tech_coder

I have a MileagePlus credit card and bought 2 tickets, using the Chase Ultimate rewards website. At the time of checking in online, I realized they were not giving me a free checked bag as they should.
Two hours talking to different chase and united people, i got nothing. Nothing except people trying to guess why I should not be given the free bag. "You booked through a third party", " your mileageplus account is not associated with the ultimate rewards site", and the last one being "go to the counter and try to check on there adn they'll be able to see the proof of purchase with the mp credit card and remove the fee"
The counter people informed me that in their system, the sale shows as having been paid with some other card. Curiously, on their side the account shows an american express card, and on the receipt i have on the united website, it shows up as a master card. Both of them are wrong, as i paid with my mp card. It reflects in my account statement.
The guy at the counter basically shooes me away - you can either pay 25 bucks or take your bag home.
I came back cheated, and insulted. Has anybody had a similar experience? Can i do anything about it? Apparently, i paid $90 for nothing besides being flicked by UA and being insulted by their staff.

Also, i checked my member agreement and there is nothing about 3rd party restrictions.

swiftaw

I think you actually have to buy the ticket with the MileagePlus card at united.com to get the free baggage allowance. (Simply being a card holder isn't enough). It seems that you paid through Ultimate Rewards and they paid United.

Here's what it says:

Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $100 per roundtrip
The primary Cardmember and one companion traveling on the same reservation will each receive their first standard checked bag free ($25 value for the first checked bag, each way, per person) on United-operated flights when the primary Cardmember includes their MileagePlus number in their reservation and purchases their tickets from United with their United MileagePlus Explorer Card.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

"The primary Cardmember and one companion traveling on the same reservation will each receive their first standard checked bag free ($25 value for the first checked bag, each way, per person) on United-operated flights when the primary Cardmember includes their MileagePlus number in their reservation and purchases their tickets from United with their United MileagePlus Explorer Card."

Did you purchase your ticket from United? No.

Kacee

You mean you purchased the ticket using Ultimate Rewards points? If so, then there's your problem. As others have noted, the baggage benefit only applies if you purchase the ticket using your Explorer card.

dordal

Yeah, the UR people actually take your points and then just buy you a ticket with their Amex card.

You can see the last four of their card if you login and look at the receipt.

Kinda strange, but that's the way it works.

United757

Chase = UR
AMEX = MR

Chase isn't purchasing ANYTHING with an AMEX.

ftweb

I suggest you cancel the credit card, explaining this as the reason. It's pretty sleazy that purchasing a ticket "from United" doesn't just mean United issued the ticket (016 ticket stock), but literally that no one else was involved in the transaction. If you are lucky, maybe Chase counters with a retention offer that makes you whole. If not, good riddance to a worthless piece of plastic in your wallet.

Cargojon

I agree. This is sticky IMO and can be interpreted different ways.

I cancelled my card after I obtained status because I really don't need any of the benefits anymore. I can't buy airfare with the card because I book through a corporate travel portal, so that's the only benefit worth it anymore.

highops

I haven't booked at the UR site in a few months. However, every time I used the Ultimate Rewards site I had to pay with the UR card with which I logged in. The number shows up grayed so that you cannot change it.

The problem is probably the payment with a UR card and not a MP card.

Cargojon

I don't think the OP booked his/her ticket with the UR card, they used the MP card.

They merely booked through the UR travel portal - at least that's how I read it.

highops

Ah, like Kayak, or whatever the mall has now.

Or maybe the Travel Portal has changed since I last used it.

mduell

How else could the benefit possibly work given the IATA BSP system? My understanding is the airline doesn't see the original form of payment when you choose to use a third party travel agent like OP did.

To me purchasing a ticket from United means paying United. Not paying some third party who will remit part of that payment to UA (since Chase UR books a lot of bulk tickets, you don't even know how much). UA reasonably wants to incentivize people to book thought UA so UA gets all the money. OP tried to double dip and failed to read the fine print.

That's my read as well -- OP tried to double dip (bonus UR for booking through the portal and free bag for using the card) and fell short.

JVPhoto

Sleazy? I don't see confusion in YOU buying a ticket FROM United and YOU/TA buying A United ticket FROM a 3rd party.

rolltribe

Ticket must be purchased both 1) DIRECTLY from UA, not a 3rd party such as UR, and 2) purchased with the UA MP card. Just book via .bomb with the MP card and you'll have no issues.

krazykanuck

This. Also, I've found that paying for something associated with that reservation using a Mileageplus card can trigger the free bag waiver (upgrade, E+, etc.) Last summer I had a UA reservation that was booked by our corporate TA on their credit card and it showed I had to pay $25 for the checked bag (didn't have UA status at the time). I bought a cheap upgrade with my MP card and my reservation updated with the waived checked bag fee. YMMV of course.