Many recent reports on being successful with just BP but probably still a YMMV. Preint card or smart phone app might be enough with BP for other LH agents.

Your UC card gets you into the LH Business Lounge -- still pretty decent.

Thanks everyone. I went ahead and printed out my card, and will bring my UA lounge card as back-up.

If I book a flight on united.com and it is flown on Brussels airlines metal I can see what fare class United treats it as, in this instance K. However I've read that for PQM the fare class which is important is the Brussels airlines fare class.

How do find out what a UA K translates to on Brussels?

The only sure fire way is to call the operating airline after booking. And to do this within the 24 hour cancellation window if you want a no cost way to change your mind.

As a guess K on UA codeshare will translate in many cases to the lowest economy fare on the operating airline and potential non-mileage earning.

I would use this link to see where you stand:

https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/mar...spx?ItemId=343

If your ticket is 016 ticket stock (the Brussels Airlines flight will still have a UAXXXX flight #), you will treat it like a standard UA flight (based on status and the multiplier times the base fare for that flight). If it is a SNXXXX flight #, it will be 50% of miles flown (+ the bonus based on your status).

You could always call MP to make sure... but this link directly from UA's website should lay it out pretty clearly.

That is mostly correct BUT
This likely is only an issue on the bottom economy fares and is why learn the actual fare may be important to avoid this surprize even on 016 ticket. And finding out the operator's fare code on a codeshare requires calling the flight operator.

Thanks.

I had been on that UA page but I was concerned because of the LH example Winecountry linked to. It seems like there is no 100% way of knowing without getting the fare class from the operating carrier after you have booked.

Correct.

I am unsure if this a common practice, but my MP award booking is in a constant state of change. I guess because it is either so far out (Dec. 14th, 2015) or because of the airline I have booked with (CA)?

I did a quick checkup on my itinerary this morning and it had been changed. No e-mail from MP, nothing in regards to this. Every time I try to view my flight itinerary, I am taken an error page that tells me there is no information for this flight. This has happened three times now.

I just have one question, is this a common practice? If it is, why doesn't UA switch me to another flight and update my itinerary rather than just leave me with no flight/itinerary? Do I need to call UA/MP frequently to demand an updated itinerary to make sure I have a flight on the 14th?

Thank you.

Since December is actually very close, it sounds like CA.

Unfortunately, yes.

It's not that there's no flight, it's that the web site cannot show you the correct information until you call in to have them clear up the record. If it's a major change, United is on the hook to rebook you.

Call whenever you see an issue online.

A way of finding out what fare class you're booking is also to plug your exact routing into ITAmatrix and see if the prices match. If they do, it's highly likely that those are the fare buckets you're booking into. Doesn't really work after you book anymore though as the bucket then might become unavailable, but I regularly do it if I want to check a booking from e.g. an OTA that doesn't display fare class prominently before booking.

That still won't tell you the underlying fare class on a codeshare.

how would it not? ITAmatrix displays fare classes on codeshares, too

Are there any guides to the SHARES system used by United? It'd be nifty to learn how it works, and get a perspective from the other side of the screen.

Make sure you keep a close eye on CA ... China Airlines has had a history of pulling a lot of shenanigans with UA-issued award tickets, specifically in J. Not sure what your situation is, but I would continually reconfirm with UA that the ticket is intact, and that CA has not secretly removed you from your flight.