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
Nov 1, 2013, 9:14 am
#331
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: United Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 281
This is a monster chop to the value of UA.
Nov 1, 2013, 9:15 am
#332
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: UA Silver/Marriott Gold/Hilton Gold
Posts: 540
Man, United is on a roll lately. I guess those preaching free-agency are being proved right. No point in calling it a loyalty program anymore.
Nov 1, 2013, 9:17 am
#333
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
Nov 1, 2013, 9:18 am
#334
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: LFT
Programs: AA Plat, lots of AA, AS, DL, UA miles, former top level CO Elite (sigh...)
Posts: 10,795
Thank goodness I was able to use my UA miles and book J for two FRA-IAH on an LH A380 for a trip this March.......which means I now have just enough miles to hopefully get F reward tix for two to Hawaii.
And after that, I will be well and truly done with UA.
Nov 1, 2013, 9:19 am
#335
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, Marriott/IHG Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 291
16% increase 
Nov 1, 2013, 9:20 am
#336
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Hyatt GLOB, Marriott Lifetime PLT, UA 1K 1MM.
Posts: 1,728
i fly EWR-NRT-ICN a lot for personal travel to see my family.
i just noticed this on http://www.united.com/web/en-us/cont...e/default.aspx regarding CPU's "within asia"
so... on my two hour NRT-ICN flight, i need to burn a W+ GPU for that. am i reading this right? because while not a major issue in the grand scheme of things, it's a giant middle finger to premier members.
if i'm reading that right, this, in combination with the redemption hikes, the constant regional-ization of domestic flights, removal of the dedicated 1K desk, hit-or-miss operations (i was on ORD-EWR yesterday and 30 minutes after scheduled departure time we were struggling because there were two seats double ticketed and the rampers never showed up to gate check the bags), increased last minute fire sales of upgrades, crappier food (after serving me those stupid chicken wraps, was that salad that stops me from feeling like i'm going to have heartburn really that huge an expense?) and the continuing list...
ugh. just ugh. i'm holding off on 2014 bookings to see what happens with the AA/US merger. if that doesn't go through, i'm bolting. if it does go through, i might as well just start kayaking. anyone who believes parker won't gut AAdvantage i'd bet will be in for a shock. remember there was a time when smisek used to say that MP wouldn't be hurt...
i just noticed this on http://www.united.com/web/en-us/cont...e/default.aspx regarding CPU's "within asia"
1The following restrictions apply to upgrades on flights to/from Northern South America and within Asia departing on or after February 1, 2014: (1) Complimentary Premier Upgrades and instant upgrades are not applicable; (2) 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
if i'm reading that right, this, in combination with the redemption hikes, the constant regional-ization of domestic flights, removal of the dedicated 1K desk, hit-or-miss operations (i was on ORD-EWR yesterday and 30 minutes after scheduled departure time we were struggling because there were two seats double ticketed and the rampers never showed up to gate check the bags), increased last minute fire sales of upgrades, crappier food (after serving me those stupid chicken wraps, was that salad that stops me from feeling like i'm going to have heartburn really that huge an expense?) and the continuing list...
ugh. just ugh. i'm holding off on 2014 bookings to see what happens with the AA/US merger. if that doesn't go through, i'm bolting. if it does go through, i might as well just start kayaking. anyone who believes parker won't gut AAdvantage i'd bet will be in for a shock. remember there was a time when smisek used to say that MP wouldn't be hurt...
Nov 1, 2013, 9:21 am
#337
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Increasing co-pays to match inflation makes sense. Increasing the number of RDM required to get an award NEVER makes sense, UNLESS they increase the number of RDM earned per flight to match inflation as well. A flight from SFO to HNL for example, earns the number of miles it earns...regardless of whether you paid $800RT for your ticket in 2014 or $200RT for your ticket in the 1980s.
Not to the degree UA has done it, but modest creep in relation to ticket prices could be justified.
Nov 1, 2013, 9:26 am
#338
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: all, none, somewhere in between
Posts: 221
Sucks. Think American will match my *A status (Aegean)?
Nov 1, 2013, 9:26 am
#339
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
Sic transit gloria. It also makes it easy for me to burn my smallish pile (50Kish) of UA miles sometime before pre-devaluation. I'm thinking another intra-South Asia C award involving TG and SQ, combined with a US "RTW" in C for 90K. Might as well burn 'em while I got 'em.
Nov 1, 2013, 9:26 am
#340
Join Date: May 2001
Location: TPA 50%/BKK 30%/HKG 20%
Programs: UA 1K MM - AF G – TK G – AZ Ex – Hilton D – Marriott G – IHG P
Posts: 1,990
I thought that the cuts to the various elite levels due to the new PQD requirements were going to come with enhanced benefits to those levels and instead we get this?
I have to say (and most of you know) that I am normally a UA supporter, but this is really ridiculous, especially the *A partner changes.
The only think that keeps me here over AA now is that as a foreign based 1K I still get the 6 GPUs which are still relatively easy [for ME] to use.
No it isn't, because the cost of the tickets that you need to purchase in order to EARN the miles ALSO goes up.
I have to say (and most of you know) that I am normally a UA supporter, but this is really ridiculous, especially the *A partner changes.
The only think that keeps me here over AA now is that as a foreign based 1K I still get the 6 GPUs which are still relatively easy [for ME] to use.
No it isn't, because the cost of the tickets that you need to purchase in order to EARN the miles ALSO goes up.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Nov 1, 2013 at 9:34 am Reason: merge
Nov 1, 2013, 9:26 am
#341
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA- 1P
Posts: 274
what happens if you fly, for ex, EWR-FRA-LYS on UA for the first leg than LH for the last part because UA just does not fly there? Partner award or UA award?
Nov 1, 2013, 9:27 am
#342
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,474
We have to thank the government for this silly merger. It was so good to see the old UA and CO competing with each with customer friendly policies till the merger.
And airline management really expects us to believe mergers are good for the customer.
And airline management really expects us to believe mergers are good for the customer.
Nov 1, 2013, 9:27 am
#343
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 825
I don't think anyone would be complaining much if that's how airline FF programs adjusted their award costs. Instead, they hold steady for years, then pull these massive devaluations. You'd think they'd figure out that all this sort of thing does is tick off customers!
Nov 1, 2013, 9:30 am
#344
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: MPC, Marriott, Hyatt
Posts: 407
Nov 1, 2013, 9:32 am
#345
Senior Moderator; Moderator, Eco-Conscious Travel, United and Flyertalk Cares
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Fulltime travel/mostly Europe
Programs: UA 1.7 MM;; Accor & Marriott Pt; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 17,831
Likely it would be charged at higher rate. Suggestion up thread is to take UA only on award to FRA and then do a revenue ticket (assuming relatively cheap) to keep award cost down for the other segment.