ORD-LAS-ORD (quite long)
Sep 19, 1999, 1:10 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Chicago, IL (ORD)
Programs: AA Gold, UA Premier Exec, Starwood Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,100
ORD-LAS-ORD (quite long)
72 hrs (approx) prior to flight:
I called UA Prem Exec reservations to see if my requested upgrade to 1st came through for myself, my mom & my mom's friend. I asked if I'd be able to use certificates for the third person. The agent said I couldn't so I then asked could I use miles? She said that, yes, I could and gave me the new seat assignments in first.
9/11 UA ORD-LAS 8AM
We got to Prem Exec checkin at ORD (I love that it's with the 1K's, makes Prem Exec feel like it means just a bit more!) and the agent says that I can only upgrade myself & my mom with certificates. I said yes, I know this and I am upgrading the third person with miles. She says that it can't be done so I tell her about my conversation with reservations a couple of days before. She did some calling & checking and agreed to honor what the reservations agent told me. I was sorry that I didn't have Service certificates with me as she was very nice. When I mentioned it, she said, "Thanks, but it's my job to give you this service". How refreshing! She also recommended that I take care of my mom's friend for the return flight so I didn't run into the same problem, so he was confirmed for 1st class before we were! Fortunately, 1st on the return flight was looking pretty empty, so our chances were very good. I was looking forward to showing off the RCC club to my companions, but alas, by the time we got to C concourse & the gate, it was time to board. We flew on a DC-10 on the way out there with nice seats, they weren't the old leather ones, but they didn't have the headrest & wings like the new ones. Boarding was on-time & we got to enjoy pre-flight mimosas before an on-time departure. Breakfast was a choice of a different sampler (this one had French Toast on it) or the standard fruit plate (which I always think is quite good). Flight was pretty uneventful (except for more mimosas!
) and we landed in LAS about 15 mins. early.
Overall rate: 9 (especially for UA service)
Caesar's Palace
I decided to cash in some Starpoints (while I still could) to stay here. At 10AM, check-in was pretty deserted, we had 2 people waiting on us since we were booking 2 rooms (my friend & her mom were meeting us there). I requested staying in the new Palace Tower since I heard it was very nice. The girl checking me in said I'd be charged an upgrade...until I flashed my Starwood Platinum card, that is! Neither room was ready, so we met up with the rest of our party & began to plan our evenings for the trip. Note: This part of Sept. is NOT the best for shows in Vegas, in fact, some of them go dark for about 2 weeks! 
One of the rooms was ready around 3PM & it was very nice! It was on the 25th floor (out of 29) with a decent view of the Mirage, the mountains & some of the north strip. It also had a jacquzzi (sp?) in the bathroom and was very tastefully done. The second room was SUPPOSED to be on the 24th floor (we insisted on 2 non-smoking double rooms) but we kept checking on the 2nd room & it was never ready! We had to get ready for an early show so by 4:30, the only non-smoking double that was available was on the 11th floor. No jacquzzi and not as nice a view. I gave the upper level room to my mom & her friend & took the other room with my friend & her mom. Also, didn't win any money.
Overall rate: 7
9/14 UA LAS-ORD 6:15PM
We got to LAS and found a huge coach checkin line, but the Premier/First line was blessedly short with virtually no waiting. It's at times like that when my mom finally understands why I always try to re-qualify for status! We manage to pick up some yummy Ethel M chocolate & our flight is delayed about 30 mins. No announcements or anything. We find out from a mechanic on the plane (a 767) that a) the plane is only 8 days old and b) they were checking on a leak that turned out to be nothing. We got the new 1st class seats with headrests & wings. Is it just me, or are the new 1st class seats narrower with the bigger center console? I actually preferred our seats on the DC-10. Dinner was rather disappointing but it was a decent flight.
Overall rating: 8
All in all, a wonderful trip!
------------------
Regards,
- Anna
I called UA Prem Exec reservations to see if my requested upgrade to 1st came through for myself, my mom & my mom's friend. I asked if I'd be able to use certificates for the third person. The agent said I couldn't so I then asked could I use miles? She said that, yes, I could and gave me the new seat assignments in first.
9/11 UA ORD-LAS 8AM
We got to Prem Exec checkin at ORD (I love that it's with the 1K's, makes Prem Exec feel like it means just a bit more!) and the agent says that I can only upgrade myself & my mom with certificates. I said yes, I know this and I am upgrading the third person with miles. She says that it can't be done so I tell her about my conversation with reservations a couple of days before. She did some calling & checking and agreed to honor what the reservations agent told me. I was sorry that I didn't have Service certificates with me as she was very nice. When I mentioned it, she said, "Thanks, but it's my job to give you this service". How refreshing! She also recommended that I take care of my mom's friend for the return flight so I didn't run into the same problem, so he was confirmed for 1st class before we were! Fortunately, 1st on the return flight was looking pretty empty, so our chances were very good. I was looking forward to showing off the RCC club to my companions, but alas, by the time we got to C concourse & the gate, it was time to board. We flew on a DC-10 on the way out there with nice seats, they weren't the old leather ones, but they didn't have the headrest & wings like the new ones. Boarding was on-time & we got to enjoy pre-flight mimosas before an on-time departure. Breakfast was a choice of a different sampler (this one had French Toast on it) or the standard fruit plate (which I always think is quite good). Flight was pretty uneventful (except for more mimosas!
) and we landed in LAS about 15 mins. early.Overall rate: 9 (especially for UA service)
Caesar's Palace
I decided to cash in some Starpoints (while I still could) to stay here. At 10AM, check-in was pretty deserted, we had 2 people waiting on us since we were booking 2 rooms (my friend & her mom were meeting us there). I requested staying in the new Palace Tower since I heard it was very nice. The girl checking me in said I'd be charged an upgrade...until I flashed my Starwood Platinum card, that is!
Neither room was ready, so we met up with the rest of our party & began to plan our evenings for the trip. Note: This part of Sept. is NOT the best for shows in Vegas, in fact, some of them go dark for about 2 weeks! One of the rooms was ready around 3PM & it was very nice! It was on the 25th floor (out of 29) with a decent view of the Mirage, the mountains & some of the north strip. It also had a jacquzzi (sp?) in the bathroom and was very tastefully done. The second room was SUPPOSED to be on the 24th floor (we insisted on 2 non-smoking double rooms) but we kept checking on the 2nd room & it was never ready! We had to get ready for an early show so by 4:30, the only non-smoking double that was available was on the 11th floor. No jacquzzi and not as nice a view. I gave the upper level room to my mom & her friend & took the other room with my friend & her mom. Also, didn't win any money. Overall rate: 7
9/14 UA LAS-ORD 6:15PM
We got to LAS and found a huge coach checkin line, but the Premier/First line was blessedly short with virtually no waiting. It's at times like that when my mom finally understands why I always try to re-qualify for status! We manage to pick up some yummy Ethel M chocolate & our flight is delayed about 30 mins. No announcements or anything. We find out from a mechanic on the plane (a 767) that a) the plane is only 8 days old and b) they were checking on a leak that turned out to be nothing. We got the new 1st class seats with headrests & wings. Is it just me, or are the new 1st class seats narrower with the bigger center console? I actually preferred our seats on the DC-10. Dinner was rather disappointing but it was a decent flight.
Overall rating: 8
All in all, a wonderful trip!
------------------
Regards,
- Anna
Sep 19, 1999, 1:24 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Posts: 19,523
AnnaS, great trip report! Sorry you lost a few bucks. Ethel M chocolates...sounds like a PIP candidate for sure!
Yes I agree with you on those new First Class seats...they seem narrower because of the crud the put in the center console. Plus those "boxes" that are under the seat in front of you effectivly eliminate a lot of underseat storage. Also I think the recline is actually too much. If the person in front of you reclines all the way when you've got a glass of wine on your tray table...look out. And forget the laptop being open too.
I've had problems a couple of times in the past checking in using upgrades from miles. They asked me for certificates (500 mile,etc)! Had to tell them "hey...I used miles to confirm this thing!" After a few keystrokes they were always able to confirm it though. Maybe it's because a much smaller percent of people nowadays use miles to upgrade?
Sorry you lost a few bucks. Ethel M chocolates...sounds like a PIP candidate for sure!Yes I agree with you on those new First Class seats...they seem narrower because of the crud the put in the center console. Plus those "boxes" that are under the seat in front of you effectivly eliminate a lot of underseat storage. Also I think the recline is actually too much. If the person in front of you reclines all the way when you've got a glass of wine on your tray table...look out. And forget the laptop being open too.
I've had problems a couple of times in the past checking in using upgrades from miles. They asked me for certificates (500 mile,etc)! Had to tell them "hey...I used miles to confirm this thing!" After a few keystrokes they were always able to confirm it though. Maybe it's because a much smaller percent of people nowadays use miles to upgrade?
Sep 19, 1999, 9:41 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Seattle
Programs: Ephesians 4:31-32
Posts: 10,690
Anna,
Maybe next time you should wait an hour or so and take #711 to Vegas at 9:15 a.m. A United agent told me that they assigned that number years ago because the gamblers' though it improved their luck.
Glad you and yours had a good time.
Maybe next time you should wait an hour or so and take #711 to Vegas at 9:15 a.m. A United agent told me that they assigned that number years ago because the gamblers' though it improved their luck.
Glad you and yours had a good time.
Sep 19, 1999, 11:58 am
#7
In memoriam
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Danville, CA
Programs: AA EXP - UA *G MM - HH Diamond - Hertz PC
Posts: 3,242
Premex:
Most often I ticket through my local CTO. When I'm upgrading with miles they give me a print out of the record showing that I've upgraded with mileage and that the mileage has already been deducted.
I have only had one occasion where I've had problems and had to use the printout. Returning KIX-SFO an over zealous check-in agent, without even bothering to look in the record, deducted 25,000 miles from my account for the one-way upgrade. She didn't even ask how I was upgrading, she just informed me of what she had done when she handed me my boarding pass.
Figuring I was going to have a battle royale on my hands, I showed her the print out my CTO had provided. She simply sighed and proceeded to reverse the transaction. Alls well that ends well.
[This message has been edited by danville 1K (edited 09-19-1999).]
Most often I ticket through my local CTO. When I'm upgrading with miles they give me a print out of the record showing that I've upgraded with mileage and that the mileage has already been deducted.
I have only had one occasion where I've had problems and had to use the printout. Returning KIX-SFO an over zealous check-in agent, without even bothering to look in the record, deducted 25,000 miles from my account for the one-way upgrade. She didn't even ask how I was upgrading, she just informed me of what she had done when she handed me my boarding pass.
Figuring I was going to have a battle royale on my hands, I showed her the print out my CTO had provided. She simply sighed and proceeded to reverse the transaction. Alls well that ends well.
[This message has been edited by danville 1K (edited 09-19-1999).]
Sep 23, 1999, 10:46 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Chicago, IL (ORD)
Programs: AA Gold, UA Premier Exec, Starwood Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,100
Actually, this has been the first trip to Vegas where I didn't at least break even but I still had a great time. The problem that I was able to get around was that UA will usually only let you upgrade yourself & 1 other companion (at least that's what the lady at check-in said, PremEx please correct me if I'm wrong) but I got to luck out & upgrade both my companions. I guess that's what used up all my luck at the blackjack tables! 
As for the Ethel M chocolates (actually really yummy liqueur creams), they will most likely be gone before PiP, so everyone will have to settle for the Chicago candy I bring.
------------------
Regards,
- Anna
As for the Ethel M chocolates (actually really yummy liqueur creams), they will most likely be gone before PiP, so everyone will have to settle for the Chicago candy I bring.
------------------
Regards,
- Anna
