RNE

I don't recommend you follow a "do this until" approach, because there's a possibility UA will raise the RDM price on you after seeing your first large purchase.* To better ensure you get the 150k miles you need, do this. Book one or two or three long-distance trips and then look at the Accelerator offers got get on each. Hopefully you'll see them sum to 150k or so. On separate computers, bring each booking to the point where all you have to do is click the submit button. Then click them simultaneously. That should work.

*I don't think you really need to follow this all-at-once approach, but it's prudent to do so. I have successfully purchased 100k RDMs in one fell swoop, but I know of no one who has successfully purchased 150k RDMs either all-at-once or in quick succession.

pinkhighlighter

Good idea, RNE. Will do. Any thoughts on my other questions. I'm feeling nervous about biting the bullet and booking, but know that these saver awards (on days and locations I want) plus the price of the Award Accelerator miles could change at anytime, so feeling pressure to book!!

RNE

Why are you nervous? Accelerator RDMs are very low now and you found saver awards. I realize you are still deliberating about carriers, but if I were you, I'd get those award seats posthaste.

Regrettably, I don't have answers to your other questions.

pinkhighlighter

I'm nervous just b/c I'm an overthinker!

Another question: if I can find individual segments when searching award flights but they don't show up when I do a multiple destinations search, do I need to call to book the flight?

Or am I doing something wrong? I'm trying to use the free layover and open jaw option, so my flights look like:

SFO -> Madrid (1 week) -> Lisbon -> Rome (1 week) -> SFO

Or is that too many flights? When I do the flights individually, they all work. I think I'm getting cross-eyed about what United allows vis a vis layovers and open jaws.

blug

Nothing new. Most complex award itineraries, e.g., those with more than 3 segments each way, or with stopover and open jaw, etc., can't be booked on united.com.

Your itinerary should be legal (as long as you make a single connection enroute SFO-MAD or FCO-SFO). Just call UA and feed the flights to the agent one by one.

pinkhighlighter

SUCCESS!

We were able to successfully purchase the miles needed via Awards Accelerator (1.9cpm).

Next, we're to call and book our trip (errors out when we try to book online). I called earlier today and confirmed that the flights work for the miles we want.

Fingers crossed that this all works out!!

RNE

Congratulations. Did you get all 150k RDMs with one booking or multiple? If the latter, did you do simultaneous submissions as I suggested?

pinkhighlighter

Multiple, and did it exactly as you suggested. Thanks soooo much!

I'm on the phone with United right now, paying for our reservation.

Now let's just see how much this reservation changes over the 10 months and handling the fact that we had to book through two separate mileage accounts (and thus two separate reservations).

EmailKid

Ouch

My reservations that far out pretty much ALL required calling in, as after a certain amount of clicking "accept changes" it did not work after next "change" Often, several calls, even when no change in aircraft, time or flight number occurred

And then CA (that's Air China IIRC) cancelled one of their flights, so UA autorebooked me to a flight on the same day that arrives HOURS AFTER the next connecting flight to US leaves

So ya, good luck with that. Seriously, good luck ^

UpAt40k

Would someone mind explaining to me how to go about adding legs on once you've found your TATL flight. Let's say you want to go from PDX-AMS via PDX-SFO-FRA-AMS, well I've found the SFO-FRA flight, but how do I add the FRA-AMS and PDX-SFO legs onto this award itinerary, assuming there's space. Do I need to call or can it be done online?

UA-NYC

Have you booked it yet? If so, probably easiest to call it yet.

Not yet booked? Try multi-city and see if you can get it to work that way.

UpAt40k

Haven't booked yet. I'll see if I can get the Multi-City to work. If it doesn't, I just call and say "Hey can I add this PDX-SFO segment to this reservation?" assuming there's space I saw online they should say yes and it can be added on?

Also, I'm going on this trip with another person and we both are good on miles and have them in each of our respective accounts, We'll need to have one person book the trip for the both of us in order to be on the same reservation, is that correct? And is that the best way to do it? As opposed to having each of us book at the same time from our individual accounts?

pinkhighlighter

Oh! Questions I can answer! I just went through this.

For some reason, complicated itineraries can't be booked online. I would just call in and have them book it. Have the flight #s and dates all ready and just tell them what you want. Then ask if they can waive the phone booking fee b/c you weren't able to book online (and you gave them all the info to book). They waived it for us.

If you're using miles from two separate accounts, you can't be on the same reservation. They can put a note in the computer that you two are traveling together, but it seems like that's not worth much.

I just called in and had them do our reservations (using miles from my husband's account and my account). They never needed to speak to my husband. Make sure you have the PINs (not passwords) for both mileage accounts, though.

UpAt40k

Weighing Two options right now, would love any opinions or suggestions.

The first is to go:
PDX-ORD on UA in Y
ORD-FRA-AMS on LH in Y 747-400
AMS-FRA-BCN on LH in J
BCN-IST-SFO on TK in J on the 13.5 hr flight back. (opinion needed on this) 777-300
SFO-PDX on UA in F

I could also go

PDX-SFO on UA in Y
SFO-IST-AMS on TK in Y 777-300
AMS-FRA-BCN on LH in J
BCN-IST-SFO-PDX on UA in Global first (need opinion here, is this better than the TK long haul?) 777-200

Which flights would people suggest? Looks like TK has a nice business class product and I've heard good things, but I could also come back in UA Globalfirst, which I know isn't anything particularly special, but would be nice for a 10 hour flight.

Anything helps! Thank you!

Kacee

LH does not fly ORD-AMS - you must be connecting in either MUC or FRA.

If the choice is TK Y or LH Y for the TPAC, I would do LH because it is a considerably shorter routing.

Between UA GF and TK J from BCN, I personally would choose TK for the food, the IST lounge, and the nicer aircraft. Although the GF seat is considerably more private and spacious. Really either choice is fine.