have suffiient miles for a UA award (transatlantic)- but no inventory available - can I transfer them to US??? I have an account with US - but not enough miles - also thinking of defecting to US as UA no longer does a good connection for me from the UK (united only goes out of LHR) while US goes out of Manchester UK which is far better for me - is there a rate of conversion?? if indeed I can switch them - Thanks gwen

No you can't, but you can book US reward flights with UA miles, so
what's the difference?

You can't convert them in any meaningful way. webflyer.com (part of this website group) has a mileage converter.

The alliances do not work by transferring miles. However, you can call up United Mileage Plus and ask them to check availability for a ticket on US Airways. UA MP can issue awards on all of the Star Alliance carriers, assuming 1) the other carrier has made award seats available, and 2) United chooses to make that available to you.

I've had decent luck by calling up United International Reservations (not United Mileage Plus) to get them to search for alternatives. It does help if you already know what other airlines in *A fly where you want to go.

For example, my daughter is getting to Madrid by taking UA to Zurich and then Spanair (JK) from ZRH to MAD. But its all using a United MP Star Alliance reward.

You don't say where you're trying to go, but UA could issue rewards that use BMI (BD), Lufthansa (LH), Swiss (LX), Air Canada (AC) Austrian and several other carriers, also of course using US Airways.

There are lots of threads here of FT about how to sign up and use the ANA airlines Star Alliance Award search - it searches most (not all) *A carriers. You just sign up as an ANA member, and even though you have zero miles, you can then search. Do a search here on FT for more info about ANA Star Alliance award availability.

If you're not yet searching the actual *A availability but just want an idea of what Star Alliance carriers can get you where you want to go, I find Orbitz very useful. The "additional options" feature for specifying preferred airline also lets you specify an alliance.

Either of these approaches can give you a better idea of what to ask for next when the UA agent says "we don't fly there" or "we don't have availability". You might end up on mixed carriers, might have an extra leg or an oddball routing, but if you guide the agents on what to check, you can probably find something.

Hi Gwen again - travelling UK (Manchester or London) to mco or tampa - or miami -going out and coming back anytime in july - the UA agents say there is nothing available - except on Air canada - but the child price for the route is �1020+ - however UA are showing availability for the route - but they wont book it as it is UA miles - and United say the availability isnt there!!! what do you do!!! will try your suggestions as above - will go and register as you suggested and see whats what - US airways is now better for us - as BMI cut the route that connected us to london - so wait time is now 9hrs on the return journey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the help - not prepared to give up yet as it is for my 72 yrold mother and her 9 yr old grandson!!!!!! Thanks gwen