flyer4512

Unless something change if you fly these routes starting in March 2012 you will see,

I'm not saying you're wrong but those dates in Feb 2012 ( for example) opened up 330 days out just like in the past, I booked a flight for February 2012 in early April 2011 and I had plenty of dates and times to choose from so those 25K flights you are seeing today opened up just like always, 330 days out and remain open today.

The problem started ( or when I noticed ) was in late early July 2011 when I tried to book a flight for May 19 - 26, nothing was open and nothing from that date forward has opened for 25K.

There is no clear pattern or flights in April or even May would be open by now

The seats are available nearly everyday until the end of February, not March so if I had to guess the tightening of award seats started around April but I can't confrim that as I didn't see it until June, 2011

Air Houston

It really depends on the specific route. For example, search on the CO site for reward tickets for IAH-BWI for November, Dec, Jan, Feb and you will see lots of availability at 25k roundtrip. And you don't have to fly US through CLT either. Try Orlando and it's not so good.

kb1992

The complaint is on UA domestic economy class award availability, not CO.

UA used to be much better than CO.

Since July, something happened. Now CO is better than UA.

So UA is getting much, much worse in award availability.

Lurker

Totally agree. I use Expert Flyer to monitor and pull the trigger on award seats. With this experience I have a pretty good grasp on what has historically been available. of course, EF also allows me to look at what is available way in the future on CO and UA.

What kb1992 says is ABSOLUTELY correct.

That's the epidemiologic data; now for the anecdotal:

I watched but did not pull the trigger on flights about 3 weeks ago (I had tons of options and so got too relaxed). ALL that were available has now disappeared (yep every single routing).

"BAD DOG UNITED!"


Lurker

cfischer

I am still looking at avail. for next July and it's terrible! CO has nothing for 2 weeks from IAH to SAN, not a SINGLE flight! Including connections via SFO etc.
UA has come a long way down the slippery slope. Right now I can find more availability on DL than on UA

Arthurrs

I can't find any saver award inventory on flights to Hawaii next summer whatsoever. Used to be plentiful even a 6 months out. Come on United, throw me a bone! Certainly something has happened recently.

rmitchell

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!

kb1992

Time to write to UA and ask for an explanation?

This is the worst among all "changes" that we don't like!

Wake up, folks.

StatusJon

I am completely baffled by availability, but I find it to be more plentiful farther out - I was looking at First to NRT, and it's available in May, so, it's at least somewhat far out.

belfordrocks

For Hawaii, look for US metal awards?

Carolinian

Award availibility far out is critical for vacation travel, which is what most of us seem to use our miles for. Making this a crap shoot will drive away customers. The dependability of award seats being released at 330 days is something we depend on in making other vacation plans, like timeshare exchanges.

KathyWdrf

This complaint -- UA Saver award availability thin or nonexistent 330 days out -- has been made on MANY threads for YEARS now!!! Releasing awards that far in advance just hasn't been the way UA has done things, for a long time. Inventory management dribbles award availability in over a long period. You have to check availability frequently to have any success (especially if you're booking for more than one person).

Personally, I have NEVER booked any air travel (either award OR paid with cash) that far in advance. I just generally cannot, or don't want to, plan eleven months in advance.

Also, booking far in advance (whether award OR cash) has its risks -- routes are dropped/changed, for example, playing havoc with itineraries. That seems especially likely to happen now with the merger being phased in.

I've booked many UA awards, of all kinds (international/domestic, First/Business/Economy) over the years, but never more than a few months (and often, only a few weeks) in advance. I haven't noticed any changes in award availability -- and indeed, based on the threads in this forum that I've been reading for many years, it's not clear that there has been any change.

The sky isn't necessarily falling after all. (But hey, if you want to think it is, I'm not REALLY going to try to stop you -- that would be an exercise in futility. )

UA-NYC

You're missing the point - while award availability isn't what it was in the glory days (or even 5 years ago), there has been a severe reduction post-merger. Not just the desirable int'l premium seats, flights to HI, etc. but more everyday, run of the mill routes.

It's turning into NonePass.

kb1992

Evidently, you haven't read this thread carefully.

Before July, saver domestic Y awards on UA were widely available if you book 5 months to 11 months in advance. XY9 NY9 almost everywhere.

Something happened since then. UA has eliminated most of these awards.

I have never seen this in the past 10 years.

UA is now even worse than DL.

allthe2s

Hi,

I now have 70k miles for a return LHR - HNL trip and want to go next summer.

I can find flights in the next few months at the saver rate but the rates for next summer are all at standard so I can't go without spending some cash.

Does anyone know how the saver rates work? Can I expect there to be more saver rates available later/nearer my preferred departure dates or is the summer always at standard rate?

Your wisdom appreciated....

Thanks
Richard.