Nov 1, 2013, 4:08 am
Last edit by: aacharya
Moderator Note: Please keep the wiki post limited to just the facts.
New UA Award/Upgrade Chart (vs. Current Chart)
Changes took effect for travel booked starting February 3, 2014. See UA Insider's post linked here for more info about the date change. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22263212-post2366.html
Awards with *A partners now cost more than similar awards flown only on UA metal.
See below for the round-trip increases on partner metal :
Changes to upgrade policy for intra-Asia and northern South America flights
Questions and Answers
Q: If I book an award in January 2014 and then make changes in February or beyond (in routing, airline, origin, destination, etc), will it be repriced according to new mileage requirements, or will I keep the old pricing on that ticket?
Additional details on changing tickets booked prior to 2/3/14 per UA Insider:
Full details are in post #2588 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22283437-post2588.html
Q: Do these rates apply for tickets purchased after Feb 3 or for travel after Feb 3? That is,if one purchases a ticket now, to fly on Mar 15, will that be new or old pricing?
Q: How will award pricing apply to mixed-carrier Saver Awards?
(reverted to J.Edward's rev)
New UA Award/Upgrade Chart (vs. Current Chart)
Changes took effect for travel booked starting February 3, 2014. See UA Insider's post linked here for more info about the date change. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22263212-post2366.html
Awards with *A partners now cost more than similar awards flown only on UA metal.
- F awards on partners went up 40-80%
- J awards on partners went up 20-40%
- F and J awards on UA metal (or mixed carriers where UA metal is in premium cabin followed by partner segment in lower class) as well some Y awards increased by 5-20% (US to Europe in F up 19%, US to Middle East in F up 20% for example)
See below for the round-trip increases on partner metal :
US ✈ Southern South America: +10,000 J, +5,000 F
US ✈ Europe: +40,000 J, +85,000 F
US ✈ Northern/Central/Southern Africa: +40,000 J, +110,000 F
US ✈ Middle East: +5,000 Y, +40,000 J, +130,000 F
US ✈ Central Asia/India: +5,000 Y, +40,000 J, +120,000 F
US ✈ South Asia: +15,000 Y, +40,000 J, +120,000 F
US ✈ North Asia: +5,000 Y, +40,000 J, +100,000 F
US ✈ Japan: +5,000 Y, +30,000 J, +85,000 F
US ✈ Oceania: +30,000 J, +70,000 F
US ✈ Australia/New Zealand: +25,000 J, +100,000 F
RTW: +20,000 Y, +90,000 J, +100,000 F
US ✈ Europe: +40,000 J, +85,000 F
US ✈ Northern/Central/Southern Africa: +40,000 J, +110,000 F
US ✈ Middle East: +5,000 Y, +40,000 J, +130,000 F
US ✈ Central Asia/India: +5,000 Y, +40,000 J, +120,000 F
US ✈ South Asia: +15,000 Y, +40,000 J, +120,000 F
US ✈ North Asia: +5,000 Y, +40,000 J, +100,000 F
US ✈ Japan: +5,000 Y, +30,000 J, +85,000 F
US ✈ Oceania: +30,000 J, +70,000 F
US ✈ Australia/New Zealand: +25,000 J, +100,000 F
RTW: +20,000 Y, +90,000 J, +100,000 F
Changes to upgrade policy for intra-Asia and northern South America flights
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades and instant upgrades are not applicable
- Regional Premier Upgrades (for any fare class) and Global Premier Upgrades (for flights booked in fare class Z, P, S, T, L, K, G or N) can no longer be requested on or after November 1, 2013
- There is no co-pay exemption for MileagePlus Upgrade Awards requested on or after November 1, 2013
- The above changes do not apply to Copa-operated flights.
Questions and Answers
Q: If I book an award in January 2014 and then make changes in February or beyond (in routing, airline, origin, destination, etc), will it be repriced according to new mileage requirements, or will I keep the old pricing on that ticket?
Our existing change process will apply. Changes to awards that require a change in date do not result in a change to the award price. Any other change will require an add/collect in miles and fees for changes or cancellations will still apply as per our existing policies.
Changes that will not trigger a re-price for itineraries ticketed before February 3, 2014 include:
- Date/time (cabin, region, and award type can't change)
- Carrier on one or more segments (cabin, region, and award type can’t change)
- Origin/Destination within the same regions (carrier and cabin can’t change)
Q: Do these rates apply for tickets purchased after Feb 3 or for travel after Feb 3? That is,if one purchases a ticket now, to fly on Mar 15, will that be new or old pricing?
Updated handling for mixed UA-Partner United/partner award itineraries: As we shared with the initial announcement, the Star Alliance/Partner partner award pricing will apply to Business or First awards for itineraries that include at least one flight segment operated by a MileagePlus partner carrier in Business or First.
However, as a customer benefit we have made an exception for most itineraries which require connecting onto a MileagePlus/Star partner in First or Business for a short distance. Specifically, if a United/Copa award itinerary contains a connecting segment on a MileagePlus/Star partner that is wholly within one MileagePlus award region, then the United award price will apply.
However, as a customer benefit we have made an exception for most itineraries which require connecting onto a MileagePlus/Star partner in First or Business for a short distance. Specifically, if a United/Copa award itinerary contains a connecting segment on a MileagePlus/Star partner that is wholly within one MileagePlus award region, then the United award price will apply.
- For example: IAD-FRA in United BusinessFirst connecting to FRA-FCO in Lufthansa Business, will be priced at the United mileage award amount.
- Note that this exception will not apply to a few specific regions and routings, such as intra-Africa connecting segments and certain fifth-freedom routes (e.g. BKK-KUL operated by Lufthansa)
Changes to MileagePlus Award and Upgrade Policies - Eff. 3-Feb-2014
Jan 31, 2014, 6:39 pm
#2341
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,970
Thank you all for making United's balance sheet look better and proving Smisek is doing a good job 
Jan 31, 2014, 6:43 pm
#2342
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,468
Last minute LH TATL: C-seats available DTW-FRA on numerous dates out to October. Seems to be one of the last routes standing. Thanks to SFO777 pointing to this route in the LH F-award thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...-2014-a-7.html
Good luck all!
Last edited by cesco.g; Jan 31, 2014 at 7:11 pm
Jan 31, 2014, 7:14 pm
#2343
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Plat, HH Diamond, MR Gold, Hertz Prez Circle
Posts: 572
I think this is the very definition of them having us over a barrel. I cashed down to 34k. I know when I'm beaten. I should probably get a domestic somewhere for a weekend but I just can't bring myself to blow miles on domestic tickets.
Brightside is that this is forcing me to take a month + off this year to travel for me... i don't think i would have torn myself away for 2 awesome trips otherwise *shrug*
Jan 31, 2014, 7:21 pm
#2344
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: SEA
Programs: United: Gold, HHonors: Gold, Marriott: Gold, AA, US, AGR
Posts: 397
I think I just did the most amazing purchase in my life. BOS-MUC-CDG, CDG-BKK-SIN (on TG's A380!), then SIN-TPE-JFK. All Business Class for 120K + $190 in taxes.
Jan 31, 2014, 7:37 pm
#2345
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 580
Booked the following...
LAX-TPE-ICN-NRT // PVG-IST-DUB (stopover) DUB-JFK-LAX
Everything in partner J except for the last leg, which is in UA businessfirst.
I have 11 miles left in my account hah. I had a more ambitious itinerary before but turns out I was breaking all sorts of rules.
LAX-TPE-ICN-NRT // PVG-IST-DUB (stopover) DUB-JFK-LAX
Everything in partner J except for the last leg, which is in UA businessfirst.
I have 11 miles left in my account hah. I had a more ambitious itinerary before but turns out I was breaking all sorts of rules.
Jan 31, 2014, 7:41 pm
#2346
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,432
Jan 31, 2014, 7:43 pm
#2347
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,432
Jan 31, 2014, 7:47 pm
#2348
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
Minutes ago, I booked two 20k awards to YUL over Memorial Day Weekend, not because the rates are a going up, but because I was caught up in the frenzy.
RNE, a lemming.
RNE, a lemming.
Jan 31, 2014, 8:09 pm
#2349
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: MHT
Programs: UA
Posts: 121
I second TG availability
booked AUS-CDG(s/o)-BKK-CDG-AUS, long segments are all in First in UA
and TG. My MP is officially torched now
and TG. My MP is officially torched now
Jan 31, 2014, 8:44 pm
#2350
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: Alaska Airlines, CO Emeritus, United kettle, Ural Airlines Wings, Hilton, National
Posts: 979
LAS-SEA, SEA-NRT, NRT-BKK, NH TG J and BKK-FRA, FRA-ORD, ORD-LAS TG, LH F for me. A last hurrah. I echo another persons comment. Thanks United for reminding me to take a decent vacation occasionally.
Dropping credit card, all UA flights and moving to AS. Will split flights up among AS, AA, DL, CX and BA for overseas flights.
Dropping credit card, all UA flights and moving to AS. Will split flights up among AS, AA, DL, CX and BA for overseas flights.
Jan 31, 2014, 8:57 pm
#2351
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
how much longer until the deval? let the countdown begin!
Jan 31, 2014, 9:06 pm
#2352
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Somewhere...
Programs: AA PLT/3MM, UA GM/1MM, DL DM/1MM, FB Plat, AS MVP Gold, WN AList+
Posts: 1,588
Well...was able to burn off another 240K tonight on CPT trips - saver C.
Going to end with about 400K but out of dates, and out of time off for the next year...quite the last hurrah - and nothing booked on UA metal.
Goodbye...sort of sad to see the balance under 500K for the first time in a a long, long while (probably the '90's)...but then I remember why I am doing this and I wish it showed a balance of '0'.
Going to end with about 400K but out of dates, and out of time off for the next year...quite the last hurrah - and nothing booked on UA metal.
Goodbye...sort of sad to see the balance under 500K for the first time in a a long, long while (probably the '90's)...but then I remember why I am doing this and I wish it showed a balance of '0'.
Jan 31, 2014, 9:06 pm
#2353
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,432
Jan 31, 2014, 9:10 pm
#2354
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,606
Down to 50K in my account- booked a trip to AKL/NRT, FRA, and last week's trip for SIN DO. Going to leave the rest in case of an emergency..
Working to get my parents accounts drained before the end of the night. Already booked one trip to LHR, as well as two tix to CDG..
Working to get my parents accounts drained before the end of the night. Already booked one trip to LHR, as well as two tix to CDG..
Jan 31, 2014, 9:15 pm
#2355
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,645
Settled on SMF-IAD-BOS (UA F)-ZRH(LX J/stopover)-ATH(LX J/dest)-IST-YYZ(TK J)-DEN(UA F) not my best redemption but will be a decent trip if we end up flying it. Gave up SN J for TK J, that was hard to do. 