How helpful is the NYC Ticket Office (in Penn Station)?
 

Trying to piece together a complex award and I don't want to spend hours on hold and risk getting an agent unwilling to help or unsure of the rules, and then have to wait hours again for another one.

I saw there is a legacy CO ticket office near Amtrak and I'm considering heading over to have them help reserve it. Any idea how knowledgeable/helpful/friendly these people are?

United.com keeps giving me error messages when trying to book but as far as I can tell, this is a valid itinerary.

Also, will they be able to put the PNR on hold while I transfer the miles, just like you are given the option online?

Thanks for any help.

I just did a search and didn't come up with much. If you end up going there, please post and let us know how it worked out. I'm thinking of stopping by there myself at some point this week. Thanks.

Wouldn't it be easier just to call early in the morning?

For me the 1K desk has been down to <5 min wait times again this week, and it has been picked up in <1 min when I call in the morning (London time).

I'm freshly minted UA dirt. My status was holding up until 3/2 (and even a few extra days), but I have now dropped back down. The waits are still bad on the general line each time I have tried.

I've only every used them for checking in and getting added to an upgrade waitlist. I've never tried to book an award reservation there. The agents I've dealt with were friendly enough, but I don't know that they normally book award reservations so you might be going outside their comfort zone there.

If you can make it to Penn Station, why not just head out to EWR? I, too, doubt they can handle anything that sophisticated - I thought they were mainly there to assist people who'd booked CO sections operated by Amtrak.

:confused:

Penn Station is on the subway; getting to EWR is a whole other ordeal entirely.

Remember, live ticketing will cost you an additional 30.00 per ticket to do it in person.

Related
 

See

1. NYC Penn Station ticket office
2. New York local office at Penn Station??
3. also related is Goodbye, Penn Station eService kiosk
4. they opened a dumb marketing booth there, no service, just marketing