay as long as you're in the 15M band. Only thing is if it's a higher award region you pay higher miles. Example: Europe-Japan is 80k. But for Europe-Japan there is a published higher award for going through a third region set at 90k, so that is what you pay if going Europe-USA-Japan instead of going straight across. Not all region pairs (like USA-Japan) have these, so for those you just use the miles for the highest region pair on the routing. For example USA-Japan is 65k in economy. If you go USA via Europe to Japan you pay 80k.
Anyways, I have been booking North America to Asia via Europe awards couple times, and I have to say most agents and supervisors are not aware of this possibility and say two awards are required
Feb 10, 2011, 8:14 pm
#20
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: DAL
Posts: 3,400
This is great news! However, I hope they won't redemption rates because of this.
Feb 10, 2011, 8:39 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,482
Thank you, IslandSkies.^:-:
Feb 10, 2011, 10:42 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 984
thanks IslandSkies! this has been such a useful post and i am sure many others agree. i went ahead and booked my award tickets as soon as i got your reply.
Feb 10, 2011, 11:46 pm
#23
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Programs: UA-1k, 1mm, Marriott-LT Platinum, Hertz-Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,355
Okay, I like to help but I can't keep answering each individual routing/mileage question here. I would like to answer more general questions but I can't spend my life being the personal res agent for everybody. Please just call reservations with your questions and if you feel the agent doesn't know what's going on have them check the relevant profiles.
IslandSkies, thanks for posting this. ^ Much appreciated. Wouldn't USA via Europe to Japan be 90K instead of 80K (in Economy) ? Or would whether having a stopover in Europe or not make a difference ?
Anyways, I have been booking North America to Asia via Europe awards couple times, and I have to say most agents and supervisors are not aware of this possibility and say two awards are required
Anyways, I have been booking North America to Asia via Europe awards couple times, and I have to say most agents and supervisors are not aware of this possibility and say two awards are required
Feb 11, 2011, 2:57 am
#24
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: hnl
Programs: ua 1k, spg plt
Posts: 109
So do these new rules supersede the old validation rules?
IslandSkies, I recall you posted a little while back the overwater carrier's routing rules came into play in certain scenarios...is this not the case anymore?
Are *A Awards now purely 15M - MPM travel awards with no routing restrictions (fare/carrier based ones)?
IslandSkies, I recall you posted a little while back the overwater carrier's routing rules came into play in certain scenarios...is this not the case anymore?
Required only when CUM exceeds MPM
Display governing carrier's tariff from Origin to Destination for each direction of travel where CUM exceeds MPM.
If cities in direction of travel follow governing carrier's legal routing for any routing fare, direction of travel is valid for one award even though CUM exceeds MPM.
Both directions must be validated using Step 1 (or Step 2 if CUM exceeds MPM) for itinerary to qualify for one award.
Step 2 Exception
If governing carrier does not publish a routing fare, CUM can exceed MPM up to 10 percent (10M) for one award.
Display governing carrier's tariff from Origin to Destination for each direction of travel where CUM exceeds MPM.
If cities in direction of travel follow governing carrier's legal routing for any routing fare, direction of travel is valid for one award even though CUM exceeds MPM.
Both directions must be validated using Step 1 (or Step 2 if CUM exceeds MPM) for itinerary to qualify for one award.
Step 2 Exception
If governing carrier does not publish a routing fare, CUM can exceed MPM up to 10 percent (10M) for one award.
Feb 11, 2011, 3:39 am
#25
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Programs: UA-1K/Life UC, AA-EXP, AF-Plat
Posts: 202
Thanks IslandSkies.
Looks like UA is considering online booking for star itin.
Simpler OJ rule and 15M but no exemption rule makes routing validation automatic.
Could you tell me where can I find this rule?
My understand from MPI/STAR AWARD RULES and MPI/STAR AWARD ROUTING is 80k applies if
1. Making stopover in Europe, Middle East or anywhere between
AND
2. TPM Total exceeds MPM (5M, 10M, 15M)
There is MPM via AT published US-Japan so itin via Europe is normally 0M.
For example,
NYC-PAR-TYO via AT is 0M
65k applies whether making stopover in PAR or not.
WAS-ACC-FRA-TYO via AT is 15M
65k applies if no stopover en route.
If making stopover en route, highest check needed (like HIP).
US-N.Africa 75k
US-EU 55k
US-JP 65k
N.Africa-EU 40k
N.Africa-JP 80k
EU-JP 80k
So highest of 80k will apply.
(for business award, EU-JP 120k is the highest)
Circle pacific routings not permitted for US-JP, however (as indicated specifically).
Old routing rules are completely overridden.
No validation with routing fare. Now 15M rule only and no other method.
Looks like UA is considering online booking for star itin.
Simpler OJ rule and 15M but no exemption rule makes routing validation automatic.
My understand from MPI/STAR AWARD RULES and MPI/STAR AWARD ROUTING is 80k applies if
1. Making stopover in Europe, Middle East or anywhere between
AND
2. TPM Total exceeds MPM (5M, 10M, 15M)
There is MPM via AT published US-Japan so itin via Europe is normally 0M.
For example,
NYC-PAR-TYO via AT is 0M
65k applies whether making stopover in PAR or not.
WAS-ACC-FRA-TYO via AT is 15M
65k applies if no stopover en route.
If making stopover en route, highest check needed (like HIP).
US-N.Africa 75k
US-EU 55k
US-JP 65k
N.Africa-EU 40k
N.Africa-JP 80k
EU-JP 80k
So highest of 80k will apply.
(for business award, EU-JP 120k is the highest)
Circle pacific routings not permitted for US-JP, however (as indicated specifically).
No validation with routing fare. Now 15M rule only and no other method.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Feb 11, 2011 at 3:58 pm Reason: merge
Feb 11, 2011, 5:52 am
#26
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,050
Sounds a good new for redemption! Thanks!
Feb 11, 2011, 12:18 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Currently: DCA (+IAD/BWI). Before that: FNL (+DEN/COS). Before that: HVN (+BDL/LGA/EWR/JFK).
Programs: UA 1K, DL Gold, Hertz Five Star, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 626
IslandSkies - for clarification, why is it that a US-Asia award routing through Europe now costs the higher Europe-Asia price? As long as the routing doesn't exceed 0M, shouldn't it still be the lower US-Asia price, since there's no "higher mileage" option specified for US-Asia routings? I'm sure you said it for a reason, but I'm just confused because I didn't see anything in the new rules that would say that it has to take the highest cost of any two regions involved in the routing.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Feb 11, 2011, 12:55 pm
#28
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA Gold, UA GM (ex 1K-lite), Priority Club Gold, Hertz #1 Gold, DL GM
Posts: 92
Wow -- this should help with an award trip I'm planning next year! (And thanks IslandSkies for another useful post!)
What triggered the change? (*A vs. UACO?)
What triggered the change? (*A vs. UACO?)
Feb 11, 2011, 1:05 pm
#29
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K, AA Exec Plat, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Ritz Rewards
Posts: 162
Thanks Islandskies.
Great news^
Great news^
Feb 11, 2011, 1:17 pm
#30
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
The new award rules are posted on United.com: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,8566,1141,00.html
Not as much detail as IslandSkies provided, but they do reflect the new rules. They are easier to understand than they used to be.
Not as much detail as IslandSkies provided, but they do reflect the new rules. They are easier to understand than they used to be.