nemme99

Another data point: I've been watching an ORD-FRA flight for this Saturday. UA phantom availability came up about 10 days ago for first but since then it’s remained F5A4. Last night I got an EF alert that it opened up to M&M. Today I kept checking ANA and at 2:15 PM PST it became available. (Wasn’t there a little after 2.) Called and switched from business to first. Sadly I don’t get to enjoy it but my mom is thrilled at my “present” – her miles, my research and checking.

This thread has been tremendously helpful, so thanks.

legallyblond

Heading to Berlin on the 27th. I'm currently in business, but looking to upgrade to first should availability open up, fingers crossed. Not looking too good with open seats on direct LAX-FRA, but would love the new 747. Flew the old first last year LAX - FRA but then then new first MUC - LAX. huge difference, but second seat was blocked and made into a bed to try to make it comparable to new F (not the same for sure, but one of the best services I have had in first!)

tng11

Does anyone know if LH F during early January is harder to get?

I have LH Y booked from FRA-YYZ on Jan 11th as part of a larger F award. I've been checking the route recently and it seems to be very consistently releasing seats at T-14 - should I be able to count on that in January?

I know it would be the old F, but it was the only way I could get my mini-RTW to work was to grab the Y seat for now and pray for the best (besides, it's a daytime flight.)

SFO777

If you are only looking for a single seat, I doubt you will have much trouble finding an F seat back inside T-14, if not nonstop to YYZ, certainly one-stop via a midwest/northeast gateway like ORD, DTW, IAD, BOS or EWR/JFK... even YUL via MUC.

LufthansaFlyer

You should have no problem - as others have said you can route through upper midwest gateways or ewr and be fine.

LufthansaFlyer

You should have no problem - as others have said you can route through upper midwest gateways or ewr and be fine.

747FC

+1^

brrrito

Hi,

I originally posted this in the LH newbie thread and someone suggested I post here instead.

I've been watching first class availability for an ORD-FRA on LH, a few weeks away, via expertflyer. A week or so ago the flight in question showed F7/A6 which seemed promising. Today I checked again and it's showing F6/A0. How do I interpret this? F seats haven't been sold but somehow A seats have?

What are the chances of award seats being made available to UA closer to the flight date?

thanks in advance for any info.

RTW1

Again... You need to be patient, no way of telling if any seats will be released to *A partners. Certainly none before T-14, and most likely none at all.

LufthansaFlyer

Your window will start to open 14 days out. Don't stress yourself if you're outside this window. As you get closer, more seats may open, especially in the 1-3 day out area.

BTW, you can't really use EF to gage LH F availability because the F it is showing is the F available to their Miles&More membership and not other *A carriers and that F availability does not equate to what UA or other *A carriers may have available from LH. You can also try a long-sell request by calling United inside the 14 day window and asking them to contact LH for a seat, but you kinda need to know how to ask for it and which call center to talk to. HNL customer svc center generally is the best at it.

Too many people get caught up in the old vs. new F product --- glad that you somehow managed to enjoy such a 'inferior' product!

I always get a kick out of "Maximizers" who ..... about the old F seat, especially when they DID NOT spend the $7-10k that it takes to sit there in the first place.

ExpertFlyer Voice

ExpertFlyer only shows LH award availability at the *A partner availability level. You may be confusing it with LX for which we show both, depending upon if you choose LX as the airline (M&M availability) or "Star Alliance" as the airline (*A level availability) in the Award search.

Hokiethang

I'm trying to upgrade a Business class award ticket I booked, and currently the UA website shows award availability, in F on Lufthansa (O as available), yet when trying to book it, it fails when trying to reserve it (via both either the website or the phone agent). ExpertFlyer shows the same availability, but it's un-ticketable as a MP Platinum. It's not broken like it used to be, as I have my return flight in O already, but it seems that Phantom availability is still around.

Hartmann

Is the same space available on the ANA site? If not, then yes, it is phantom availability.

And yes, as far as I know, phantom availability is still a problem.

LufthansaFlyer

Definitely Phantom

FlyingDoctorwu

IS it possible to change to LH F if availability opens up before departure but after the journey has commenced?

ie- I have DPS-SIN-BKK-FRA-IAD coming up.. if FRA-IAD opens up say within 5 hours of departure, would I be able to change to LH F after the journey starts? or do I need to specifically not check in for the FRA-IAD portion when I arrive at DPS?

Thanks
FDw