Award Travel to Australia
Jan 18, 2012, 5:31 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, UA-Premier Silver, AA EXP, Hilton Gold, SPG Plat.
Posts: 191
Award Travel to Australia
Hello, need advice/help figuring out how to get to Australia for Thanksgiving 2012. From US seems next to impossible. However, originating from Europe/Asia is very doable in F. Question are stopovers allowed on same award to break up the flights? Any suggestions for availability from US? I know Australia awards are the most challenging, so any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Jan 18, 2012, 6:13 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,298
you can have one stopover.
There are quite a few awards on Asiana in business for November from the USA. Pretty much every day from JFK, SFO or LAX.
There also may be Air China in a mix of first/business.
You can always change to the United flight if it becomes available later for free (although I dont know why you would)
You can also route via pretty much anywhere in Asia. If you do a multicity search USA-HKG/ICN/NRT/SIN-SYD, you will see a lot more options, daily availability for November - I dont know why you were under the impression Australia is a hard award..... You can even fit in a nice stopover in any Asian city.
As an example do a multicity award
NYC-NRT Nov.26
NRT-SYD Nov.28
you will see dozens of options in business and first on UA/TG. There is even OZ first!!!
There are quite a few awards on Asiana in business for November from the USA. Pretty much every day from JFK, SFO or LAX.
There also may be Air China in a mix of first/business.
You can always change to the United flight if it becomes available later for free (although I dont know why you would)
You can also route via pretty much anywhere in Asia. If you do a multicity search USA-HKG/ICN/NRT/SIN-SYD, you will see a lot more options, daily availability for November - I dont know why you were under the impression Australia is a hard award..... You can even fit in a nice stopover in any Asian city.
As an example do a multicity award
NYC-NRT Nov.26
NRT-SYD Nov.28
you will see dozens of options in business and first on UA/TG. There is even OZ first!!!
Last edited by rankourabu; Jan 18, 2012 at 6:19 pm
Jan 18, 2012, 8:42 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, UA-Premier Silver, AA EXP, Hilton Gold, SPG Plat.
Posts: 191
you can have one stopover.
There are quite a few awards on Asiana in business for November from the USA. Pretty much every day from JFK, SFO or LAX.
There also may be Air China in a mix of first/business.
You can always change to the United flight if it becomes available later for free (although I dont know why you would)
You can also route via pretty much anywhere in Asia. If you do a multicity search USA-HKG/ICN/NRT/SIN-SYD, you will see a lot more options, daily availability for November - I dont know why you were under the impression Australia is a hard award..... You can even fit in a nice stopover in any Asian city.
As an example do a multicity award
NYC-NRT Nov.26
NRT-SYD Nov.28
you will see dozens of options in business and first on UA/TG. There is even OZ first!!!
There are quite a few awards on Asiana in business for November from the USA. Pretty much every day from JFK, SFO or LAX.
There also may be Air China in a mix of first/business.
You can always change to the United flight if it becomes available later for free (although I dont know why you would)
You can also route via pretty much anywhere in Asia. If you do a multicity search USA-HKG/ICN/NRT/SIN-SYD, you will see a lot more options, daily availability for November - I dont know why you were under the impression Australia is a hard award..... You can even fit in a nice stopover in any Asian city.
As an example do a multicity award
NYC-NRT Nov.26
NRT-SYD Nov.28
you will see dozens of options in business and first on UA/TG. There is even OZ first!!!
Jan 19, 2012, 5:28 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,298
Use the NRT example above, it prices out to 67500 in the end one way in business.
Jan 19, 2012, 3:32 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Illinois.
Programs: Switched from UA 1K to AA so I could earn EQD's on partners. Mid-tier on most major hotel programs.
Posts: 542
Lots of availability from the U.S. hubs to Asia & Australia. You may not be getting award availability on the U.S. domestic leg if you're not starting in a hub and finding much.
Jan 19, 2012, 6:40 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: united
Posts: 23
I'm also a newbie and would like to know how to do this.
I've tried United site with the multi-city box checked but it could not find any flight (even when I put in the same route that I took a year ago!).
Also, is it possible to have a couple days layover en-route?
Thanks!
David
I've tried United site with the multi-city box checked but it could not find any flight (even when I put in the same route that I took a year ago!).
Also, is it possible to have a couple days layover en-route?
Thanks!
David
Jan 19, 2012, 6:46 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
My advice? Hire Lucky (Ben). He will take the hassle out of finding the most effective way to use your miles to book travel...
A recent blog post of his:
"Tips for Booking Award Tickets to Australia and New Zealand "
http://travelsort.com/blog/tips-for-...nd-new-zealand
A recent blog post of his:
"Tips for Booking Award Tickets to Australia and New Zealand "
http://travelsort.com/blog/tips-for-...nd-new-zealand
Last edited by LarkSFO; Jan 19, 2012 at 10:03 pm
Jan 19, 2012, 8:03 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,082
Think about booking a standard award for the dates you want and, between now and then, be diligent in checking the website consistently (particularly shortly before departure date) and it is likely some Saver inventory will open up.
Jan 19, 2012, 8:41 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,298
BLASPHEMY!!!!
Book a saver via Asia, and if a saver nonstop opens up - change to it..
NEVER EVER book a standard award.
Jan 20, 2012, 1:12 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 41
New to UA awards
I checked availability from AUS to US later in the year that is coming up as available for 240,000 return on the united.com
If I transfer the miles from a credit card, will that be available to me (no status brand new account)?
Thank for your help.
L
If I transfer the miles from a credit card, will that be available to me (no status brand new account)?
Thank for your help.
L
Jan 20, 2012, 6:07 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,298
as already mentioned, forget united.com, it is beyond useless, and soon to be extinct. Search on continental.com, you ll be surprised what comes up.
Jan 20, 2012, 7:17 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Sittin' on an active volcano
Programs: UA1K 1MM
Posts: 332
Timing is critical
The first mate and I are booked to SYD from eastern U.S.A. on UA metal for departure early November 2012 and return just before Thanksgiving. This is our sixth time to Oz.
My experience (UA metal) is that:
1) Very early booking is critical. If you want saver first (XF) or economy to business upgrade (NC) space by far the best time to get it is at or near the 330 day booking window. Business to first upgrade space (NF) is usually available every day.
2) Day of the week makes a difference. A Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday usually has both XF and NC space when each travel date first reaches the 330 day window. Thursdays and Sundays have less availability but often NC2. Fridays and Saturdays often have no award space at all except maybe NF. If you think about day of the week departure / arrival pairs then you can see why this happens.
Mondays and Wednesdays are usually XF1 or XF2 and NC2 or NC4 when the date becomes available. Tuesdays are often XF2 and NC4. That's what our Tuesday departure was when it first appeared. Our Wednesday return was XF 1 and NC4.
I have very rarely seen XC (saver business) space show available. Twice in the last six months I have seen XC9 and confirmed its availability with a UA rep. I believe that when it appears that it is by mistake as it usually disappears within a few days. Unfortunately the days it was available were nowhere near our travel dates.
3) Saver awards and NC space disappear fast. All XF and NC on our departure dates disappeared within three weeks. As of yesterday our return had XF0 and NC1 available.
If you cannot book that early then you will have to book coach and hope to spot an available XF or NC seat by haunting the website. Or try for a partner award.
Good luck
CB
My experience (UA metal) is that:
1) Very early booking is critical. If you want saver first (XF) or economy to business upgrade (NC) space by far the best time to get it is at or near the 330 day booking window. Business to first upgrade space (NF) is usually available every day.
2) Day of the week makes a difference. A Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday usually has both XF and NC space when each travel date first reaches the 330 day window. Thursdays and Sundays have less availability but often NC2. Fridays and Saturdays often have no award space at all except maybe NF. If you think about day of the week departure / arrival pairs then you can see why this happens.
Mondays and Wednesdays are usually XF1 or XF2 and NC2 or NC4 when the date becomes available. Tuesdays are often XF2 and NC4. That's what our Tuesday departure was when it first appeared. Our Wednesday return was XF 1 and NC4.
I have very rarely seen XC (saver business) space show available. Twice in the last six months I have seen XC9 and confirmed its availability with a UA rep. I believe that when it appears that it is by mistake as it usually disappears within a few days. Unfortunately the days it was available were nowhere near our travel dates.
3) Saver awards and NC space disappear fast. All XF and NC on our departure dates disappeared within three weeks. As of yesterday our return had XF0 and NC1 available.
If you cannot book that early then you will have to book coach and hope to spot an available XF or NC seat by haunting the website. Or try for a partner award.
Good luck
CB