Award availability
Oct 12, 2015, 12:38 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: right place, wrong time
Programs: UA Gold; HH Diamond; Hyatt Plat
Posts: 300
Award availability
trying to put together a family trip (4 persons) to Thailand using UA miles.
I have found availability for 4 x Global First on UA flights from USA to PVG, and same returning PEK-USA.
My trouble is that the Thai flights (665 PVG-BKK and 674 BKK-PEK) only offer 2 x econ and 2 x Business award availability. I am happy to book this if there is reason to believe Thai would possibly open up un-sold Business seats for award at some point. Flights are 5 months out at this point.
Does Thai release seats at Saver level for partner award closer to flights?
sorry in advance for noob question.
I have found availability for 4 x Global First on UA flights from USA to PVG, and same returning PEK-USA.
My trouble is that the Thai flights (665 PVG-BKK and 674 BKK-PEK) only offer 2 x econ and 2 x Business award availability. I am happy to book this if there is reason to believe Thai would possibly open up un-sold Business seats for award at some point. Flights are 5 months out at this point.
Does Thai release seats at Saver level for partner award closer to flights?
sorry in advance for noob question.
Oct 12, 2015, 3:21 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,402
trying to put together a family trip (4 persons) to Thailand using UA miles.
I have found availability for 4 x Global First on UA flights from USA to PVG, and same returning PEK-USA.
My trouble is that the Thai flights (665 PVG-BKK and 674 BKK-PEK) only offer 2 x econ and 2 x Business award availability. I am happy to book this if there is reason to believe Thai would possibly open up un-sold Business seats for award at some point. Flights are 5 months out at this point.
Does Thai release seats at Saver level for partner award closer to flights?
sorry in advance for noob question.
I have found availability for 4 x Global First on UA flights from USA to PVG, and same returning PEK-USA.
My trouble is that the Thai flights (665 PVG-BKK and 674 BKK-PEK) only offer 2 x econ and 2 x Business award availability. I am happy to book this if there is reason to believe Thai would possibly open up un-sold Business seats for award at some point. Flights are 5 months out at this point.
Does Thai release seats at Saver level for partner award closer to flights?
sorry in advance for noob question.
Once a flight is released (open for sale), they release two awards seats at a time until the initial allocation is exhausted (at least in premium classes, don't know about coach). The next two seats they release will be almost instant... if there are more to be allocated. So if you snag the two seats you see - by the time you have finished payment, the next two will already be there.
If you grab the two and another 2 (or 1) don't appear - that means they're all gone, for now.
Thai regularly monitor seats and may release more closer in depending on loads. I have seen a TG flight on the day of departure show F2A2O2 - with 'O' being an F award... so they were willing to give away the last two F seats for awards.
But - no guarantees. If you are happy to accept 2 pax in coach (for a not-so-long flight, and TG economy is reasonably ok) - I'd go ahead.
Oct 13, 2015, 12:13 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: right place, wrong time
Programs: UA Gold; HH Diamond; Hyatt Plat
Posts: 300
thank you LHR/MEL/Europe FF for the very informative response, and thank you travelislife for the very helpful suggestion!
will give it a try and report back.
will give it a try and report back.
Oct 13, 2015, 9:48 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: right place, wrong time
Programs: UA Gold; HH Diamond; Hyatt Plat
Posts: 300
went through the first 2 pax, got Biz class on PVG-BKK-HKT and HKT-BKK-PEK.
moved on to second reservation (also 2 pax), and got Biz on 3 of the 4 legs - everything except the PVG-BKK. Could have been better, could have been much worse.
Oct 13, 2015, 9:56 pm
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
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Posts: 14,402
OP reporting back: 75% success
went through the first 2 pax, got Biz class on PVG-BKK-HKT and HKT-BKK-PEK.
moved on to second reservation (also 2 pax), and got Biz on 3 of the 4 legs - everything except the PVG-BKK. Could have been better, could have been much worse.
went through the first 2 pax, got Biz class on PVG-BKK-HKT and HKT-BKK-PEK.
moved on to second reservation (also 2 pax), and got Biz on 3 of the 4 legs - everything except the PVG-BKK. Could have been better, could have been much worse.
looks like they reached the allocation. keep checking back, sometimes seats get released even at short notice before departure.
Oct 15, 2015, 1:38 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: right place, wrong time
Programs: UA Gold; HH Diamond; Hyatt Plat
Posts: 300
Oct 19, 2015, 8:36 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 144
What about economy award availability? I'm trying to book 2 seats on TG491 (BKK-AKL) around Feb 21, but I can't seem to find any availability on that flight looking at UA or ANA's award booking tools. The only options they are showing me are terrible connections that have the whole trip take anywhere from 18 to 24 hours (vice 11 hours direct)!
Dec 22, 2015, 11:49 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: VZ
Programs: M&M, ROP, KrisFlyer
Posts: 1,028
Thai introduces "priority awards" (in addition to regular awards)....
http://edm.royal-orchid-plus.com/Dis...hp?page=page_1
http://edm.royal-orchid-plus.com/Dis...hp?page=page_1
Dec 23, 2015, 4:57 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BKK
Programs: TG ROP Platinum, M&M Senator, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 8,316
remember that they wanted to double the miles for awards and then after huge protests they withdraw the whole increase!
are they now trying this again and testing with this announcement whether another storm will raise?
are they now trying this again and testing with this announcement whether another storm will raise?
Dec 23, 2015, 5:51 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,179
What about economy award availability? I'm trying to book 2 seats on TG491 (BKK-AKL) around Feb 21, but I can't seem to find any availability on that flight looking at UA or ANA's award booking tools. The only options they are showing me are terrible connections that have the whole trip take anywhere from 18 to 24 hours (vice 11 hours direct)!
No specific holidays in NZ or Thailand that might have seen award availability snapped up, although University orientation is around this time.
Note: Not sure how accurate EF is with TG award availability.
Last edited by Thai-Kiwi; Dec 23, 2015 at 6:00 am
Dec 23, 2015, 6:04 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, UA Silver
Posts: 1,366
I was recently looking at the akl-Bkk for a trip a few months later than yours and couldn't find multiple seats across a variety of dates. I ended up going through bne at the cost of an extra 8 hours total travel time.
That said, I was able to book 4 C seats from bke-bkk using the approach outlined in this thread- booked 2 and the other 2 showed up immediately.
That said, I was able to book 4 C seats from bke-bkk using the approach outlined in this thread- booked 2 and the other 2 showed up immediately.
Dec 23, 2015, 9:36 am
#15
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: VZ
Programs: M&M, ROP, KrisFlyer
Posts: 1,028
Using ExpertFlyer, I see no econ (X) availability on TG direct flights BKK-AKL 21 Feb +/- 3 days. I see 1 seat BKK-MEL 20 Feb, and 1 seat BKK-BNE 21 Feb.
No specific holidays in NZ or Thailand that might have seen award availability snapped up, although University orientation is around this time.
Note: Not sure how accurate EF is with TG award availability.
No specific holidays in NZ or Thailand that might have seen award availability snapped up, although University orientation is around this time.
Note: Not sure how accurate EF is with TG award availability.
and consider equipment etc as well...