Apr 3, 2019, 8:38 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the master thread is UA MP Saver Award/Upgrade Inventory (& partners) -when is it released?
United Saver Award/Upgrade Inventory (& partners) - when is it released? [Archive]
Sep 13, 2011, 8:44 pm
#166
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
Sep 13, 2011, 10:15 pm
#167
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 7
Hopefully you are have better luck than me! There are literally NO saver fares LAX-OGG 330 days out. I check every day. We have never had a problem booking economy saver fare tickets when we plan so far ahead. That is how I found this thread (google) because I notice a definite change from every other year....
Sep 13, 2011, 11:23 pm
#168
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Bay Area California
Posts: 395
so i was able to ticket two saver business class award seats SFO to CPH in May 2012 a couple of weeks ago.... my routing is sfo-lax-muc-cph-fra-ord-sfo; all on business class; tatl on LH and the domestic on UA XF ORD-SFO the only XY leg on the SFO-LAX but hopefully by the time of the flight i will be able to move to XF....
worthwhile to mention that for about a month prior to ticketing i monitored inventory by calling UA and checking on .bomb and expertflyer on a daily basis......here are my thoughts and observations.
- ua xf so limited throughout summer of 2012 that it even surprised the agents on the phone when they were trying to help me, they were not shy to tell me how abysmal it looked (but nobody was able to explain openly why)
- zero availability on UA tatl LHR FRA ZRH etc.. lots on LH... none of SK/CO/LX
- tons of availability within europe on LH/LX/SK on almost all routes
It was interesting to hear how sympathetic and apologetic the UA agents were on the phone as they were trying to help me.... they could also not believe the limited availability compared to what they have seen in the past.
Regarding schedule changes: in the past it has worked to my favor, once a res is ticketed ua has responsibility to make it work through elimination of flights time changes etc or at least make necessary changes without having to pay the fee..... still remember when a UA supervisor personally called LX in Basel directly to open up inventory for me on the next available flight when the schedule change on the NBO-ZRH left me without a way to get back to SFO......
one thing i have learned about booking awards on UA... be patient and be prepared to spend a lot of time on the phone with the agents or checking on line... every few days....before you book the award and after you book it check regularly for changes....
interesting data point: my sister who is on (no-status) AAdvantage asked me a few days ago to help her book SFO-CGK on April 2012 and it took me 10 min!!! from the time i dialed till i had two confirmed econ saver award tickets SFO-HND/NRT-CGK on JAL... sometimes even as exec Premier it takes me 10 min to get through to a live person on UA
--e
worthwhile to mention that for about a month prior to ticketing i monitored inventory by calling UA and checking on .bomb and expertflyer on a daily basis......here are my thoughts and observations.
- ua xf so limited throughout summer of 2012 that it even surprised the agents on the phone when they were trying to help me, they were not shy to tell me how abysmal it looked (but nobody was able to explain openly why)
- zero availability on UA tatl LHR FRA ZRH etc.. lots on LH... none of SK/CO/LX
- tons of availability within europe on LH/LX/SK on almost all routes
It was interesting to hear how sympathetic and apologetic the UA agents were on the phone as they were trying to help me.... they could also not believe the limited availability compared to what they have seen in the past.
Regarding schedule changes: in the past it has worked to my favor, once a res is ticketed ua has responsibility to make it work through elimination of flights time changes etc or at least make necessary changes without having to pay the fee..... still remember when a UA supervisor personally called LX in Basel directly to open up inventory for me on the next available flight when the schedule change on the NBO-ZRH left me without a way to get back to SFO......
one thing i have learned about booking awards on UA... be patient and be prepared to spend a lot of time on the phone with the agents or checking on line... every few days....before you book the award and after you book it check regularly for changes....
interesting data point: my sister who is on (no-status) AAdvantage asked me a few days ago to help her book SFO-CGK on April 2012 and it took me 10 min!!! from the time i dialed till i had two confirmed econ saver award tickets SFO-HND/NRT-CGK on JAL... sometimes even as exec Premier it takes me 10 min to get through to a live person on UA
--e
Last edited by HAF; Sep 13, 2011 at 11:30 pm Reason: dissambiguation
Sep 14, 2011, 2:19 am
#169
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,694
Sep 14, 2011, 3:54 am
#170
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
or you can do BOS-IAH/NRT-HKG etc.- and before you complain about the CO 738 on that route, space is plentiful on ANA or CA/OZ metal.
My point is that the availability is definitely out there- if not on UA metal, on partners. If you're not willing to be the slightest bit flexible then saver awards obviously aren't for you.
Sep 14, 2011, 9:28 am
#171
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Boulder, CO and Waimea, HI
Programs: UAL 1K MM
Posts: 748
I am having the same problem - I am trying to schedule a trip to Hawaii next summer and there is nothing available (not even for 1K or GS). Two years ago I used miles for (6) 1st Class tickets to Hawaii. I think at that time there was at least (6) award seats available on each flight up to 330 days in advance. Now they don't even save (1) seat on those flights. Note: The cost of those saver 1st class tickets was 60,000 miles each.
I was also trying to get tickets to Florida for next spring - again no availability.
I am very frustrated by the new United Award and Upgrade rules!
I was also trying to get tickets to Florida for next spring - again no availability.
I am very frustrated by the new United Award and Upgrade rules!
Sep 14, 2011, 10:11 am
#172
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
Then you can fly BOS-IAH-LAX-PVG/PEK/ICN/TPE/NRT/HKG
or you can do BOS-IAH/NRT-HKG etc.- and before you complain about the CO 738 on that route, space is plentiful on ANA or CA/OZ metal.
My point is that the availability is definitely out there- if not on UA metal, on partners. If you're not willing to be the slightest bit flexible then saver awards obviously aren't for you.
or you can do BOS-IAH/NRT-HKG etc.- and before you complain about the CO 738 on that route, space is plentiful on ANA or CA/OZ metal.
My point is that the availability is definitely out there- if not on UA metal, on partners. If you're not willing to be the slightest bit flexible then saver awards obviously aren't for you.
The topic of this thread is saver economy awards on UA metal.
My complaint is, without XY seats to gateway cities such as IAD/ORD, I can't book saver C/F awards on CA/OZ/NH/UA.
IAH-NRT doesn't work because CO is extremely stingy in releasing saver BF.
So your suggestion is BOS-IAH-LAX-NRT-HKG/PEK/PVG.
One connection flight now becomes 3 connection, 40 hour journey?
This sounds like DELTA SKYMILES.
Not exactly slightest bit flexible
Sep 14, 2011, 4:01 pm
#174
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,607
Hopefully you are have better luck than me! There are literally NO saver fares LAX-OGG 330 days out. I check every day. We have never had a problem booking economy saver fare tickets when we plan so far ahead. That is how I found this thread (google) because I notice a definite change from every other year....
I just popped in April 2012 ( I wouldn't want to go to Hawaii in August, spring trips get me out of here after the long MN winter).
The flight I looked up was MSP to HNL connecting in SF April 2 to April 11 for 40K R/T
I found something interesting, use the continental site and put in MSP to OGG April 3 - 11. The final leg outbound and the first leg inbound have flights LAX - OGG and OGG to LAX. Maybe you could book it that way and miss a couple of the flights. They have this R/T for 40K
Last edited by flyer4512; Sep 14, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Sep 15, 2011, 11:03 pm
#175
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SF BayArea
Programs: Nothing worth mentioning
Posts: 2,223
One of things I "do like" about this merger. However, if this thread is dedicated to "I can't book awards on UA site", then I'll bow out & let the discussion continue. BTW, UA flights do show on CO site...so not just "partner" airline awards.
Last edited by travelsavant; Sep 15, 2011 at 11:10 pm
Sep 15, 2011, 11:26 pm
#176
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
Actually it does..all I do is transfer UA miles to CO & magically am able to book! One of things I "do like" about this merger. However, if this thread is dedicated to "I can't book awards on UA site", then I'll bow out & let the discussion continue. BTW, UA flights do show on CO site...so not just "partner" airline awards.
One of things I "do like" about this merger. However, if this thread is dedicated to "I can't book awards on UA site", then I'll bow out & let the discussion continue. BTW, UA flights do show on CO site...so not just "partner" airline awards.How many times do we have to clarify this?
Partner awards on CO site have nothing to do with this thread.
Unless CO site has UA XY awards unavailable on UA site, please stay on topic?
Sep 16, 2011, 12:04 pm
#177
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: ANP
Programs: UA 1k, Marriott Plat, HH gold, Avis/Hertz Pres
Posts: 1,408
no XF or NF on ORD-HNL and back dec 9-13....look at F and on the return only 3 seats booked (yeah I know it doesnt really mean anything, but seriously)
Sep 16, 2011, 3:06 pm
#178
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,607
I'm not seeing any 25K flights on my route even if I check CO. There are plenty of 25K R/T on American though and if you book 331 days out you can get holidays for 25K , AA here I come
Sep 18, 2011, 7:41 pm
#179
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1.5 Million Mile flyer, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Gold, Hertz 5* and PC since 1985
Posts: 5,611
500K miles on UA and no where to spend them.
Love the improvements Jeff
Love the improvements Jeff
Sep 18, 2011, 7:48 pm
#180
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
I know there's like an unwritten law prohibiting the mentioning of partner awards in this thread, but seriously? Lufty often has great transatlantic availability- so there's more than just XY awards on UA metal to spend your miles on.