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Old Dec 8, 2015 | 1:37 pm
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aCavalierInCoach
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
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Posts: 3,556
Originally Posted by dilbertsdaddy
So I don't use UA miles often, I fly DL and UA is my overflow since I hate AA. I only fly UA if DL does not fly somewhere. Maybe 8-10 flights a year.

The last time I redeemed UA miles about a year ago, it was very easy.

A few weeks ago I went to use one and there was plenty of availability but they wanted this outrageous service charge because it was within 30 days and I'm not elite. I got super pissed and burned a ton of miles on a car. But I still have enough left for one ticket....or so I thought.

I just went to book a ticket for March and there is low availability on only one day. What gives?

Word over at DL is that UA has such better redemptions, etc. Not from what I am seeing.

My last couple of trips on UA were not very good either. I also flew LOT and did not get my UA points. Not sure who's fault that is. I sent it in but got no response.

I have no desire to fly UA at all at this point. But I despise AA (2 lost bags and one invol in 3 trips). What to do?

I would use my remaining points for an upgrade but wait! Nothing but RJ's....and if there is a mainline flight the co-pay is more than the upgrade is worth!

Guess I will burn the rest of my useless miles on a car. By the way, last time I got charged full price for the car even though I used UA points, so I had to dispute the charge. I did not blame UA for that at the time but who knows?

I used to be Plat on CO pre-merger and it was quite good. This is a shame.

Rant over. Merry Christmas everybody!
UA has decimated saver award availability over the past 1-2 years, in particular far out for domestic routes (int'l availability seems to release a bit earlier). Where are you trying to go? For int'l travel, the number of seats may not be all that much more limited, but UA's capacity release schedule/policies have made it much more difficult to locate a day where there is saver availability on both the int'l leg and any necessary domestic connections to that trip.
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