Not necessarily a UA Vacations or bulk fare thing. While i haven't come across it in a while, I've definitely had some itineraries - regular fares purchased on UA.com - not show the upgrade button. Not sure why as I couldn't really distinguish between the irons where it was and where it wasn't.

Yes, CPU listed
 

For the domestic legs, yes. Cleared outbound, not return IIRC.

Just an update for anyone curious... Everything posted to my account from my recent trip to Canun booked thru United Vacations.

It was classified as a bulk fare, so; 100% PQM earned, however, 0 PQD.

LAS-iAH-CUN earlier this month, called to upgrade with my remaining expiring RPUs. Agent refused saying bulk fares cannot be upgraded. Eventually all legs cleared via CPU and I donated the RPUs to someone else's trip.

No PQDs for the trip, but RDM/PQM posted.

Unlikely that I will book through UAV again, unless there is a significant financial advantage.

Experience with United Vacations
 

I'm looking at booking a trip through United Vacations. Obviously, I'm interested in doing this because I want a vacation package where I can fly on UA, earn miles and also receive my standard 1K benefits.

Does anyone have any experience booking through UA vacations and earning PQM, PQD and being eligible for CPUs?

The trip I am looking at is listed as "Published Fares" and I see the fare class matches what comes up when I search for the flights on there own. Will this be on 016 stock? Earn PQM/PQD and be eligible for CPUs? Will I receive a UA PNR where I can then deal with my reservation as I would normally, or will it be totally blocked off because it's book through a TA?

Experience with United Vacations
 

First, be aware that UA vacations is simply a travel agency that basically buys access to the United name, and does the package deals. Really, it's not different than booking a vacation through, say, Orbitz. Except that I believe they'll only sell UA (and perhaps, partner) flights and have access to whatever inventory they do.

There is a place when your doing the search where the published fare (or bulk fare) gets linked, and if you click on it, it gives you the detail of what it is - so most of what you need to know is there. Anything noted as a published fare will earn PQM, PQS, RDM and PQD as normal based on the flight prices. Like any travel agency, however, any changes need to go through them, especially as these are packages, but using your MP number, the flights should appear on your profile on the UA site, and you should be able to select seats, etc. as normal. And yes, tickets should be on 016 stock.

Bulk fares are different, and would earn miles based on the bulk fare chart, and also wouldn't get PQD. If it's listed as published though, you'll get the same treatment, essentially, as if you've booked directly through UA.

So good, so far...
 

I'm taking 4 buddies with me to PUJ in August. I've booked through United Vacations (I think it's Mark Travel) and all 5 of us are on one PNR, I've used 5 RPUs that have already cleared on the outbound legs (SLC-DEN-EWR-PUJ). The PQMs, PQSs and PQDs are showing up on the view reservations calculating right based on my/their status. I've had a good experience with them so far and when there was a schedule change that required an overnight in IAH, they were great (but 1K had already resolved it for me). I guess we'll see come August after the trip is complete - but it was too great of a deal not to book with them.

Myself and a friend used United Vacations for a quick trip to Hawaii last month. Fare was bulk so no PGD but got my PGM. You have to call to apply your RPU but they were able to do it and we cleared both ways.

Do check pricing it individually. When I did, we saved about $125 each but in hindsight might have been easier to book each portion instead of a package. Hotel was a Starwood where I have Gold status and it was hard to get my gold number attached to the reservation.

Can you noshow hotel and have return not cancelled?

Yes, no correlation.

We are going to hawaii in a few weeks. I looked into buying with UV I called them and they told me I would not get all the miles and PQM as it was a bulk fare. Since I need the PQM to move to elite I just bought the tickets and hotel directly. the price difference was minimal.

Any difference between published fare on UA vacations versus UA.com
 

what is the 'fare' listed on the ticket?

Was the ticket issued on 016 ticket stock? (remember United Vacations is an independent third party travel agency and not United)
or
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...itinerary.html

Yup, ticket was on 016 stock , was even able to upgrade using RPUs.