i_gtgo

Hi,

I'm a long time avid reader of FT, but my first post as I look for advice:

I've been collecting loads of miles since I first started reading FT. My main purpose for these miles is to use them on long distance F and J seats esp. for my annual visits to India (Mumbai). And since continental is 1 of only 2 carriers flying non-stop from NYC to BOM would you recommend that I convert my 200K MR Points to Onepass before Sept. 30th? I have around 120K in my Onepass account currently but I also need to redeem miles for my wife as well (which means I need a minimum of 240K points for a J redemption).

Now, I am going to India this year with my 2-4-1 BA Chase ticket so it's highly unlikely I'd have to go again until next year which means if I convert my MR to Onepass miles I risk them being devalued. I also don't know any other carrier which would get us 2 J tickets to India with 200K MR points (non-stop or 1-stop). Also to complicate things I may re qualify for the 2-4-1 BA ticket again this year so making my next trip on continental at least 2 years out (that's if they still fly that route esp with Air India joining the alliance).

So my question is to convert or not to convert?

Dhamal

No, don't convert there are many other airlines will give you more than 1 point per MR.. use tour chase 2 4 1 deal and get your tickets instead.. I have over 600k in MR.. I save for other airlines who will @ least give me a 30% bonus miles tha the new UA/CO.

sbm12

While I agree that the correct move is probably not to convert I will caution against only looking at the conversion ratio. Just because you can get 50% more SkyMiles from moving MR points to Delta doesn't make that necessarily the smart move. You should also look at the cost of awards and the availability of awards.

Yes, CO is one of a limited number of airlines who offer that service but you also need to consider that all *A partners can redeem on those flights. So even after CO is no longer a transfer partner Air Canada still is and MR->AC can be redeemed for those same flights. Yes, their award chart is changing and there are some nasty surprises in there, but it isn't all bad.

Welcome to FlyerTalk, i_gtgo!!

rankourabu

Most important advice here.

Make sure there there is an award available before you move MR points anywhere, but be extra cautious with Delta.

Flyinace2000

Currently traveling on a one way award LHR-ZRH-BOM all in biz (I) on Swiss. Cost 100k miles and $645 for the two tickets

Long story short is that we are moving back to the USA before then. Probably in October. So here are the options for the change.

EWR-BOM direct on the 27th or 28th. No saver awards in biz available, so it would cost an additional 200k miles, but i would get a refund of about $600 (not a good value as far as $/points go). I would also need to transfer about 44k Chase UR points to cover the transaction and would leave me w/ zero miles (but a good reserve of Chase points).

Connections nothing great and all cost as much as the direct/

Don't change and book a EWR-LHR. No direct Saver Awards available, so it would involve a connection via IAD on UA, YYZ on AirCanada, or Lisbon via TAP. That would only cost 100k (50k each) and <$20.

What does everyone think? suck it up and pay the price for the direct flight?

SEA1K4EVR

Since you will always have the option to change to the standard business award you have the luxury of waiting to see if saver availability opens on the nonstop EWR-BOM or NYC-LHR. I'd sit tight.

astroflyer

If you were to tag on an EWR-LHR or JFK-LHR you can get it to reprice. You should get most of the fees refunded as the hefty premium fees out of LHR are for origination...connection fees are cheaper. You only need to add on 15K miles/person to get C from US instead.

Flyinace2000

Are you saying that if get a separate ticket and spend less than 24 hours in the UK i can get the taxes on my original award ticket to reprice the cost of the tickets since i would be a connection instead visitor (as per HMRC).

aegt123

I am looking for one ticket from BOM to NYC around Aug 8 and can't seem to find anything on united.com or aa.com .

Willing to travel in either coach or business on *A or OW. Would appreciate if anyone can point me in the right direction.

limey1K

8/8/13

BOM-EWR UA49 has JN availability
BOM-(ZRH-EWR UA992) has JN and YN availability on ZRH-EWR
BOM-(LHR-EWR UA45) has ZN, JN, HN and YN availability on LHR-EWR

aegt123

I would hate to buy a standard awards ticket. I think I can get these even at the last minute. I am looking for saver awards that are available to Premier Silver.

lhrsfo

There's very very little availability in saver awards, even to elites, across the Atlantic from mid July through mid August on any *A carrier.

snic

Using UA.com isn't going to give you all the multi-leg options that might get you there. Use the ANA (All Nippon Airlines award search) tool instead.

At the moment this is available:
8/7 TG318 Mumbai Bangkok(BKK) 23:35 05:35 +1
8/8 TG600 Bangkok(BKK) Hong Kong 08:00 11:45
8/8 AC016 Hong Kong Toronto(YYZ) 15:10 18:10
8/8 AC728 Toronto(YYZ) New York(LGA) 20:35 21:59

Unfortunately it's all in Y, although the intra-Asia legs are also available in C. With a bit of playing around, you might be able to piece together something entirely in C. (For instance, ICN-YYZ is available in C on 8/8 - but getting to ICN seems to be a problem.) Try looking for flights to North America from BKK, SIN, NRT, PEK, PVG, ... etc - these are the hardest to find, but not impossible. Once you find something, try to find a way to get to the Asian gateway from BOM - this is much easier, as intra-Asia availability seems to be pretty good - and from the North American gateway to NYC.

Good luck!

(PS: Don't use NYC as a city in the ANA tool. Use JFK - it will give you flights to EWR and LGA, too.)

Flyinace2000

Long story short we have 2 one way biz awards on Swiss going LHR-ZRH-BOM on Dec 30th. (100k miles & $600 in taxes)

I have been looking to pay the $25 change fee to make the ticket EWR-BOM, but no low level awards are coming home. Granted we have time, but i was looking for alternatives.

i haven't been able to get united.com to show me EWR-ZRH-BOM or EWR-LHR-ZRH-BOM, is that something a agent could do? There are low level awards available on the 28th and 29th to london. Being on one PNR traveling through london for less than 24 hours would also get me a significant refund of the $600 in taxes.

TonyBurr

Give UA a call and see what they can do. If you are going to save $600.00 I would not be concerned with the $25.00 change fee. For two people $1,200.00 vs $50.00 ?