Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the master thread is UA MP Saver Award/Upgrade Inventory (& partners) -when is it released?
United Saver Award/Upgrade Inventory (& partners) - when is it released? [Archive]
#2431
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,446
1.) Remove historical practice of swinging the doors open on saver availability very close in / day of
2.) Remove capacity far out
3.) Reduce saver award availability generally
4.) Increase time required to locate awards, thereby increasing search costs and decreasing efforts to redeem
1 and 2 hit Plats+ particularly hard (since they can book far out with no change penalties, and book close in with no close-in fees). It is a big middle finger from MP.
Last edited by goalie; Sep 19, 2015 at 11:03 am Reason: edited quoted post to match edited original post
#2432
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AA DULtArer
Posts: 5,547
In my view, it's a four part devaluation of miles that has become particularly acute over the last year or so.
1.) Remove historical practice of swinging the doors open on saver availability very close in / day of
2.) Remove capacity far out
3.) Reduce saver award availability generally
4.) Increase time required to locate awards, thereby increasing search costs and decreasing efforts to redeem
1 and 2 hit Plats+ particularly hard (since they can book far out with no change penalties, and book close in with no close-in fees). It is a big middle finger from MP.
1.) Remove historical practice of swinging the doors open on saver availability very close in / day of
2.) Remove capacity far out
3.) Reduce saver award availability generally
4.) Increase time required to locate awards, thereby increasing search costs and decreasing efforts to redeem
1 and 2 hit Plats+ particularly hard (since they can book far out with no change penalties, and book close in with no close-in fees). It is a big middle finger from MP.
#2433
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,446
Candidly I'd be fine with that, my PQD is big. But the increased earning levels on dollars are, in my view, multiples over exclipsed by the direct and stealth constraints UA has put on capacity. And this is even before we talk about the partner booking premium and the shizztastic constraints partners have decided to put on *A bookings by UA members.
#2434
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3
United Mileage Plus
Thanks for listening. One year ago, I researched Burlington Vermont, BTV to Washington DC IAD to Maui OGG back to BTV for summer 2015. The choices for economy saver awards were multiple. Great flights!--all saver awards so 45000 miles total. This year, nothing showing for the same summer 2016 trip. Why, i want to know? I'm reduced to searching roundtrip legs like chicago to maui (chicago is a connect from DC) to see some saver awards, or DC to maui (and there are some really lousy flights at saver level). We're talking 90000 miles to do this trip--double the 2015 rate! Bad enough, but, when i punch this multi-city trip, the saver awards do not show up at all, as in the saver awards along that route no longer exist. Any ideas? Thanks again.
Last edited by werejusttravelers; Sep 18, 2015 at 4:53 pm
#2436
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Charlottesville
Programs: UA Gold, VX Gold, AA PLT, DL Gold, MR Gold, HH Diamond, Hertz 5* Gold
Posts: 469
Thanks for listening. One year ago, I researched Burlington Vermont, BTV to Washington DC IAD to Maui OGG back to BTV for summer 2015. The choices for economy saver awards were multiple. Great flights!--all saver awards so 45000 miles total. This year, nothing showing for the same summer 2016 trip. Why, i want to know? I'm reduced to searching roundtrip legs like chicago to maui (chicago is a connect from DC) to see some saver awards, or DC to maui (and there are some really lousy flights at saver level). We're talking 90000 miles to do this trip--double the 2015 rate! Bad enough, but, when i punch this multi-city trip, the saver awards do not show up at all, as in the saver awards along that route no longer exist. Any ideas? Thanks again.
Maybe UA hasn't released saver inventory. Maybe you don't have the right Premier status that opens up the extra award buckets. Maybe there's Saver Business/First but no Saver Economy. Maybe UA wants to sell you tickets (see below).
If I were you, I would be flexible with my starting and ending airports (HNL, KOA) and travel dates. Also consider that US-Hawaii flights are quite inexpensive now if you're flexible with your starting airport, and you might find Saver fares that connect you from BTV to an airport where you can catch a Saver fare.
#2437
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3
The frustrating part is that when you look at legs independently, you see some saver fares, but when you look for the total multi-city trip, they no longer exist. Thanks though. I'll look into this.
#2438
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3
Could be a total newb here but when I check for awards, I go to United site, sign in, go to redeem awards travel, and punch in my trip. Is there another way that I can see if there are seats at saver level without "telling" United I want this trip?
#2439
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,574
Two warnings
-- Not all carriers will show (so UA phone agents may see more inventory)
-- The availablity on a A* program site for its own flights will likely be better than what UA has access to. Carriers reserve some inventory on their sites for their program members.
What is you concern with "telling" United you are looking at a particular trip?
#2440
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 16
BKK to IAD economy saver in August
Hi,
Maybe no one knows the answer to this question but I figured that if anyone would know it would be someone here. I need to get 2 saver economy tickets from Bangkok to Washington in the middle of next August (I am blowing all the miles I accumulated flying during grad school). Right now there are tickets available, but the itinerary kind of sucks, it involves a 24 or 25 hour journey going through LHR or VIE. I would prefer to save a couple of hours and go through NRT or PEK. Right now there is plenty of saver availability on the NH flights all through July, but the NH flights for August aren't even listed as options (not in saver nor in standard).
Does anyone know if this means that NH just hasn't released its seats to United yet and that I should check back in a week or two? Or is mid-August really so much busier than late July? Maybe I should call United and ask? I'm not sure what the best play is.
I know I can book the LHR/VIE itinerary now and change it later, but I don't have the status necessary to avoid the fees, and although $150 isn't all the money in the world, I'd rather not burn it if those seats are very likely to come open in the near future.
Thanks in advance if anyone has any insights/suggestions.
zackkg
Maybe no one knows the answer to this question but I figured that if anyone would know it would be someone here. I need to get 2 saver economy tickets from Bangkok to Washington in the middle of next August (I am blowing all the miles I accumulated flying during grad school). Right now there are tickets available, but the itinerary kind of sucks, it involves a 24 or 25 hour journey going through LHR or VIE. I would prefer to save a couple of hours and go through NRT or PEK. Right now there is plenty of saver availability on the NH flights all through July, but the NH flights for August aren't even listed as options (not in saver nor in standard).
Does anyone know if this means that NH just hasn't released its seats to United yet and that I should check back in a week or two? Or is mid-August really so much busier than late July? Maybe I should call United and ask? I'm not sure what the best play is.
I know I can book the LHR/VIE itinerary now and change it later, but I don't have the status necessary to avoid the fees, and although $150 isn't all the money in the world, I'd rather not burn it if those seats are very likely to come open in the near future.
Thanks in advance if anyone has any insights/suggestions.
zackkg
#2441
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,296
Right now there are tickets available, but the itinerary kind of sucks, it involves a 24 or 25 hour journey going through LHR or VIE. I would prefer to save a couple of hours and go through NRT or PEK. Right now there is plenty of saver availability on the NH flights all through July, but the NH flights for August aren't even listed as options (not in saver nor in standard).
Does anyone know if this means that NH just hasn't released its seats to United yet and that I should check back in a week or two? Or is mid-August really so much busier than late July? Maybe I should call United and ask? I'm not sure what the best play is.
Does anyone know if this means that NH just hasn't released its seats to United yet and that I should check back in a week or two? Or is mid-August really so much busier than late July? Maybe I should call United and ask? I'm not sure what the best play is.
(And btw, from IAD, the Europe routing is really about the same amount of time in the air as the trans-Pac.)
#2442
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Gold, SPG Plat, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2
Business Saver Award SFO > Beijing in Feb 2015?
Hi everyone, I'm looking to book an award flight on United on Feb 2, 2015 SFO > PEK. When I search for award tickets, economy saver awards are available for the non-stop flight but no business saver awards. Browsing the seating chart shows me that all business class seats on the 747 are open except for 2. Should I hold out for United to open up additional business saver awards, or am I out of luck even this far in advance?
#2443
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,110
#2444
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 17
In my view, it's a four part devaluation of miles that has become particularly acute over the last year or so.
1.) Remove historical practice of swinging the doors open on saver availability very close in / day of
2.) Remove capacity far out
3.) Reduce saver award availability generally
4.) Increase time required to locate awards, thereby increasing search costs and decreasing efforts to redeem
1.) Remove historical practice of swinging the doors open on saver availability very close in / day of
2.) Remove capacity far out
3.) Reduce saver award availability generally
4.) Increase time required to locate awards, thereby increasing search costs and decreasing efforts to redeem
#2445
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SFO
Programs: COdbaUA Platinum 2MM
Posts: 5,530
It is best to do your search daily early in the morning. That is how I usually find my saver award seats. Sometimes inventory opens up and closes in one day then reopen a few days later.