jchock1

Original, all in Business, late November/early December 2014:

CLT-IAD---UA
IAD-ADD-JNB---Ethiopian
JNB-CPT (destination)---SA

Return:
CPT-JNB---SA
JNB-CAI (4-day stopover)-JFK--Egyptair
(23 hour layover) LGA-CLT--US

Egyptair stopped flying CAI-JFK on the day I was to return to NYC (December 3, 2014), so was put on the flight the next day, which caused a misconnect in NYC.

Started looking for alternatives, and since things aren't looking too harmonious in the Middle East, decided might wait to see the pyramids and Cairo.

Surprisingly, 2 award seats JNB-GRU-EWR appeared while searching United.com for award availability.

After over an hour on the phone, was able to rebook the following with no increase in miles (though the rep initially said it would be 40k extra per ticket)

(No change to outbound)
CLT-IAD---UA
IAD-ADD-JNB---Ethiopian
JNB-CPT (destination)---SA

Return:
JNB-GRU(7 day stop over)--SA
GRU-EWR--UA
EWR-CLT--UA

Received a $6/ticket Electronic Travel Certificate after the change.

Evidently it's again legal to route through South America to get to Africa from the US.

ChinaShrek

I have an award reservation ticketed in F for BOS-YYZ-FRA-BKK on 1/1/15:

BOS-YYZ Business (I)
YYZ-FRA Business (I)
FRA-BKK First (O)

I want to change BOS-YYZ-FRA (which is on AC right now) to BOS-FRA on LH in F without paying more miles. Is this possible? Any suggestions?

Kacee

Yes, assuming LH opens F on your desired route. And that is very far from a sure thing.

ChinaShrek

Thanks. I heard LH opens inventory up F inventory about 7-10 days before flights, so I will be checking in December.

Kacee

T-14 actually. Snagging LH F usually requires flexibility on routing and timing. If you're wedded to BOS-FRA on a specific day, that is not a high percentage game.

FlyerBeek

What is the consensus regarding changing award regions, particularly when the region change would result in a lower (or same) award mileage rate, using the old rates? Specifically, I'm looking to change a US-ICN F award to either US-NRT (2.5k miles less at old rates) or US-HKG (same mileage amount). Thanks.

-FlyerBeek

Kacee

Very very difficult. It's hard enough changing within the rules these days. And that's outside the rules (since change in region is supposed to trigger a reprice to new rates). Not saying it can't be done - it's the wild wild west out there.

Can you just use Avios to get from ICN to NRT (JL) or HKG (CX)?

meehgz

Same regions, changed origin, destination, and connection points. Originally booked Jan 2014 for travel Jan 2014 and canceled reservation but didn't have miles refunded, had ticket reissued Jul 2014 to fly Jul 2014 with the following changes:

Original:
SFO-IAD, UA F
IAD-FRA, LH F
FRA-KIX, LH F

New:
LAX-ORD, UA F
ORD-FRA, LH F
FRA-HND, LH F

No reprice triggered (pre-deval cost in miles was 67,500) and only $0.50 extra in taxes over whatever I paid back in Jan.

Richklhs

Original:
NRT-FRA (F)
FRA-EWR (F)
EWR-CLT (J)
Destination
CLT-JFK (J)
JFK-ICN (F)
ICN-NRT(F)
s/o
NRT-SIN (J)

New:
NRT-DEL (J)
DEL-ORD (F)
ORD-CHS (J)
Dest
CHS-ORD(J)
ORD-NRT(F)
s/o
NRT-BKK(F)

No reprice, refund of $50 in fees. Wanted to take the adventure of AI F, and it sure was an adventure. Trip report coming soon.

msg75

Successful Change on-line...once I had the flights figured out the change itself took about 3 minutes with zero additional miles but ~$200 in extra taxes:

Originally For September 2014:

JFK-ICN (OZ First)
ICN-DPS (OZ Business)

(and exact in reverse)

Changed to January 2015

EWR-LHR (UA Global First)
LHR-BKK (TG First)
BKK-DPS (TG Business)

(and exact in reverse)

ChinaShrek

Thanks, Kacee, I appreciate your advice.

demosthenes1

Original:

xxx-IAH (UA)
IAH-IST (TK I)
IST-BOM (TK I)
open jaw
MLE-IST (TK I)
IST-IAH (TK I)
IAH-xxx (UA)

changed it to:
xxx-IAH (UA)
IAH-IST (TK I)
IST-BOM (TK I)
open jaw
DEL-BLR (AI I)
BLR-MLE (AI I)
stopover
MLE-IST (TK I)
IST-IAH (TK I)
IAH-xxx (UA)

Called in, and heard "this is the premier 1K desk, how can I help you?". Yay! Was originally quoted 160,000 miles, up from 120,000. I suggested that was strange, and she volunteered to check. She came back with the itinerary I wanted, no change in miles needed, and only a small change in taxes. Total call time: 28 minutes (Channa is right again).

This one is especially sweet because I had purchased the Air India flights we wanted six months ago, well before Air India joined the Star Alliance. We were able to cancel the cash reservation and get our money back from Expedia.

esfox

Hello.

I have 2 FC award seats booked for the beginning of October for

BOS-->NRT-->[train]-->KIX-->SIN-->BOS. UA metal except SQ for KIX-->SIN.

I searched desperately for *A FC from BOS to KIX before finally succumbing to booking the NRT destination just before the old award deadline arrived.

1.) Can I change from NRT to KIX should an FC option arrive--it won't be on UA unless I downgrade to J. This combines two changes: carrier and routing. Actually, outbound date, too, since LH leaves late the night before.

Hopefully, this would be 2 LH BOS-->FRA-->KIX. I understand the sad unlikelihood.

2.) With LH or other European options, I'd also have to find our way back westward from SIN-->BOS to avoid a round-the-world fare.

Would I get to make these itinerary alterations with only change fees, not point surcharges on the new schedule? I'm prepared to beg and plead the truth that KIX was my intended destination from the beginning. Oh, and no UA elite level.

Thanks for your help and wisdom!

maskedmesothorium

Old, all business
LAX-TPE-SIN (EVA)
SIN-NRT (ANA)
PVG-IST-DUB (Turkish) stopover
DUB-JFK (Aer Lingus)
JFK-LAX (UA)

New, all business
LAX-ICN (Asiana A380!)
ICN-BKK-SIN (Thai) stopover
SIN-PEK-HND (Air China)
HKG-TPE-LAX (EVA)

$2 more in taxes. Almost as many miles in the air, but not quite the same awesomness of the around the world itinerary. Changed so I could meet a friend, and of course a lot of availability had disappeared. This itinerary is still sweet.

abaheti

Just changed LAX-YYZ-CAI (on AC and MS) to LAX-FRA-CAI (on LH), all business before and after. Super (pmCO) agent (upbeat, happy), asked if I had the legs to feed her, took a few minutes, and she even joked around, made the chat enjoyable, and thanked me for my loyalty.