Reward Travel to Oz - Two Tickets?
Jan 31, 2010, 8:50 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: New York, NY USA
Programs: UA Gold = nothing, UA Million Miler; Alaska MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 315
Reward Travel to Oz - Two Tickets?
Hi Everyone-
We might have the opportunity to travel to Oz in March so I decided to look at some routing via points.
We live in NYC (the frozen tundra) and looking at the traditional routing via UA or NZ (LAX, SFO or HNL) is close to impossible to score two J seats on our flexible dates. Oh well, I decided to look the other way -- via FRA. SCORE via the ANA Tool.
JFK/FRA -- F Available
FRA/BKK -- F Available
BKK/SYD -- J Available
SYD/BKK -- J Available
BKK/FRA -- F Available
FRA/JFK -- F Available
I called the Elite Line and had my cheat sheet with all the flight numbers -- after explaining the routing the agent's head was spinning and she had to check with her supervisor. They came back and said since I was combining two awards F and J (I made it clear that I would pay the F level) they would have to charge me two routings/itineraries? What? Points pp is 250,000.
Time to call back again until I get the right answer, or am I missing something?
Keep warm.
-Jim
We might have the opportunity to travel to Oz in March so I decided to look at some routing via points.
We live in NYC (the frozen tundra) and looking at the traditional routing via UA or NZ (LAX, SFO or HNL) is close to impossible to score two J seats on our flexible dates. Oh well, I decided to look the other way -- via FRA. SCORE via the ANA Tool.
JFK/FRA -- F Available
FRA/BKK -- F Available
BKK/SYD -- J Available
SYD/BKK -- J Available
BKK/FRA -- F Available
FRA/JFK -- F Available
I called the Elite Line and had my cheat sheet with all the flight numbers -- after explaining the routing the agent's head was spinning and she had to check with her supervisor. They came back and said since I was combining two awards F and J (I made it clear that I would pay the F level) they would have to charge me two routings/itineraries? What? Points pp is 250,000.
Time to call back again until I get the right answer, or am I missing something?
Keep warm.
-Jim
Jan 31, 2010, 9:02 am
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Getting to SE Asia via Europe is definitely permissible. I haven't heard anything about doing so for Australia successfully.
Have you looked at SQ, NH & OZ?
Have you looked at SQ, NH & OZ?
Jan 31, 2010, 9:09 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: SQ Silver; HH Diamond; UA Premier Plat
Posts: 123
I could be way off base here, but it may be that your proposed itinerary exceeds the MPM (Maximum Permitted Mileage) from the U.S. to Australia. If your award is subject to MPM, this would be based on the most direct routing, from NYC to either LAX or SFO then onward to SYD.
For example, the MPM for JFK-LAX or SFO-SYD is 11,947. However, you use up 11,734 of those miles just to go from JFK-FRA-BKK, with over 4,000 miles still left to travel from BKK-SYD. This would put you way over the allowable mileage.
To overcome this issue, folks often have to book two award tickets to stay within the MPM for each portion of the trip. That may be why CO is stating you need to combine two awards, not based on class of service so much as staying within MPM.
For example, the MPM for JFK-LAX or SFO-SYD is 11,947. However, you use up 11,734 of those miles just to go from JFK-FRA-BKK, with over 4,000 miles still left to travel from BKK-SYD. This would put you way over the allowable mileage.
To overcome this issue, folks often have to book two award tickets to stay within the MPM for each portion of the trip. That may be why CO is stating you need to combine two awards, not based on class of service so much as staying within MPM.
Jan 31, 2010, 9:25 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: New York, NY USA
Programs: UA Gold = nothing, UA Million Miler; Alaska MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 315
Jan 31, 2010, 10:08 am
#5
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Location: DFW
Programs: UA Pleb, HH Gold, PWP General Secretary
Posts: 23,199
CO generally also restricts TPAC legs to westbound travel. IE you have to go over the pacific to get there.
Jan 31, 2010, 10:20 am
#6
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Location: ORD/MDW
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Jan 31, 2010, 11:50 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
I can tell you for sure that you can't get from EWR to SYD/AKL via Europe on a single reward ticket. I traded emails with Scott and his explanation was that EWR-LHR-BKK-SYD was "Too indirect". I pointed out that TPA-SIN(BKK)-SYD was even more miles, but chose not to push the issue. The only explanation I sought of half-bought (from FT) was that this would be 4 continent trip.
You can go LHR-BKK(SIN)-SYD but you need to buy a separate revenue ticket to LHR (or another award ticket, and now it is getting very expensive). Still, the BC tickets are out there, although by somewhat circuitous routes. I am looking a few right now, but am not sure how to convince my wife that it makes sense to go (on the return) AKL-SYD-SIN-NRT-SFO-EWR.
You can go LHR-BKK(SIN)-SYD but you need to buy a separate revenue ticket to LHR (or another award ticket, and now it is getting very expensive). Still, the BC tickets are out there, although by somewhat circuitous routes. I am looking a few right now, but am not sure how to convince my wife that it makes sense to go (on the return) AKL-SYD-SIN-NRT-SFO-EWR.
Jan 31, 2010, 1:47 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 716
It's odd that they choose to crack down on OZ when they're so loose about the SE Asia routings. I know you can get to Australia via the north Pacific (I got it to price), so definitely look at NH, OZ or SQ. If you're looking for two F tickets on the same flight, in my experience you'll only find them with OZ from the USA.
Jan 31, 2010, 2:02 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: New York, NY USA
Programs: UA Gold = nothing, UA Million Miler; Alaska MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 315
Update
Playing around on the ANA, I found two J on NZ and return -- both on the dates we preferred. Last night and the night before the search outcome was nada, zilch.
Called CO Elite Desk to snag the flights -- Co.com, didn't list anything but Y:
First Call:
Mr. XXXX, we don't show any availability for your flight segments mentioned, not even Y.
Second Call:
Mr. XXXX, sorry you can't book NZ since the flight segments you're looking at are a UA Codeshare.
Third Call:
Mr. XXXX, our international partner desk handles this type of request, but, but, she transfers me to the Qantas, EVA, RTW Desk.
Breathe, Breathe, time for a Scotch.
Fourth Call:
Sounded like she was having a bad day, counting the seconds for my fifth call, but she was able to book my flights -- now just have to wait for NZ to confirm.
-Jim
Called CO Elite Desk to snag the flights -- Co.com, didn't list anything but Y:
First Call:
Mr. XXXX, we don't show any availability for your flight segments mentioned, not even Y.
Second Call:
Mr. XXXX, sorry you can't book NZ since the flight segments you're looking at are a UA Codeshare.
Third Call:
Mr. XXXX, our international partner desk handles this type of request, but, but, she transfers me to the Qantas, EVA, RTW Desk.
Breathe, Breathe, time for a Scotch.
Fourth Call:
Sounded like she was having a bad day, counting the seconds for my fifth call, but she was able to book my flights -- now just have to wait for NZ to confirm.
-Jim