Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Bizzare award situation.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 26, 2012 | 3:22 pm
  #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!
inpd is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2012 | 3:41 pm
  #2  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Conversation Starter
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA Plat 2MM. DL Plat, AS MVP
Posts: 12,895
Originally Posted by inpd
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!
Sorry, I'm not following. You can buy a roundtrip direct (nonstop I take it) for $600.
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?
zrs70 is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2012 | 4:21 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Ambassador/Lifetime Titanium, Accor Silver, Club Carlson Gold, BW Diamond
Posts: 2,432
Originally Posted by inpd

But I can fly one way for $169 direct ...............
If this is true, then you should be posting in the Mileage Run forum......
clublounger is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2012 | 4:42 pm
  #4  
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Philadelphia, PA USA
Programs: CO Silver, HHonors Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 983
Originally Posted by clublounger
If this is true, then you should be posting in the Mileage Run forum......
I'm showing $189 one-way for SFO-OGG on a random date in October. Is that normal?
cmdinnyc is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2012 | 4:47 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
Programs: UA: 1K, HH: Diamond
Posts: 1,330
Originally Posted by cmdinnyc
I'm showing $189 one-way for SFO-OGG on a random date in October. Is that normal?
Sadly, it is not.
deirdre is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2012 | 5:20 pm
  #6  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
All eyes on you!
15 Years on Site
 
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
Originally Posted by clublounger
If this is true, then you should be posting in the Mileage Run forum......
I was seeing SFO-OGG/KOA and a few others for $280 r/t throughout Sep. I first noticed it when channa posted about this being an N fare (which was subsequently changed to G).

This is not an MR worthy price for the round trip and less so for the one way.
dsquared37 is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2012 | 5:21 pm
  #7  
All eyes on you!
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: Dunkin' Rewards Boosted
Posts: 5,914
Originally Posted by cmdinnyc
I'm showing $189 one-way for SFO-OGG on a random date in October. Is that normal?
No, but some recent deeply discounted fare sales to Hawaii, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...pqms-rdms.html.
mherdeg is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2012 | 8:26 pm
  #8  
Original Poster
Suspended
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Originally Posted by zrs70
Sorry, I'm not following. You can buy a roundtrip direct (nonstop I take it) for $600.
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?
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.
inpd is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2012 | 10:07 am
  #9  
Original Poster
Suspended
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Originally Posted by inpd
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.
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?
inpd is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2012 | 10:11 am
  #10  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,092
Originally Posted by inpd
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?

What's highly unusual about it?

You're just paying cash when it makes sense and paying with miles when it makes sense.
channa is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2012 | 10:19 am
  #11  
QBK
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: WAS-ish
Programs: UA 1K-MM + UC, Marriott Plat, National Exec
Posts: 1,343
Originally Posted by inpd
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?
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?
QBK is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2012 | 10:24 am
  #12  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
10 Countries Visited
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,782
Originally Posted by inpd
....I told them because there were no direct return SFO-OGG awards. Person who called reluctantly aggreed to combine the trips into one ticket....
Combining a one way award and one way paid into one ticket? That would be highly unusual.
TerryK is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2012 | 10:35 am
  #13  
Original Poster
Suspended
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Originally Posted by QBK
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?
Yes. They called *me*. I think there was something *weird* about that award, someone messed up by not allowing direct return awards, but direct one-way awards.

Not sure why they wanted to combine the award and paid for ticket into one. Is there any benefit to United for doing that?
inpd is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2012 | 10:42 am
  #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?
6rugrats is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2012 | 10:44 am
  #15  
Original Poster
Suspended
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Originally Posted by 6rugrats
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?
Sorry. Your right of course, I meant non-stop not direct. No they are combining the award and paid ticket. It now appears as one reservation in united.com
inpd is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.