kb1992

Please.

The main issue of this thread, is saver XY economy award availability on UA metal.

Not on CO metal, or partner metal.

Can we stay on topic??

belfordrocks

But I do not see why one insists on flying UA metal on an award ticket, versus CO/partner metal if the availability for the latter exists.

AZjohns

Because the thread was started about UA XY inventory (I don't know how else to explain it's not about CO, LH, LX, SQ, etc OR about business or first). Having all kinds of UA XY inventory at the EOS was always available as the OP stated when he started this thread (bold is from me):

kb1992

Tell me, if I live in BOS, but UA eliminates XY for BOS-ORD/SFO/IAD, how do I fly *A?

I need UA XY in order to book award on partner, or I can't even get to the gateway city!

Do you expect me to drive to SFO in order to take SFO-ICN on OZ?

StatusJon

I asked primarily about UA First/Business and my threat got merged with this one. For me the ultimate goal of a lot of my mileage running is to take a long-haul flight in international first or business (given they cost about the same I'd prefer first, which is a knock on BusinessFirst - which if I understand it means Business).

I am perfectly willing to book 330 days in advance if that is the time when they are plentiful. For me, it's mostly a case of knowing when/where will be plentiful, rather than having to spend an hour putting random dates into UA. I spent about an hour to find any IAD-NRT availability for two. (which seems to be most available in May)

I will admit having somewhat better luck looking on the CO site, which has a much better interface (showing a whole month at a time, color coded), and finds partner connections more easily. Though a quick look at a few options showed that was available was IAD-LAX/ORD in economy, then LAX/ORD-NRT in business on ANA - not exactly what I had in mind, but at least it's the long haul that's business. (I did find one that did an IAD-NRT ANA nonstop in business... why is it always ANA?)

Naturally no availability on CO/UA metal for this flight, even though there is an IAD-NRT nonstop almost every day operated by United.

Why is the easiest business ticket for me as a UA Frequent Flyer on ANA metal through the CO website? (Can I even book those with my MileagePlus miles?)

WineCountryUA

short answer - yes
Long answer, transfer miles for free to your OP account (set one up if needed) and book direct from co.com. Mileage transfers between MP/OP are easily done by www.united.com/transfermymiles

raehl311

It doesn't hurt in the short term maybe.

But the piss-poor redemption opportunities at DL are one of the main reasons I'm at CO. If CO/UA matches DL's piss-poor redemptions, then I'll take loyalty and toss it to the wind and buy the cheapest fare. That includes moving all my spend off my airline credit cards.

It's looking increasingly likely that that will be the outcome.

LarkSFO

Get a Discover Card - the cash back component has been awesome!

MDtR-Chicago

It seems like the availability, at any advance booking, is very boolean. There is either a ton of XY or nearly none.

I've been able to book what I need using co.com and liberal use of partners. It's unfortunate. I really want to fly UA metal but I'm just not seeing any availability.

If the issue is potential change of schedule, I'd personally rather be able to book something, lock in the mileage rate, and let them change the schedule later.

Anyone who is trying to do all of this manually by plugging in lots of dates should really think about getting the KVS Availability Tool. Makes the process much, much simpler.

Boraxo

How is this new?

Five years ago I complained about zeroed out saver international business class award inventory to/from Australia at the 331 day mark. And more than a year ago I noted the lack of save Y inventory on any SFO-IAD flights more than 4 months in advance of travel dates (desite the massive number of actual seats on these routes). And of course there is the infamous *A blocking that has been going on for years.

In light of the success with its prior deception I gather that UC/CO management has now simply rolled out the program to the rest of the fleet. I wish I could say that more people will rise up and take notice, but I doubt that will happen. UA/CO will simply go upon its merry way selling miles, and its customers will simply accept that their miles have become as worthless as DL skypesos.

The only real option for turning this around would be a massive defection of UA's best and most profitable customers to other *A programs. However I think this is 99% unlikely given the past history (i.e. lack of response to Delta's abuse) as well as the fact that UA elites will never be weaned from their non-mileage perks.

flyer4512

I am speaking for my personal route of MSP/BDL which for the past 6 years has had many 25K award seats available 331 days out to sometimes days before.

These 25K seats disappeared starting in April 2012 with a 25K flight available here and there ( some with 3 legs). I think alot of others are seeing the same thing for the first time in the routes they fly

I put in your SFO-IAD route and to my surprise there are PLENTY of 25K seats available in 2012, in fact it reminded me of how my route used to look.

This is just another thing that doesn't make sense. I can fly from Minneapolis to Germany for 60K miles but Minneapolis to Connecticut is 50K miles

Better yet I can find flights from Minneapolis to Hawaii in April for 40K miles. It just doesn't add up IMO.

Boraxo

And therein lies the rub - it is difficult to generalize with any certainty based upon a couple of anecdotal spotchecks. I am sorry that the system has finally blocked access to the routes you want, but this is not really a new type of problem for UA and CO customers.

Personally I think that at a minimum airlines should provide specifics on when inventory is released on each route so that informed consumers can then plan accordingly. However airlines have been allowed to write their own rules and thus deliberately obfuscate the process. I am hopeful that a more activist DOT in the US laying down the law on flight delays etc. will eventually turn to FF programs. But I would not hold my breath.

People can say what they will about WN, but at least RR 2.0 is 100% transparent about the price and availability of award inventory.

flyer4512

It will be interesting how it pans out, I am certainly not using 50K miles for a 1000 mile flight.

I can still get ~$300 night hotels in Florida for 23,500 UA miles or I'll use 40K and go to Hawaii and just use up my UA miles.

When is the merger supposed to be complete ?

belfordrocks

By flying CO/US metal to IAH/EWR/CLT/PHL then taking LH/LX/OS/SK/CO transatlantic?

Award travel revolves around flexibility- otherwise book a standard award or a revenue fare.

kb1992

Tell me, how do I get to Asia?

Which *A carrier flies to PVG/PEK/HKG/ICN/TPE/NRT from IAH/EWR/CLT/PHL?

CO availability to Asia is also dismal.