Originally Posted by
jsloan
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I didn’t say that. I agree, always booking your own hotel even if UA has offered an alternative generates a risk of having to eat the cost yourself. I’d only do it if the hotel options UA provided were completely unacceptable. Note that UA has at least two tiers of hotels; they offer nicer hotels to top-tier premier members and to premium cabin customers than they do to non- or low-status members in economy.
If I got those options, I’d check for a room at the ORD Hilton, and run the risk of having to pay out of pocket if the airline declined my claim. I’ve definitely gotten the hotel shuttle to Schaumburg, but not to places quite as decrepit as what’s in that article. But i also don’t think that it’s some grand conspiracy; it’s just that most of the nicer hotels don’t want to sell many rooms at the rates AA (or UA) is willing to pay.
No you didn't, I was thinking of Kacee's message. And I don't think the intent was to give blanket advice. But it can come off that way.
I didn't know about the two tier system. I often remember standing in line and seeing the agent going in order of the people standing in line and assigning rooms until a hotel was full and then moving to the next.
Maybe the app system does the two tier. If i recall, my parents had the option of Holiday Inn, Ramada, or Best Western. My mom is 1K, dad nothing. They were op-uped to J but ticketed in Y (reservations still showing Y). But they stood in line waiting for an agent for a long time until no agent showed up. Then had trouble using the app. So maybe the good hotels all got taken by people with working apps (or knew how to use the app). Their flight arrived at midnight so it's also possible the good hotels were all booked full by then.