LukeRB

I just got off the phone with a UA rep who was unable to book our inbound with 6 segments, though she wasn't sure why it wouldn't price.

Our inbound is currently BKK>TPE>SFO//SFO>ORD>CLE and I asked to change it to BKK>TPE>SFO//SFO>SNA>DEN>ORD>CLE.

She saw the flights fine, confirmed Saver availability, went to price it and the system wouldn't price the ticket. She was puzzled and tried to make it work, but it wouldn't go through, so went on hold to figure it out. When she came back, she said she wasn't sure why it wouldn't book, but it wouldn't and her guess was that it was "all those flights," and more specifically, "all those domestic flights."

I acted surprised, thanked her for all her help and hung up. Though I can't confirm the ticket wouldn't price because of the 6 segments, I'm 90% sure that was the reason. Needless to say, it appears the limit of 5 segments per direction (and 10 total segments) on a roundtrip intl award ticket is in effect and enforced by SHARES (UA's booking system).

5khours

Yes.

LukeRB

What explains the error the UA rep was getting when trying to price BKK>TPE>SFO//SFO>SAN>DEN>ORD>CLE?

I figured it was the 6 segments, but is there another possible cause I'm overlooking?

5khours

Recently did a 10 segment RT with an SO, two OJs, two oceans and E/W backtracking. One of the agents messed up the rez, so I had to spend a lot of time on the phone with various agents and supervisors to get it straightened out. Not a huge sample, but there was zero uncertainty about the number of allowable segments.

Used to run into a lot of agents who didn't know the rules, but recently I never have any problems with what is an allowable booking.

LukeRB

Good to know—thanks for the info. To confirm, if we have 3 available segments after TPE>SFO, we can fly 3 segments anywhere in the Continental US with no regard for which direction (and through which timezones) we're flying on each segment?

Regarding your 10-segment RT and the agent who messed up your reservation, were you compensated in anyway? Also, how did they mess up the rez?

5khours

Should not be a problem unless possibly you try something like NRT>JFK>SFO>EWR

Made a change to the return and the agent decided without telling me that it would be easier for her to cancel the return and rebook it as a OW. When I subsequently tried to add an SO, the system wouldn't allow it. Took a while to figure out what had happened and for them to get it fixed.

mduell

A coupon can cover more than 1 segment, such as with direct flights.

LukeRB

If you don't mind me asking, what was your exact routing, and did you split the segments 5/5 (outbound/inbound)?

Though clearly a ploy to make a pseudo-RT in the CONUS, this would be legal, right? It's more that the agent might call BS on you and tell you that it's not legal/kosher, ya?

Still not understanding this fully; Would you mind elaborating?

LukeRB

In booking (and changing) our flights over the past few weeks, I've spoken with 3-4 United agents, all of which have stated the max segments for RT TPAC award tickets are limited to 4 segments in each direction (so 8 segments total). Bummer since it sounds as though it was 5/10 not long ago. Oh well, just makes it more of an adventure/challenge to fit more distance into 4 segments (direct flights with stops, here I come!).

If anyone has had recent luck booking 5+ segments in one direction or 10+ segments total, please chime in and, ideally, include your itinerary so folks can get a sense for when 5/10 segment itins are allowed.

dsquared37

I had an agent read the memo to me and subsequent claim that 4 connections really meant 4 coupons.

MAH4546

I just tried to get NRT-TPE-HKG-FRA-IST-LAX and couldn't book; looping off NRT-TPE and it would book for 60k miles. So sadly, looks like it's true. Was trying to get the Hello Kitty EVA flights and the LH 748.

Mabuk dan gila

It's not super recent but I have LAX-ICN-CRK,MNL-PEK-BKK-PNH-BKK-HND-LAX all ticketed 6 weeks ago.. I 'believe' it is booked as LAX-CRK on the outbound and MNL-LAX on the return with the whole MNL-PEK-BKK-PNH-BKK-HND-LAX being considered the return with a stopover in PNH??? CRK and MNL may be considered co-terminal, but in any case it's the only open jaw. PEK and BKK both have long layovers <24 hours. CRK/MNL and PNH both have extended stays.

This was originally booked in May as a simple LAX-ICN-CRK,MNL-ICN-LAX with the crazy stuff added in mid September by first adding a stopover in PNH on the return which routed through BKK and then making a second change to the MNL-BKK-PNH part adding the long layover in PEK en route from MNL to BKK. This all went through united.com somehow.

Fare construction looks like this.

/FC /FC 00XXX14 LAX OZ X/SEL OZ CRK0.00YSM/YC72 /-MNL CA X/BJS CA X/BKK TG PNH TG X/BKK TG X/TYO NH LAX0.00YSM/YC72

I have no idea how all the backtracking is allowed, it just is.

Yes it is all in Y.

MAH4546

What am I doing wrong that these aren't pricing at 60k miles online?

NRT-PVG-IST-LAX

NRT-BKK-BOM-IST-LAX

They are both pricing the first leg as one award and the remaining legs as another. Are these not valid?

MatthewLAX

.bomb is all screwed up. I can't get anything with a forced routing via Europe from NA to Asia to price.

MAH4546

I can for a one-stop, nothing else (e.g. NRT-IST-LAX).

I'm a fan of flying so trying to put together a cool way of getting experiencing a variety of C products to come home from Tokyo, but it's becoming annoying. At this point I'm just going to use AA miles and take JAL home non-stop.

And phone agents are hit or miss, but I had the most wonderful one on the phone with me for an hour last night helping me piece something together, and then it couldn't price because of the fifth segment. Arggghhh.