NH or UA?
Sep 21, 2009, 9:23 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SCL
Programs: UA 1K, LATAM Comodoro, SPG PLT, WOH Globalist, *G, OW Emerald
Posts: 369
Sep 23, 2009, 2:46 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 9,677
While I agree that bmi has good mileage earning / burning on premium fares, their mileage program operations are a mess. Members on the bmi forum regularly report flights not being credited, awards not being ticketed, and a general lack of competence among phone agents. It's a shame that operational issues are dragging down an otherwise decent mileage program.
If the OP is flying 10-12 intl trips/yr, I doubt he/she has time to chase down flight credits.... which makes bmi a less feasible option.
Sep 23, 2009, 8:01 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ROC;SIN
Programs: ROP
Posts: 426
The premium paid for the extra domestic leg in Y are _very_ good and beat what .bomb is offering. J, regrettably, aren't that good.
Sep 24, 2009, 12:22 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shanghai
Programs: ANA Plat, AA gold, SPG Gold, HH Silver
Posts: 84
ANA Diamond members (equivalent of UA 1K) do get more in my opinion. Not only do you get upgrade points (JFK-NRT is 8 points for Y to C, you receive min. 40 for diamond, and an additional 2 for each additional 10,000 premium points earned, no limit), but you also recieve 125% bonus miles, not 100%. Additionally, you receive vouchers for use for free hotel nights, cash shopping vouchers, and your miles don't expire until 3 years after you lose diamond status, if you lose it. You get priority awards, and can even book ANY flight even if there aren't awards available (for a fee of extra miles, of course 
) Plus, as previously stated, ANA doesn't do starnet blocking, and ANA miles are more valuable than those that would be earned on, for example, UA.
Lounges, on both you'd be *G so you would always have whatever gold lounge you wanted to use. But I don't think many would argue that RCC is better than NH's lounges.
Even if you have to "slum it" in economy, NH automatically gives you premium economy, which is an actual better, separate seat and compartment, compared to UA which just adds a few inches more between the same seats.
Overall the only thing united has is their new business class seats. lie-flat instead of angled lie-flat. everything else, IMO, is better with NH.
) Plus, as previously stated, ANA doesn't do starnet blocking, and ANA miles are more valuable than those that would be earned on, for example, UA. Lounges, on both you'd be *G so you would always have whatever gold lounge you wanted to use. But I don't think many would argue that RCC is better than NH's lounges.
Even if you have to "slum it" in economy, NH automatically gives you premium economy, which is an actual better, separate seat and compartment, compared to UA which just adds a few inches more between the same seats.
Overall the only thing united has is their new business class seats. lie-flat instead of angled lie-flat. everything else, IMO, is better with NH.
Sep 29, 2009, 10:44 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: DAL-PM
Posts: 425
Thanks for all the replies.....it seems to me that since I will be riding on UAL exclusively to start with, it makes sense to use M+. It seems that all the elite bonus miles only come when actually riding on the carrier themselves. My understanding is even if you book a ANA flight as a UAL codeshare, you still would not get the bonus miles. (even if you could, I dont think I will have control of how the flights are booked, so odds are they would be booked as the actual flight) So even if i was ANA elite, if I rode on UAL, i would not get the 100% or whatever it is bonus miles. If I end up moving to an ANA city, I can switch over if it makes more sense at that point.
Oct 10, 2009, 2:40 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BKK/NRT
Programs: BA*G, UA1K, SPG-P, HH-G, GP-D, IC-RA
Posts: 783
Oct 11, 2009, 5:50 am
#26
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SCL
Programs: UA 1K, LATAM Comodoro, SPG PLT, WOH Globalist, *G, OW Emerald
Posts: 369
ANA Diamond members (equivalent of UA 1K) do get more in my opinion. Not only do you get upgrade points (JFK-NRT is 8 points for Y to C, you receive min. 40 for diamond, and an additional 2 for each additional 10,000 premium points earned, no limit), but you also recieve 125% bonus miles, not 100%. Additionally, you receive vouchers for use for free hotel nights, cash shopping vouchers, and your miles don't expire until 3 years after you lose diamond status, if you lose it. You get priority awards, and can even book ANY flight even if there aren't awards available (for a fee of extra miles, of course ) Plus, as previously stated, ANA doesn't do starnet blocking, and ANA miles are more valuable than those that would be earned on, for example, UA.
Lounges, on both you'd be *G so you would always have whatever gold lounge you wanted to use. But I don't think many would argue that RCC is better than NH's lounges.
Even if you have to "slum it" in economy, NH automatically gives you premium economy, which is an actual better, separate seat and compartment, compared to UA which just adds a few inches more between the same seats.
Overall the only thing united has is their new business class seats. lie-flat instead of angled lie-flat. everything else, IMO, is better with NH.
) Plus, as previously stated, ANA doesn't do starnet blocking, and ANA miles are more valuable than those that would be earned on, for example, UA. Lounges, on both you'd be *G so you would always have whatever gold lounge you wanted to use. But I don't think many would argue that RCC is better than NH's lounges.
Even if you have to "slum it" in economy, NH automatically gives you premium economy, which is an actual better, separate seat and compartment, compared to UA which just adds a few inches more between the same seats.
Overall the only thing united has is their new business class seats. lie-flat instead of angled lie-flat. everything else, IMO, is better with NH.
Economy class
(Normal fare, Eco-Wari Premium, Premium Light fare)
Y, E
100%
Economy class
(Eco-Wari fare/PEX fare)
B, S, M, K, L, W, G, H
70%
Economy class
(Inclusive Tour fare)
T
50%
* Please note that fares with a booking class of O, I, R, X or N are ineligible for mileage accrual.
Oct 31, 2009, 4:43 pm
#27
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan, Air Miles
Posts: 942
mileage and they charge very high fuel surcharges. An example I can show you is if you use ANA Miles for a *A flight from LAX-FRA I often had to pay upwards of $250-300 in bogus charges. Booking the same flight using AC miles was about $70. Asking United for that same flight "no availability".
.
.
http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/wws/fuel/index_e.html
Nov 1, 2009, 12:06 am
#28
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SCL
Programs: UA 1K, LATAM Comodoro, SPG PLT, WOH Globalist, *G, OW Emerald
Posts: 369
fuel surcharge page
http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/wws/fuel/index_e.html
http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/wws/fuel/index_e.html
Nov 1, 2009, 1:49 am
#29
Join Date: May 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1MM *G (recovered GS), SPG Nothing, Hilton Nothing, AA Nothing
Posts: 896
I think if you are riding in C, or F, NH has far better service. If you are riding in F, NH has a slightly nicer seat. In all other ways, UA wins for you - nonstops, RDMs, more generous terms on redemption, no expiration, etc.
One think I would offer about *net blocking -- I almost always get the dates and trips I want on UA, sometimes on partners, as long as I'm reasonably flexible about routing. So for example I wanted 3 C seats right around Christmas between IAD and VIE (this was in early october). MP couldn't get me three seats (in any class) on the OS nonstop but offered several choices and dates connecting in MUC or FRA. I don't actually know if OS even had three seats open on any flights on my preferred dates, but I suspect not. [I stopped checking the ANA tool a while ago when I realized I simply saved time by calling UA to check on redemption options].
So in a nutshell don't worry about the blocking.
One think I would offer about *net blocking -- I almost always get the dates and trips I want on UA, sometimes on partners, as long as I'm reasonably flexible about routing. So for example I wanted 3 C seats right around Christmas between IAD and VIE (this was in early october). MP couldn't get me three seats (in any class) on the OS nonstop but offered several choices and dates connecting in MUC or FRA. I don't actually know if OS even had three seats open on any flights on my preferred dates, but I suspect not. [I stopped checking the ANA tool a while ago when I realized I simply saved time by calling UA to check on redemption options].
So in a nutshell don't worry about the blocking.
Nov 1, 2009, 6:57 am
#30
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan, Air Miles
Posts: 942
I just got a YYZ-ORD-NRT-HKG-SIN, flying on UA, NH twice and SQ
all in J/C class
None of the airlines charge me anything for fuel surcharges. Just airport taxes. Maybe if you are flying out of NRT using the ANA miles. Not sure. This whole industry is so full of mystery anyways
The one airline that is really bad is actually Air Canada and that is one reason why even though I am based in YYZ I didnt fly direct from YYZ-NRT. They are very expensive and their fuel surcharges are very high. Right now, the YYZ to NRT fuel surcharge is over $200. And yes, you have to pay that in your reward tix!