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
Feb 3, 2014, 2:10 am
#2491
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Portland, Oregon
Programs: AA EXP UA 2KMM AMB
Posts: 2,400
I had the exact same issue, to a point that an error screen came up with no acknowledgement of a refunding of miles or even cancelation. However, signing in and out and, voila, the miles were back.
Feb 3, 2014, 2:24 am
#2492
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: AUS
Programs: Mileage Hoarding Anonymous
Posts: 90
Just booked AUS-ORD-FRA (UA F), FRA-BKK (TG F, A388), BKK-CDG (TG F, A388), stopover in Paris, CDG-FRA-EWR-AUS (UA F) in early December around 2AM CST. Fees were pretty high @ $200 and I don't really need to stopover in Paris, so I'm trying to rework a route into Thailand through Tokyo. Seems to be 0 A388 availability for BKK-NRT in the month of December. Does anyone know if that type of thing opens up later in the year (and I should just snag J while I can), or am I SOL?
Feb 3, 2014, 2:45 am
#2493
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
Just booked AUS-ORD-FRA (UA F), FRA-BKK (TG F, A388), BKK-CDG (TG F, A388), stopover in Paris, CDG-FRA-EWR-AUS (UA F) in early December around 2AM CST. Fees were pretty high @ $200 and I don't really need to stopover in Paris, so I'm trying to rework a route into Thailand through Tokyo. Seems to be 0 A388 availability for BKK-NRT in the month of December. Does anyone know if that type of thing opens up later in the year (and I should just snag J while I can), or am I SOL?
Feb 3, 2014, 2:52 am
#2494
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: AUS
Programs: Mileage Hoarding Anonymous
Posts: 90
If I book that A388 leg in J right now, but have the award ticketed in O (since NRT-AUS will be in F) can I upgrade the route when availability opens up 2 weeks out, or will it reprice the whole fare?
Feb 3, 2014, 3:21 am
#2496
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 580
Changed my award yesterday, so I'm now doing:
LAX-TPE-SIN-NRT // PVG-IST-DUB(stop)-EWR-LAX
It would have been cool to change the SIN-NRT segment to SIN-BKK-NRT so I could experience the A380, but it will probably be my first time in the 787 anyway so its a consolation. I didn't think it was worth fighting the internal 8 segment (including open jaw) rule.
The new airlines I get to try include Eva, ANA, Turkish, and Aer Lingus. I don't think I'm getting a Hello Kitty plane though, too bad!
LAX-TPE-SIN-NRT // PVG-IST-DUB(stop)-EWR-LAX
It would have been cool to change the SIN-NRT segment to SIN-BKK-NRT so I could experience the A380, but it will probably be my first time in the 787 anyway so its a consolation. I didn't think it was worth fighting the internal 8 segment (including open jaw) rule.
The new airlines I get to try include Eva, ANA, Turkish, and Aer Lingus. I don't think I'm getting a Hello Kitty plane though, too bad!
Feb 3, 2014, 3:51 am
#2497
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Asia
Programs: RVT 1K
Posts: 883
Thanks for confirming -- I was just reading about this in the NRT-BKK thread.
If I book that A388 leg in J right now, but have the award ticketed in O (since NRT-AUS will be in F) can I upgrade the route when availability opens up 2 weeks out, or will it reprice the whole fare?
If I book that A388 leg in J right now, but have the award ticketed in O (since NRT-AUS will be in F) can I upgrade the route when availability opens up 2 weeks out, or will it reprice the whole fare?
Feb 3, 2014, 4:03 am
#2498
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
So, while .sux is still showing the old rates, the agent I justspoke with said they've already got the new extortionate rates in the system. But what I need to do can't be done online so I am not touching my reservation.
Worst case scenario if something good opens up in the next few weeks I'll book with US and refund the miles to my UA account. With SEAsia/Aus,NZ coming down in cost I wouldn't mind 120K miles getting put back....
.... but I'm happy right now with only 750 total in my account.
Worst case scenario if something good opens up in the next few weeks I'll book with US and refund the miles to my UA account. With SEAsia/Aus,NZ coming down in cost I wouldn't mind 120K miles getting put back....
.... but I'm happy right now with only 750 total in my account.
Feb 3, 2014, 4:39 am
#2499
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
I made some changes earlier but right now if I try to search for award availability it just doesn't go anywhere but the flight search page... hopefully this is just a transition point but part of me hopes that United IT is broken (as usual) and they'll have to roll back some more the new levels....
FDW
EDIT: All flight searches doesn't seem to be working....
FDW
EDIT: All flight searches doesn't seem to be working....
Feb 3, 2014, 4:42 am
#2500
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,894
I made some changes earlier but right now if I try to search for award availability it just doesn't go anywhere but the flight search page... hopefully this is just a transition point but part of me hopes that United IT is broken (as usual) and they'll have to roll back some more the new levels....
FDW
EDIT: All flight searches doesn't seem to be working....
FDW
EDIT: All flight searches doesn't seem to be working....
Feb 3, 2014, 5:29 am
#2501
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DFW or Somewhere Else
Programs: UA Plt /Delta DM/ Marriott Platinum Prem./Hilton Diamond / Hyatt Globalist /Hertz PS / National EE
Posts: 1,107
UA is so dysfunctional they cannot even complete this task of charging us more miles for award tickets. They have been dreaming of this moment and still cannot execute it!
Feb 3, 2014, 6:44 am
#2502
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 194
I need to book MEL to PVG, it should be down from 50K to 40K one wa businessy, but it seems still old chart
Feb 3, 2014, 7:17 am
#2503
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DFW
Posts: 1,249
Old chart is still active. With the weather issues, I hate to suggest calling but it is either call or keep trying online. My guess is that the new chart will load tonight but that is just a guess.
Feb 3, 2014, 7:17 am
#2504
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: BA, AA, SQ, UA, AC, WS, MR TIT
Posts: 8,659
Same thing here. All my searches end with old prices 
Feb 3, 2014, 8:00 am
#2505
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
