Bizzare award situation.
#1
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Bizzare award situation.
This is all rather weird. Been with united 12 years, first time I noticed this.
Trying to fly SFO -> OGG return in October with super saver awards.
No saver award seats on dates. Other saver awards fly via LAX.
Direct flights are $600.
But I can fly one way for $169 direct and book saver award seats on way back again direct.
So return awards are indirect whilst one way awards are direct?
Overall i am a happy camper but why does united make it so difficult!
Trying to fly SFO -> OGG return in October with super saver awards.
No saver award seats on dates. Other saver awards fly via LAX.
Direct flights are $600.
But I can fly one way for $169 direct and book saver award seats on way back again direct.
So return awards are indirect whilst one way awards are direct?
Overall i am a happy camper but why does united make it so difficult!
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist



Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA Plat 2MM. DL Plat, AS MVP
Posts: 12,895
This is all rather weird. Been with united 12 years, first time I noticed this.
Trying to fly SFO -> OGG return in October with super saver awards.
No saver award seats on dates. Other saver awards fly via LAX.
Direct flights are $600.
But I can fly one way for $169 direct and book saver award seats on way back again direct.
So return awards are indirect whilst one way awards are direct?
Overall i am a happy camper but why does united make it so difficult!
Trying to fly SFO -> OGG return in October with super saver awards.
No saver award seats on dates. Other saver awards fly via LAX.
Direct flights are $600.
But I can fly one way for $169 direct and book saver award seats on way back again direct.
So return awards are indirect whilst one way awards are direct?
Overall i am a happy camper but why does united make it so difficult!
Or you can buy one way for $169 and use miles for the return (nonstop).
But if you try a roundtrip award search, direct options don't show up?
#3
Join Date: Oct 2000
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Ambassador/Lifetime Titanium, Accor Silver, Club Carlson Gold, BW Diamond
Posts: 2,432
#4




Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Philadelphia, PA USA
Programs: CO Silver, HHonors Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 983
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,265
This is not an MR worthy price for the round trip and less so for the one way.
#7


Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: Dunkin' Rewards Boosted
Posts: 5,914
#8
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Exactly correct. No direct award for round trip but one way award direct does exist. Weirdly, the direct trip in the other direction of the award, SFO to OGG, is only $169 (now $189). Why couldn't they have the direct round trip award available given its not high revenue earning.
#9
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Exactly correct. No direct award for round trip but one way award direct does exist. Weirdly, the direct trip in the other direction of the award, SFO to OGG, is only $169 (now $189). Why couldn't they have the direct round trip award available given its not high revenue earning.
I told them because there were no direct return SFO-OGG awards. Person who called reluctantly aggreed to combine the trips into one ticket.
Is there any benefits/problems to combining two one way tickets into a return trip?
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,092
Now it gets even more weird. Got a call from United today, asking me why I bought a direct SFO-OGG flight one way and got an award OGG-SFO direct the other way and this is highly unusual.
I told them because there were no direct return SFO-OGG awards. Person who called reluctantly aggreed to combine the trips into one ticket.
Is there any benefits/problems to combining two one way tickets into a return trip?
I told them because there were no direct return SFO-OGG awards. Person who called reluctantly aggreed to combine the trips into one ticket.
Is there any benefits/problems to combining two one way tickets into a return trip?
What's highly unusual about it?
You're just paying cash when it makes sense and paying with miles when it makes sense.
#11




Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: WAS-ish
Programs: UA 1K-MM + UC, Marriott Plat, National Exec
Posts: 1,343
Now it gets even more weird. Got a call from United today, asking me why I bought a direct SFO-OGG flight one way and got an award OGG-SFO direct the other way and this is highly unusual.
I told them because there were no direct return SFO-OGG awards. Person who called reluctantly aggreed to combine the trips into one ticket.
Is there any benefits/problems to combining two one way tickets into a return trip?
I told them because there were no direct return SFO-OGG awards. Person who called reluctantly aggreed to combine the trips into one ticket.
Is there any benefits/problems to combining two one way tickets into a return trip?
If so, then that is incredibly unusual (as far as I know). Since when do United reps call customers to ask them why they booked a ticket??? And/or provided unsolicited opinions on what's "unusual".
I mean... sheesh. If they consider that to be unusual, what must they think of the median Flyertalker award booking?
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist



Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,782
#13
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Just to clarify... you booked your ticket[s], and then the next day United called you, out of the blue and unsolicited, to ask why you booked the way you did?
If so, then that is incredibly unusual (as far as I know). Since when do United reps call customers to ask them why they booked a ticket??? And/or provided unsolicited opinions on what's "unusual".
I mean... sheesh. If they consider that to be unusual, what must they think of the median Flyertalker award booking?
If so, then that is incredibly unusual (as far as I know). Since when do United reps call customers to ask them why they booked a ticket??? And/or provided unsolicited opinions on what's "unusual".
I mean... sheesh. If they consider that to be unusual, what must they think of the median Flyertalker award booking?
Not sure why they wanted to combine the award and paid for ticket into one. Is there any benefit to United for doing that?
#14
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: IAD
Programs: No Loyalty to any airline
Posts: 2,378
Really confusing thread. Direct is not the same as nonstop, and I assume you are talking about nonstop?
How do you combine a one way award ticket and a one way paid ticket? Very strange they would call you about this. What you did is not unusual at all.
Are you sure they just aren't linking the two reservations?
How do you combine a one way award ticket and a one way paid ticket? Very strange they would call you about this. What you did is not unusual at all.
Are you sure they just aren't linking the two reservations?
#15
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Really confusing thread. Direct is not the same as nonstop, and I assume you are talking about nonstop?
How do you combine a one way award ticket and a one way paid ticket? Very strange they would call you about this. What you did is not unusual at all.
Are you sure they just aren't linking the two reservations?
How do you combine a one way award ticket and a one way paid ticket? Very strange they would call you about this. What you did is not unusual at all.
Are you sure they just aren't linking the two reservations?


That would be highly unusual.