Any experience booking with Vayama.com?
 

I searched and couldn't come up with even my own post from some time ago in which I mentioned Vayama, so my apologies if this duplicates some previous query...

Anyway, any experience booking UA flights using Vayama.com? I'm looking at Z fares for an itinerary that's mainly UA flights, one of which is UA metal but LH code share. Am interested about its reliability and whether, buying through Vayama, I'd get the EQMs and redeemable miles that I'd normally accrue if buying directly from UA.

Thanks for any help.

miles earned is based on the fare class purchased not the travel agent/site used.

Thanks. Anyone with experience actually using Vayama to book UA tix?

I've used Vayama a few times for transpacific coach. Each time the reservation has appeared instantly on UA's system and booked in W. I even received full miles on an ANA codeshare as part of a flight to HK. I don't know about Z fares, but I'd imagine it's the same.

I've bought from them once. Only issue is that I was told by united that it was a "bulk" fare, and could not be changed by UA, but only through Vayama. They charge an additional $100 in addition to UA's change fee - I decided not to change.

No problems with booking, flying or credit.

Billy

Let's see if the readers of our on-line travel booking forum can shed some added light on the issues. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, United M+.

Hats off for the smooth transition!

I don't have any first hand experience with Vayana, but I appreciate the OP bringing this site & thread location to my attention. Good Luck!

I guess one other question I didn't flag was any experience with Vayama in the event of missed connections? One or two of the connections on the itinerary I might fly are tight. Does that mean I'd have to try to contact Vayama to rebook me if I miss the connecting flights?

I have a flight that I am about to book with Vayama because it is $200 per passenger cheaper than on Orbitz, Expedia, etc.

Once you get the flight booked, can you select your seats online w/the Airline's website, etc?

A friend of mine booked BNA-PRG through Vayama, he flew NW/KL/OK and only got credit for the outgoing flight.

When it was questioned, NW informed him that his returning vayama booked travel was a contract "negotiated" fare similar to Priceline/Hotwire and that points could not be earned. :(

Had no problem selecting seats on nwa.com on a booking made through Vayama. Once Vayama had my NW FF# in the reservation, it was a simple matter to access the reservation on nwa.com and select seats.

I didn't have any problems buying tickets to Russia at vayama or changing seats online at AA.com afterwards (which had this reservation on their site almost immediately). One big complain I have is that apparently tickets I got are not eligible for frequent flier miles. I couldn't find information about ticket class and their eligibility anywhere on vayama so I discovered it only after I got the boarding pass. Worst of all American ran a promotion a month after I purchased the tickets so I could end up buying tickets at nearly the same price, get full miles credit, and get bonus miles as well. Oh well, lesson learned.

An earlier posted said it simply comes down to fare class. But some are reporting earning miles and some are reporting not earning miles utilizing Vayama. Is it possible they sell different types of fares; consolidator, group, and published fares, and that only some of these actually earn miles?

They do sell different fare classes apparently. I wish they warned you somewhere that the ticket you're buying will not earn you miles.

I booked a flight from IAD to South Africa for November. UA flights and SAA flights. Booked in S on UA and L on SAA which should both earn miles on UA MP. Was able to see the UA fare classes before buying but only saw the SAA fare class once it posted on my united.com page.

There was a schedule change on a UA flight which changed my layover in LHR to 45min which wasn't legal or plausible at all. As mentioned, UA can't change the ticket but called Vayama and only took them 15 minutes to change me to a later UA flight I preferred. There was no S fare available on the next flight so they booked me in W.

Hope this helps.