Originally Posted by
rankourabu
How does that avoid fees?
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Last thing you want is to actually fly United on your international award - in business or economy.
Connecting through European airports adds fees. I was reading that a LHR transit can add well over $100 to an award ticket. From my read of the OP, it appeared they wanted to do it for the least amount of money.
But you are right, booking another carrier on a UA award ticket avoids fuel surcharges or whatever that carrier levies on their own FFP members.
I am not trying to recommend UA over QR, LH, LX, SQ, etc, etc, for hard or soft product. Just for the ease of a HKG stopover at the lowest possible amount of fees, taxes, etc.