Mar 6, 2015, 4:46 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Common issue
Expert Mode shows ..... T9, L9, K9, G9, N9 but you not able to get united.com or other sites to provide a fare for N or G or .... WHY?
There are three requirements to be able to book a fare class
1) there needs to be a fare rule for that fare class for your O/D.
2) you need to meet all the requirements for the fare rule -- advance purchase, days of the week, min stay, qualified flight numbers, qualified routing (including a possible RT requirement), .....
3) there needs to be inventory in the fare class
So if the cheapest fare rule filed is K, you will not be able to book N or G
Even if a fare rule is filed and there is inventory then you still need to meet the fare rule requirements.
As for searching, if multiple fares qualify, the cheapest will be displayed unless you specifically force a fare class. While the fare hierarchy will generally match the cost, occasionally a high fare class will be cheaper than a lower fare class due to differences in fare flexibility such as refundable, changeability, ....
So there are multiple reasons for why a specific fare class is and not is offered. Confusion on this is one reason UA has been reluctant to make fare class inventory easily available and the reason UA requires one to accept the following terms before providing access to Expert Mode:
How can you see the fare rules?
While booking (on the first "Review trip itin" page) and after booking (on the online view of the reservation) , UA will makes them available -- but this is only if UA will display that particular fare.
Before booking or if unable to get access on UA, there are paid services -- KVS, Expert Flyer. ... can provide access to all published fare rules.
Related threads
Decoding the alphabet soup - New fare buckets for UA
How to get a P class fare to Europe?
Understanding Airline Inventory (non FT blog posting)
Desired Fare Class is available but has insufficient space, what can be done?
Archive: Fare Class has Inventory - Not Able to Book into? {Archive]
Expert Mode shows ..... T9, L9, K9, G9, N9 but you not able to get united.com or other sites to provide a fare for N or G or .... WHY?
There are three requirements to be able to book a fare class
1) there needs to be a fare rule for that fare class for your O/D.
2) you need to meet all the requirements for the fare rule -- advance purchase, days of the week, min stay, qualified flight numbers, qualified routing (including a possible RT requirement), .....
3) there needs to be inventory in the fare class
So if the cheapest fare rule filed is K, you will not be able to book N or G
Even if a fare rule is filed and there is inventory then you still need to meet the fare rule requirements.
As for searching, if multiple fares qualify, the cheapest will be displayed unless you specifically force a fare class. While the fare hierarchy will generally match the cost, occasionally a high fare class will be cheaper than a lower fare class due to differences in fare flexibility such as refundable, changeability, ....
So there are multiple reasons for why a specific fare class is and not is offered. Confusion on this is one reason UA has been reluctant to make fare class inventory easily available and the reason UA requires one to accept the following terms before providing access to Expert Mode:
This is not a forecasting tool. Availability levels in certain fare classes should not be interpreted as indicating that we will make other fare classes available.
The presence of a particular fare class does not mean that there is a fare associated with it. For example, we may offer availability in a discounted fare class, but that does not necessarily mean we have published a fare that corresponds to it.
The presence of a particular fare class does not mean that there is a fare associated with it. For example, we may offer availability in a discounted fare class, but that does not necessarily mean we have published a fare that corresponds to it.
While booking (on the first "Review trip itin" page) and after booking (on the online view of the reservation) , UA will makes them available -- but this is only if UA will display that particular fare.
Before booking or if unable to get access on UA, there are paid services -- KVS, Expert Flyer. ... can provide access to all published fare rules.
Related threads
Decoding the alphabet soup - New fare buckets for UA
How to get a P class fare to Europe?
Understanding Airline Inventory (non FT blog posting)
Desired Fare Class is available but has insufficient space, what can be done?
Archive: Fare Class has Inventory - Not Able to Book into? {Archive]
Fare Class has Inventory - Not Able to Book into?
Jul 31, 2022, 5:04 pm
#61
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Total Wine & More Reserve
Posts: 4,503
If there's a fare I have my eye on, I typically check the fare rules (on UA website, or more easily on ITA) to see how long it may be available based on advance purchase requirements. Occasionally, there's a "must be ticketed by" calendar date as well, IIRC. Although as mentioned the airline could always pull the fare at any time prior.
Jul 31, 2022, 5:20 pm
#62
Join Date: Jul 2022
Programs: United MileagePlus
Posts: 336
yeah, that's true. The problem is I'm looking to book as a companion for someone else's corporate account business trip that is not yet confirmed/approved. So I/we have no idea which particular flight out to book yet, hence my delay.
Jul 31, 2022, 5:38 pm
#63
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
Jul 31, 2022, 7:31 pm
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,414
If there's a fare I have my eye on, I typically check the fare rules (on UA website, or more easily on ITA) to see how long it may be available based on advance purchase requirements. Occasionally, there's a "must be ticketed by" calendar date as well, IIRC. Although as mentioned the airline could always pull the fare at any time prior.
Aug 9, 2022, 6:26 am
#65
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: A few here and there
Posts: 207
Fare bucket available but United.com only showing higher fares
Sorry if this has been asked before but I went to go book an international business fare last night and while p class was available (p9) .com would only pull up c and d fares. Has anyone experienced this before?
Aug 9, 2022, 6:32 am
#66
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,279
Just because a fare class is available doesn't mean that fares are filed for that class, or that the fares currently available in that class are valid for the specific itinerary you are choosing.
Aug 9, 2022, 6:41 am
#67
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,134
Fare rules is the answer. When flights are combined into an itinerary there are rules for each fare bucket, e.g. xx day advanced purchase, Saturday night stay required, refundable, etc and so on. Its very complex. Your itin did not meet the requirement for whatever reason to be sold as a P fare, so C what the lowest the system would sell. You'd have to make a dummy booking to see the fare rules online, or call and hope to find a patient agent that would be willing to explain them in detail to you.
Aug 9, 2022, 7:15 am
#68
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,455
The presence of a particular fare class does not mean that there is a fare associated with it. For example, we may offer availability in a discounted fare class, but that does not necessarily mean we have published a fare that corresponds to it.
Aug 9, 2022, 7:55 am
#69
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,134
Aug 9, 2022, 8:22 am
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,056
Aug 9, 2022, 9:52 am
#74
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
There is zero chance -- none whatsoever -- that a front-line customer service agent is going to be either (a) willing or (b) able to pull up a bunch of fares that don't apply to your flight and then explain why they don't do so. Interpreting the fare rules is complicated enough that there is an entire team of behind-the-scenes experts whose entire job is to validate the rules for complicated changes.
The FlyerTalk community knows the fare rules much, much better than a customer service agent would, because they're relevant to the community whereas they're not relevant to the customer service rep. CS agents simply need to know how to input the itinerary into the computer and read back the price it calculates.
Aug 9, 2022, 10:29 am
#75
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,134
One can also call United customer service to ask them what the weather will be like Thursday in the Maldives, or how best to prepare for the LSAT. That doesn't mean that it's a good use of your time, or of the agent's.
There is zero chance -- none whatsoever -- that a front-line customer service agent is going to be either (a) willing or (b) able to pull up a bunch of fares that don't apply to your flight and then explain why they don't do so. Interpreting the fare rules is complicated enough that there is an entire team of behind-the-scenes experts whose entire job is to validate the rules for complicated changes.
The FlyerTalk community knows the fare rules much, much better than a customer service agent would, because they're relevant to the community whereas they're not relevant to the customer service rep. CS agents simply need to know how to input the itinerary into the computer and read back the price it calculates.
There is zero chance -- none whatsoever -- that a front-line customer service agent is going to be either (a) willing or (b) able to pull up a bunch of fares that don't apply to your flight and then explain why they don't do so. Interpreting the fare rules is complicated enough that there is an entire team of behind-the-scenes experts whose entire job is to validate the rules for complicated changes.
The FlyerTalk community knows the fare rules much, much better than a customer service agent would, because they're relevant to the community whereas they're not relevant to the customer service rep. CS agents simply need to know how to input the itinerary into the computer and read back the price it calculates.