United (Air Canada): YVR-TPE Business/Polaris $2,000
#46
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You can ask, but I'd be surprised. I don't know that anyone at UA is going to want to invest in updating the rules for a product that's going away, and I don't know that you'll find a front-line agent who's willing to break the rules if they're not updated.
#47
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: HNL & SFO
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Posts: 292
After plugging in some sample dates, this is what I'm finding.
If I want to do a quick turnaround, say YVR-SFO-TPE on a Friday, arrive in TPE on Saturday, and then return on a Sunday, then I'm not given the option of SFO-YVR on AC. it shows no availability for that, although it does give me the option to fly UA on that segment. If I add another day, and select a Monday return, then the AC SFO-YVR appears. Do I need to do a minimum 3 day stay for that choice? I picked random weekend dates from May 24 onwards.
If I want to do a quick turnaround, say YVR-SFO-TPE on a Friday, arrive in TPE on Saturday, and then return on a Sunday, then I'm not given the option of SFO-YVR on AC. it shows no availability for that, although it does give me the option to fly UA on that segment. If I add another day, and select a Monday return, then the AC SFO-YVR appears. Do I need to do a minimum 3 day stay for that choice? I picked random weekend dates from May 24 onwards.
#48
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
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I saw the same thing when I booked at Monday departure and Wednesday return. But no big issue for me since I'm YVR-based and don't need to drop the SFO-YVR segment.
#49
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 25
There are a couple of restrictions in the fare that make this a little more complicated than it first appeared. Here's one:
All of the KIX-TPE flights I could find were operated by BR (EVA Air). Therefore, in order to take advantage of this fare, you'd have to fly back through Tokyo to Taipei. That's allowed, but the airport situation in Osaka, Tokyo, and Taipei make it pretty inconvenient. Most of the flights that I found ended up at TSA instead of TPE, which is convenient for people traveling to Taipei but not convenient for people trying to bypass it.
Even with that caveat, I was having a hard time getting ITA to price this for me with two stopovers, even if I forced the fare. The best that I could do was to route YVR-SFO-KIX/ITM-NRT-TPE, all in one day. Now, that's good and bad. Obviously, it's bad, because you want to stay in Osaka, but it's good, because it proves that the fare can actually be routed this way.
My advice is to try it on a few of the better-known online travel agents and see what you can get to price. If you know a good travel agent in your area, you can take in the information about the fare and ask if they can look it up and help you price it manually. You can also try calling United, although I've had mixed success trying to get them to book complicated itineraries on the phone.
If none of that works, I would try to book something with the right cities, even if the stopovers aren't right. Ideally, you'd have the same flight numbers you actually want; it's just that some of the dates would be wrong. Make sure the price is correct. Then, within 24 hours, call United and ask them to change the dates to the ones you want. One of the nice things about UA is that they have a blanket 24-hour cancellation policy; any of their tickets can be cancelled within 24 hours for a full refund. So, if you can't get an agent to fix the itinerary the way you want it, you can cancel without penalty.
If this is starting to look like more trouble than it's worth, you can always book it the original way and then buy the ticket to/from KIX separately.
Hope this helps!
All of the KIX-TPE flights I could find were operated by BR (EVA Air). Therefore, in order to take advantage of this fare, you'd have to fly back through Tokyo to Taipei. That's allowed, but the airport situation in Osaka, Tokyo, and Taipei make it pretty inconvenient. Most of the flights that I found ended up at TSA instead of TPE, which is convenient for people traveling to Taipei but not convenient for people trying to bypass it.
Even with that caveat, I was having a hard time getting ITA to price this for me with two stopovers, even if I forced the fare. The best that I could do was to route YVR-SFO-KIX/ITM-NRT-TPE, all in one day. Now, that's good and bad. Obviously, it's bad, because you want to stay in Osaka, but it's good, because it proves that the fare can actually be routed this way.
My advice is to try it on a few of the better-known online travel agents and see what you can get to price. If you know a good travel agent in your area, you can take in the information about the fare and ask if they can look it up and help you price it manually. You can also try calling United, although I've had mixed success trying to get them to book complicated itineraries on the phone.
If none of that works, I would try to book something with the right cities, even if the stopovers aren't right. Ideally, you'd have the same flight numbers you actually want; it's just that some of the dates would be wrong. Make sure the price is correct. Then, within 24 hours, call United and ask them to change the dates to the ones you want. One of the nice things about UA is that they have a blanket 24-hour cancellation policy; any of their tickets can be cancelled within 24 hours for a full refund. So, if you can't get an agent to fix the itinerary the way you want it, you can cancel without penalty.
If this is starting to look like more trouble than it's worth, you can always book it the original way and then buy the ticket to/from KIX separately.
Hope this helps!
I also checked the fare rules and did notice the no BR rule. It's a good example for me.
I have one more question before I go ahead and book this ticket.
So I will be around 4700 miles short to be KF Gold before this trip, just to make sure I can bank the miles from this trip to my KF account on time by 12/31/2018. There's shouldn't be a problem here right?
Last edited by markmho; Apr 27, 2018 at 12:52 pm
#50
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 25
I am able to book following itin in GDS, comes to USD 2236.17 all in.
Code:
2 UA 618 P 20DEC 4*YVRSFO HK1 0600 0817 20DEC E 3 UA 035 P 20DEC 4*SFOKIX HK1 1110 1625 21DEC E 4 NH2176 Y 26DEC 3 ITMNRT HK1 0745 0900 26DEC E 5 NH 823 P 26DEC 3 NRTTPE HK1 1845 2210 26DEC E 6 HX 285 J 28DEC 5 TPEHKG HK1 0800 0955 28DEC E 7 UA 862 P 07JAN 1*HKGSFO HK1 1220 0830 07JAN E 8 UA 685 P 07JAN 1*SFOYVR HK1 1046 1300 07JAN E
#51
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
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Thanks for looking into it, Jsloan! You're right, now I'm leaning just to book YVR - SFO - HKG - TPE - SFO - YVR and book a separate ticket for HKG - KIX.
I also checked the fare rules and did notice the no BR rule. It's a good example for me.
I have one more question before I go ahead and book this ticket.
So I will be around 4700 miles short to be KF Gold before this trip, just to make sure I can bank the miles from this trip to my KF account on time by 12/31/2018. There's shouldn't be a problem here right?
I also checked the fare rules and did notice the no BR rule. It's a good example for me.
I have one more question before I go ahead and book this ticket.
So I will be around 4700 miles short to be KF Gold before this trip, just to make sure I can bank the miles from this trip to my KF account on time by 12/31/2018. There's shouldn't be a problem here right?
#52
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 25
After plugging in some sample dates, this is what I'm finding.
If I want to do a quick turnaround, say YVR-SFO-TPE on a Friday, arrive in TPE on Saturday, and then return on a Sunday, then I'm not given the option of SFO-YVR on AC. it shows no availability for that, although it does give me the option to fly UA on that segment. If I add another day, and select a Monday return, then the AC SFO-YVR appears. Do I need to do a minimum 3 day stay for that choice? I picked random weekend dates from May 24 onwards.
If I want to do a quick turnaround, say YVR-SFO-TPE on a Friday, arrive in TPE on Saturday, and then return on a Sunday, then I'm not given the option of SFO-YVR on AC. it shows no availability for that, although it does give me the option to fly UA on that segment. If I add another day, and select a Monday return, then the AC SFO-YVR appears. Do I need to do a minimum 3 day stay for that choice? I picked random weekend dates from May 24 onwards.
Category 2: Day/Time restrictions
PERMITTED MON THROUGH THU ON EACH TRANSPACIFIC SECTOR.
#53
Join Date: Sep 2001
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I agree with you. I think I have a better chance of getting a comp. upgrade to first (because I'm a 1k) than of being allowed to apply a GPU on a P fare.
#54
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Is there a reason "Air Canada" is in the title? Is that just a reference to the feeder flights, or is it possible to fly AC TPAC?
#55
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
Programs: AC*SE100K, wood level status in various other programs
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I couldn't get it to ticket on AC nor could I use AC flights TPAC to make it happen. So, for me, it's UA metal all of the way. But AC feeders YVR to/from SFO are possible.
Last edited by Bohemian1; Apr 27, 2018 at 5:07 pm Reason: Clarity, grammar, etc.
#56
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,349
The AC fare is also refundable for a C$200 charge, which is much nicer than the UA ticket’s policy — non-refundable, and if you need to cancel and rebook, the new fare must be equal to or higher than the original fare paid. (No travel certificate for the fare residual).
The AC fare is valid through April 30.
#57
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
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#58
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,349
Hope this helps...
#59
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
Programs: AC*SE100K, wood level status in various other programs
Posts: 6,211
Thanks. Couldn't seem to force it in ITA Matrix.
I already have the UA fare booked in July, but like the cancellation options on this one better.
It's martini time, so I'll hack away on the weekend and will report back if I can make it work.
I already have the UA fare booked in July, but like the cancellation options on this one better.
It's martini time, so I'll hack away on the weekend and will report back if I can make it work.