FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues [ARCHIVE]
Old Dec 28, 2017, 10:37 am
  #2126  
titaniumfemme
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: MileagePlus and a bunch of hotel programs
Posts: 112
My data point

I just got off the phone with United's Premier Desk and thought I should throw in my data point to the discussion.

I and a travel companion (on the same PNR) are booked on an open jaw from IAH to MAD and then CDG to IAH in September 2018. I was able to get a Business Class Saver award for the flight(s) over for 70,000 miles, but no saver award was available for the flights back. Instead, I booked an Economy award at 30,000 miles for the flights back. So, 100,000 miles each or a total of 200,000 miles. The flights over are a combination of UA/LX and the flights back are both UA.

This morning, I called the UA Premier Desk and used the magic words, "I'd like to waitlist for I class, please." LOOOOOOOONNNNNNG silence from the agent. But to her credit, she didn't try to make something up --- she admitted she had never done this before and said she would enlist some help. In the midst of doing whatever magic needed doing, she said, rather tentatively, "I guess they'll just take the additional miles out if you clear into business?" Mindful of the discussions on this thread, I said, "I think the miles need to be deducted now." I know there is debate and disagreement here on the issue of whether the miles actually need to be deducted at the time one is added to the waitlist, but I would rather be safe than sorry. For what it's worth, the agent consulted with the Great and Mysterious Oz who was helping her in the background, and he/she appeared to agree that the miles should come out now. YMMV.

I had figured I would need to pay an additional 40,000 miles per person, for a total of 80,000 additional miles (I've already paid 30,000 each for the economy award, so an additional 40,000 miles each to total 70,000 miles each for the Business Class Saver awards). However, the agent told me it would only be an additional 30,000 miles each for a total of 60,000 miles. I actually spoke up and said I thought it would be more and why. Again, she consulted with Oz and came back, saying it would be an additional 30,000 each for a total of 60,000 additional miles. "Okay, great," I said.

I'm now looking at my Mileage Plus account, and a total of 260,000 miles have been deducted for this trip, in keeping with the math according to the agent. I've looked at the reservation and it now says for the return flights, "Fare Class: United Economy (XN) - IN class requested" with the hyperlinked note, "You are confirmed in XN class on this flight and have requested to change to IN class. You will be automatically confirmed on this flight if space in your requested class (IN) becomes available."

I think I and my travel companion are now successfully waitlisted, but if anyone sees a problem here, I'd be grateful if you'd let me know. Thanks so much.
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