LAref2014

Hi - I'm new to the community after flying for work for many years and being one of the original members of Eastern Airlines FF club. I'm now retired and fly infrequently as I am retired. I've managed to keep about 425K miles in my United account and would like to take my wife to AUS in March. After reading a lot of forum entries, I understand this is a haevily traveled route with little chance for complimentary upgrades which is fine since I am not an elite member of any program anymore. My questions are:
Should I try to score business class tickets with miles on UA (I may not have enough), or should I purchase Y-class (expensive but upgradeable) fare and use miles to upgrade to Business class? I would like to have the upgrade confirmed sooner rather than 100 days out or the day of travel.
Would I be better with a partner (Air New Zealand) through AUK to SYD?
Thanks for any insights you can provide.

rylan

As this is the Delta forum, you're not going to get much if any help with using United miles. I suggest posting over in the United forum instead.

LAref2014

OOPS. Sorry. Newbie mistake.

Canarsie

This discussion was moved from the Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles forum.

Regards,

Canarsie
Co-Moderator, Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles forum

IADFlyer123

You definitely have enough miles to score saver business class seats on the LAX/SFO to SYD/MEL routes on UA flights! Now finding that availability can be really tricky! SInce this is an international route, there are no complimentary upgrades. WHat you can try and do is try to find award space between US and Australia via miles that might take you through Asia!

Alternately, if you are going to pay for expensive Y- fares, just buy business on Air New Zealand or Qantas or Virgin Australia as their discount business fares are cheaper than full-Y fares on any airline.

roberton

In my (somewhat limited) experience, upgrades between the US and Australia are nearly impossible to get, even from Y class. And if you don't have any status, it'll be even harder for you.

So if you want business class, you're much better off to redeem miles for business class.

CAPT Tee

Saver business award on UA costs 140K miles R/T X 2 = 280K miles. Partner award costs 160K miles R/T X 2 = 320K miles. So you have the miles for 2 save award tickets.

I just checked UA website. Available now for MAR 3 outbound Business saver award SFO-SYD on Asiana (via ICN) for 80K miles each. Return on MAR 23 on Air China SYD to PEK in business; connecting UA PEK to SFO in Global First for 80K miles each. The total miles required for two tickets are 320K miles.

UAkls

If interested, there are also often Star saver award seats to Perth (SFO-ICN-BKK-PER or SFO-TPE-BKK-PER). Explore Perth and buy a RT ticket to SYD...about 4 hrs and $400-500?

discoverCSG

I second the thought that most US-OZ J redemptions will need to go through Asia.

One word of caution: Many Asiana aircraft do not have lie-flat seats in business class. A good way around that is to take UA, AC, BR, or NH to NRT, TPE, PVG, or PEK, and connect from there to Australia, or on NZ via AKL.

Note that TG also does not have lie-flat seats in most business class cabins.

UAkls

TG has lie-flat on A380, which it does fly on one of its NRT-BKK flights.

zombietooth

Availability often opens up at the last minute, for example, right now there are two seats available for LAX-SYD/MEL on UA available for the 10 PM departure (it is 7:19 PM on the West Coast as I type this) tonight in saver biz for 70K each. There is one seat avail. in saver biz, LAX-SYD/MEL on the 20th and 2 seats in saver First for 80K each, SFO-SYD/MEL on 1 SEP.

Good Luck!

Oh, and welcome to flyertalk!

Kacee

There is plenty of business class availability right now on Asiana out of LAX. That's on their new A380, which will be a fantastic ride. Unfortunately, you switch to their regional business class product at ICN for a ten-hour redeye to SYD. Asiana's regional business class seat is not great, although the service and food are amazing - exponentially better than on any US carrier.

As others have noted, the main alternate routings will be through PEK, BKK, or possibly TPE. Or if you watch patiently, you may be able to snag space on the UA nonstop from SFO or LAX.

My suggestion is you start searching on your desired dates right now and see what's available. Availability can change from day to day, so most of us have learned to check daily.

ps. Welcome to FT!

787fan

Alternatively, consider heading north to Vancouver to connect to air Canada's YVR-SYD service with guaranteed flat bed in business .... Of course the issue is that award seat is as easy to find as a unicorn

LAref2014

Thanks to all of you for your responses.

Do I check these other airlines via UA website so I can trade UA miles? Going through NRT or ICN will add additional time, which I will have to weigh into the decision.

discoverCSG

You would pay with your UA miles.

Generally, you have to search segment-by-segment. I.e. You would search for SFO-NRT on each of your possible departure days, then search for NRT-SYD on each possible connecting day. Yes, it's time-consuming and cumbersome, but that's how you'll find what you want.

Remember that UA awards allow a stopover, so if you find availability SFO-PEK on the 4th and availability PEK-SYD on the 6th, it's an opportunity to see PEK. Otherwise, connections must be less than 24 hours...which can still be an opportunity for side trips.