squaks

Hi everyone

First of all, I am wanting to thank everyone so far for answering my questions, and being so helpful. I have posted some questions in regard to booking award travel SYD-BKK AND BKK-SYD with Thai Air TG

Another option I hadn't considered is booking J awards SYD-SIN AND SIN-SYD. I was disappointed to find out that you can no longer book award flights with SQ online and that it can only be done over the phone now. I was wondering what the availability is like with SQ over the phone (Providing you book months in advance) and if it is any harder to score seats now that they have made the change? For example 2 x J seats booked 11 months out SYD -SIN AND SIN-SYD. Looking online I can easily get 2 x J or even 2x F seats SYD-BKK AND BKK-SYD 11 months out.

Does anyone know any tricks to getting around this change to maximise chances of obtaining seats? I wouldn't be travelling to SIN to April 2015, but want to book as soon as the system will allow me.

Thankyou in advance

Squaks

1353513636

It is very difficult to find availability at any time for SQ J. If you want to search online, I suggest you sign up for a free LifeMiles account from Avianca, which will give you an availability calendar 1 week at a time. You will have to call in to UA to book, though.

stargold

Avianca get a lot more SQ availability, especially on the A380/77W F and J which other airlines are not allowed to book.

ANA or Aeroplan would be a much better indication of availability for UA members.

sbm12

Agreed. And ANA has the 7-day calendar option in the search.

For Oz flights SQ seems to have tightened up across the board. TG hasn't. That's why you often see TG award space available but not SQ. SQ will show close to departure in many cases.

stargold

Oz flights in J will now only open up roughly D-14, which ruined a lot of people's plans to fly on miles to Oz... (at least those who do not have the flexibility to wait until so close to departure).

mh3265a

Bumping this thread.

I'd like to redeem UA miles for SQ F for an upcoming fight. I'm looking at availability using the KVS tool. Using the ANA or Aeroplan tool I don't see F seats available in SQ F. However, when using the SQ search tool I see FS (or First Saver) seats availability to SIN from LHR and FRA.

I called UA and of course they told me that they only see Y award seat availability. I asked them to do a "long sell" but both agents refused.

What can I do to try to book these seats or does SQ truly NOT allow UA to book premium seats on long-haul flights? I thought that they would IF FS seats were available.

mherdeg

Those aren't the same things. SQ's "saver First" inventory available to KrisFlyer members is a lot more generous than the inventory they make available to partners.

If you can find SQ inventory available in a partner's system, like by searching with NH or AC, then you can probably get UA to book it. But if SQ isn't publishing it to *A partners they're not publishing it to *A partners.

You can get SQ miles by accruing travel to SQ, or by converting Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards points.

mh3265a

ok gotcha. Thanks for clarifying

Kacee

There is nothing you can do. SQ does not release F or J seats on those routes for UA redemption.

ASUDan130

I know that SQ awards cant be redeemed on UA.com and I know only regional flights and no first class can be used but my question is does UA only allow awards on older class aircraft. I ask because I saw an award that was an available but not on the 777-300ER or on the A380 from SYD.

Thanks

sbm12

You saw what where??

UA will allow booking on any inventory SQ makes available to it as a partner. None of it shows online.

Long Zhiren

Phoning the UA award desk will reveal awards available but not visible online. I've gotten awards on SQ A330 flights. Are those old planes?

Singapore_Schwing

In what class? They typically block the 777-300 and a380 in business and first from partner (or at least UA, but I believe all) awards. Economy should be fair game though I think...

Long Zhiren, in SQ world, the A330 is considered old (doesn't have the latest business class).

Always Flyin

The SQ A330s are actually quite new. The first one entered SQ's fleet in 2009. The youngest entered the fleet two-months ago.

They are configured for regional flights so don't have the long-haul style seats.

urww

Hej everyone!

I struggle to book an award ticket from SIN to CHC (Christchurch, NZ) on SQ metal in business. I remember previously it was clearly indicated that you cannot book SQ C and F on flights operated by A380 and 77W. The flight I'm interested in, SQ297 SIN CHC, is operated by 772, so should be available for partners. In theory. I called UAMP multiple times and agents can't see availability (even though SQ has availability on those specific dates on Saver award level, i.e. 20 Apr 16).

Has anyone faced similar issues recently? I wonder whether it's a new trend SQ blocking C class availability for partners even on 772 or I simply got incompetent agents (though 3 times in a row).