gtpdiddy

Hi, I'm an AC Elite (*G) and Aeroplan member and been following a few AC members postings about switching to UA MP program to accumulate miles. I'm based in NYC and parents in YYZ. I'm considering also to switch to MP based on the advantages described especially on lower scamcharges and lower threshold to redeem.

For the experts here, how much availability is there to redeem reward travel on F/J on *A international flights (e.g. SQ, LH, LX, TG, NH)? Also, are AC reward flights usually available for transborder travel? I redeem *A int'l flights for my parents in F/J and have had pretty good odds on AP but am curious about MP. I don't want to switch if it'll be difficult to redeem in F/J.

I presume redeeming for UA F/J would not be difficult but appreciate a comment here also.

Thank you,
GT

rankourabu

I don't understand your question, it's the exact same inventory you see as AC E

As a UA elite u get some extra UA inventory, as a UA Plat+ u get extra UA business inventory.

PHLyer82

I am guessing that we see less AC awards available, and I know we see more UA J/F awards available as a Plat and above. From PHL I have found it not very difficult in getting J seats for PHL-YYZ RT.

rankourabu

You are guessing wrong. We see the same flights an AC elite would.

There is extra AC inventory for AC Super Elite, but irrelevant in this case sinCe OP is not one.

Also, UA plat+ no longer have extra access to intl F inventory.

gtpdiddy

So it sounds like if I start accumulating UA MP there's no real advantage over AP to get J/F int'l awards regardless of status (even as a UA Plat), despite both MP and AP see the same inventories.

Boogie711

Um... I don't understand this statement. You get the same selection as you would with AP, but you don't pay ridiculous scamcharges. If that's not an advantage to you... well then, sure.

gtpdiddy

Appreciate what you're saying, but it's not just about redeeming, but also about upgrades for revenue tickets; that's what make a FF program a good program, the combination of revenue upgrades and reward redemption.

Agree on scamcharges savings, but there're ways to get around it if you don't fly AC, avoid LHR, etc. One-way 50% savings on miles are a good feature on UA/MP also, but to have to spend 250K on J for mini-RTW and 350K on F is crazy!

And it sounds like you need to be UA 1K to get int'l upgrades which is really what I care about.

GT

rankourabu

You really need to do some research.

UA Plat gets substantial expanded J inventory on UA.
Scamcharges are not just for AC flights!!!!!
It costs 125k for a UA J RTW, you just have to pay 15k extra if u want 2 stopovers. I d rather pay that then $1000+ for an AE mini rtw.

Sounds like you are just looking for excuses to justify to yourself staying with AE. If it works for you, stay!

manneca

The only "free" international upgrades on UA come with the system wide upgrades (I think they have a new name) which you get as a 1K. The exception is some international flights mainly to South and Central America and the Caribbean. My experience with the SWUs this year is that I got 4 upgrades out of the many I tried for.

frankmu

how do you do that? Search reveals nothing for me.

lhrsfo

They are not free. You have to buy more expensive fare classes to redeem them. TATL, it's about $150-200 more each way.

UA-NYC

Please let us know where we can find this "substantial" expanded J inventory, cause I sure haven't seen it...I=IN 99 times out of 100.