Mileage Plus Award Question from an old Newbie

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Oct 25, 2014, 3:14 pm

#16

NoLaGent

Join Date: Sep 2011

Location: SFO

Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*

Posts: 3,301

Poor Man's Business Class.

I'd actually consider doing the non-stop from either LAX or SFO on the 11th or 12th for 40k each and buying up to E+. The odds of you each getting a row of 3, especially on the 12th aren't too bad.

Save the miles for another F trip that you can plan for in advance utilizing the Saver rates.

Oct 25, 2014, 4:16 pm

#17

sfo3388

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: San Francisco, CA

Programs: United Plat

Posts: 501

it is possible. Here is a long journey, if you have time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by freshairborne

Here’s a MP Award and hopefully Saver Award question:

My wife and I have a bit under 600,000 points saved up, all from MP Visa use. We want to go from the west coast to SYD and back, around 11/10 going down, around 11/26 returning.

I’ve never used any kind of MP points for anything, hence I know nothing about it, but a cursory look at award travel between both LAX and SFO to/from SYD shows that I’m short by 100,000 points if we’re looking to travel in anything other than coach. Between the two of us, we have exactly 591,770 points right now.

Looks like they want 175,000 per person per leg.

Can an Economy class MP award flight get an E+ upgrade?
If so, how much?
Can I somehow buy, beg, borrow, or steal 100,000 points that I can use to make it happen?
If there’s a possibility of any of this, I’ll have even more questions.
I’d welcome someone resurrecting the UA Pilot Q&A so I can answer YOUR questions!

FAB

Outbound. Costs 240000 miles for 2. Outbound is more challenging but with Business and First class seats.

Mon., Nov. 10, 2014 | San Francisco, CA (SFO) to Hong Kong, SAR, China (HKG)
Depart:
16:30
Mon., Nov. 10, 2014
San Francisco, CA (SFO) Arrive:
22:30 +1 Day
Tue., Nov. 11, 2014
Taipei, Taiwan (TPE) Flight Time:
14 hr 0 mn Flight: BR27
Operated by EVA Airways.
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Fare Class: Business (I)
Meal: Meal
No Special Meal Offered.
Change Planes. Connect time in Taipei, Taiwan (TPE) is 11 hours 45 minutes.
Depart:
10:15
Wed., Nov. 12, 2014
Taipei, Taiwan (TPE) Arrive:
12:05
Wed., Nov. 12, 2014
Hong Kong, SAR, China (HKG) Flight Time:
1 hr 50 mn

Travel Time:
27 hr 35 mn Flight: BR867
Operated by UNI AIR FOR EVA AIR.
Aircraft: MD-90
Fare Class: Business (I)
Meal: Meal
No Special Meal Offered.
! You are arriving in Taipei, Taiwan (TPE) on Tue., Nov. 11, 2014 and your connecting flight departs from Taipei, Taiwan (TPE) on Wed., Nov. 12, 2014.
Wed., Nov. 12, 2014 | Hong Kong, SAR, China (HKG) to Sydney, Australia (SYD)
Depart:
20:45
Wed., Nov. 12, 2014
Hong Kong, SAR, China (HKG) Arrive:
22:30
Wed., Nov. 12, 2014
Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) Flight Time:
2 hr 45 mn Flight: TG607
Operated by Thai Airways.
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400
Fare Class: First (O)
Meal: Meal
No Special Meal Offered.
Change Planes. Connect time in Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) is 9 hours 30 minutes.
Depart:
08:00
Thu., Nov. 13, 2014
Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) Arrive:
21:20
Thu., Nov. 13, 2014
Sydney, Australia (SYD) Flight Time:
9 hr 20 mn

Travel Time:
21 hr 35 mn Flight: TG471
Operated by Thai Airways.
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400
Fare Class: First (O)
Meal: Meal
No Special Meal Offered.
! You are arriving in Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) on Wed., Nov. 12, 2014 and your connecting flight departs from Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) on Thu., Nov. 13, 2014.
Note: You are departing San Francisco, CA (SFO) and arriving Sydney, Australia (SYD).

Oct 25, 2014, 4:17 pm

#18

sfo3388

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: San Francisco, CA

Programs: United Plat

Posts: 501

Return on 11/26. 160000 miles for 2 on business class. Long layover.

Wed., Nov. 26, 2014 | Sydney, Australia (SYD) to Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)
Depart:
15:40
Wed., Nov. 26, 2014
Sydney, Australia (SYD) Arrive:
21:05
Wed., Nov. 26, 2014
Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) Travel Time:
9 hr 25 mn Flight: TG472
Operated by Thai Airways.
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400
Fare Class: Business (I)
Meal: Meal
No Special Meal Offered.
Thu., Nov. 27, 2014 | Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) to San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Depart:
07:25
Thu., Nov. 27, 2014
Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) Arrive:
11:55
Thu., Nov. 27, 2014
Taipei, Taiwan (TPE) Flight Time:
3 hr 30 mn Flight: TG634
Operated by Thai Airways.
Aircraft: Airbus A330
Fare Class: Business (I)
Meal: Meal
No Special Meal Offered.
Change Planes. Connect time in Taipei, Taiwan (TPE) is 7 hours 55 minutes.
Depart:
19:50
Thu., Nov. 27, 2014
Taipei, Taiwan (TPE) Arrive:
14:50
Thu., Nov. 27, 2014
San Francisco, CA (SFO) Flight Time:
11 hr 0 mn

Travel Time:
22 hr 25 mn Flight: BR18
Operated by EVA Airways.
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Fare Class: Business (I)
Meal: Meal
No Special Meal Offered.

Oct 25, 2014, 4:18 pm

#19

Neil35

Join Date: Mar 2010

Programs: United 1K MM, Marriott Gold

Posts: 417

Quote:

Originally Posted by freshairborne

Thank you, Mike. The more I look at it though, after buying miles, paying a sign up fee for Explorer cards to get the extra miles, etc, I'll about break even buying a couple of tickets off of Orbitz on Qantas as a backup.

FAB

Paying a sign up fee for Explorer cards? Not if you do it from United web site.

United.com > Products & Services > Get Credit Card > United MileagePlus Explorer Card "Learn More" >

Quote:

$0 Intro Annual Fee
for the first year, then $95

Oct 25, 2014, 4:25 pm

#20

Kacee

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: PHX

Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)

Posts: 56,484

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a significant lag between when you sign up for the Explorer Card and when the bonus points are deposited in your account, such that this strategy would be no help for an itinerary that will be completed within the next 30 days?

Oct 25, 2014, 5:30 pm

#21

freshairborne

Original Poster

Join Date: Jan 2008

Location: FL 290 through FL390

Posts: 1,687

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kacee

+1

Lots of folks here will be happy to walk you through this.

btw, the AMEX points don't transfer to UA. They will transfer to AC's Aeroplan, through which you can book UA flights.

Of course this was the first place I checked. In fact, I put out a similar request for help on the United Pilots form and they directed me to FlyerTalk!

I was afraid that the AMEX were not going to pan out here.

Thanks

FAB

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil35

Paying a sign up fee for Explorer cards? Not if you do it from United web site.

United.com > Products & Services > Get Credit Card > United MileagePlus Explorer Card "Learn More" >

There is an $80 rebate, so it's not quite free, but pretty close.

Thanks

FAB

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmailKid

+1

If you're thinking buying, Quantas has a very well reviewed Premium Economy. No, it's not like E+ it's a separate class of service with domestic type FC seat IIRC. Costs a little more, but on such long flight well worth it. I've done in on EVA Air to Asia and really liked it.

I will check out the Premium Eco. That sounds like a pretty good compromise. Thanks.

FAB

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfo3388