mduell

330 days is just when you're allowed to book any ticket (revenue or award) on the flight. IM may or may not release inventory in any bucket at any time. Both of these have always been true and continue to be true. What's there to explain? They won't be explaining how IM makes their decisions.

kb1992

1) UA saver economy awards, both domestic and internatoinal, used to be available if you book 5-11 months ahead. Plenty of them. At least for past 10 years.

But not anymore.

Does this raise an alarm?

2) UA used to have better award availability than CO. Remember the nickname CO NonePass?

Since last month, UA has cut award inventory so much. Now CO has much better availability. Something wired is going on here.

If COUA wants to beat DL in award restriction, then CO should eliminate most saver awards.

A true race to the bottom.

Lurker

I agree with everyone to date who is finding award space WAAAAAY harder to find. Therefore...

Please may I ask for a point of clarification from upthread...

Please can someone confirm that, as a UA 1K (or CO plat) wanting to book XXX-YYY-ZZZ, I can book YYY-ZZZ at a saver award and then subsequently add on XXX-YYY when it comes available????

I need to make just such a booking

Thanks in advance
Lurker

kilton

I don't know why you're acting like their hasn't been a sudden, major change in UA saver availability.

AZjohns

Yea, I’m not getting all this justification/rationalization/speculation of the lack of saver award inventory for next summer. I think the point of the whole thread is saying “hey, something is different here and not looking good” from FF’s own personal experience with UA’s award inventory the past several years.

I mean if someone needs to justify/rationalize/speculate why this has recently developed, go for it. But the only real fact I see is the inventory has changed radically (for UA and have no idea what CO is use to). My own personal experience, I never once had any issues finding domestic saver award inventory 11 months out (as a 1K). International is a whole different story.

I personally hope it’s related to merging aircraft and schedules, but from other factors that have played out (and getting ready to), this maybe another change I do not like. But, keeping hope alive it will open back up soon.

UA-NYC

Yes, you should be able to add on segments no problem. Mileage/taxes could change depending on what the new segment is however.

I booked LGA-ORD-NRT for my FIL and later added NRT-HKG when it came available.

Often1

+1 - It's an entirely new system out there and comparisons to the past aren't useful any more. We've been through a recession and are trying to fend off a new one. Air carriers, UACO included, are no different than any other sector. The tradeoff to profitability (which keeps routes, jobs, investors, etc) is: much lower availability of free travel and then only when it's clear that the inventory can't be sold. Because there will always be takers (there's somebody out there who will take a rock bottom award to fly LAX-LHR this afternoon for the long weekend) it doesn't hurt UACO to hold inventory. It also doesn't hurt consumers overall, it just substitutes the consumer who wanted to book 330 days out for one happy to book 4 hours out.

mduell

Please read the parts of the posts I'm actually replying to.

There has never been a guarantee of availability for all flights in all classes at the 330 day window. The award tiers for domestic awards remain the same. I'm countering the misinformation and hysteria regarding these facts.

As I've stated in other threads, I've seen the shift in saver availability at UA. SBA-LAX/SFO used to be 90+% available, now it's less than 10%.

kb1992

We are not talking about guarantees.

As you also noted, it used to be 90%+ available for saver economy awards, but now it's less than 10% on your SBA-LAX/SFO route.

This also happens on other routes.

There is no misinformation or hysteria.

UA has drastically cut the availability of economy XY/NY awards.

It's now even worse than DL.

This is a severe cut of our benefits including 1K benefit of NY, no matter how you look at it.

flyer4512

If that's the case then I will use my 250K United miles for 10 nights at a $300 hotel on Clearwater beach and later United, 32.5 K - 40K miles for a NONSTOP on Delta MSP -BDL or maybe American where it's still 25K for a MSP - BDL flight

flyer4512

For those complaining about Delta I just booked 7/21 - 7/29 MSP to BDL R/T for 32.5 K, nonstop outbound flight

Often1

1. It's the way it is.
2. Don't jump ship too quickly, the grass won't be any greener over at DL or AA soon enough.
3. Something had to give. Too many miles accumulated out there from non-ticket revenue and investors want the liability off the books. Means fewer seats and higher mileage costs for those fewer seats. Air fares are up, why shouldn't award "costs" be as well?

Long way from HNL, NRT or FCO !

rankourabu

I still fail to see what the big deal is about no domestic availability 330 days out.
If you look at the MSPBDL calendar - its green all over for the upcoming 8 months or so. Availability will open up eventually, just wait it out.

flyer4512

I fly MSP - BDL and MSP - RSW or TPA so those are the only routes I care about, I fly those routes 6-8 times a year and never used more than 25K


I have no problem with an increase but 100% ?

rankourabu

Come back in a few months, and tell us what the price for your trip is then.

You can see a clear pattern if you look at the calendar - almost every day is available until end of March - and then nothing at all. Should give you an idea about how seats are being released - different than in the past - sure, a 100% increase - hardly.