Dec 27, 2016, 9:23 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
United's Announcement and FAQ
Kacee's Interpretation
Main Impact Since October 6
Useful Links
This is an archive thread, the active thread is Award booking questions/ issues/ routing/ excursionist problems / help
Kacee's Interpretation
Main Impact Since October 6
- Fee Changes such as platinum members are subject to various award fees
- No more free stopover - replaced with Excursionist Perk
- Agents no longer have the ability to find routings that do not show up on united.com
- Manually constructing trips using multi-city search results in multiple award fares being charged
- Changing any segment MIGHT require current availability for all existing Os&Ds in the PNR (as if a brand new booking is made) - YMMV
- Singapore Airlines segments are priced separately (add-ons)
Useful Links
This is an archive thread, the active thread is Award booking questions/ issues/ routing/ excursionist problems / help
UA award booking,change questions/fees/issues/routing/excursionist problems {Archive}
Jan 21, 2018, 7:41 am
#2206
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: DL Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Platinum Elite
Posts: 204
Are you getting results on partner airlines too? I've seen some backend issues where the partners don't report availability and then it comes through. You'll most likely not see Business Saver on UA metal, those seem to be rare, but partners should show up unless they haven't released availability this far ahead.
Jan 21, 2018, 7:52 am
#2207
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: RDU
Posts: 5,241
Are you getting results on partner airlines too? I've seen some backend issues where the partners don't report availability and then it comes through. You'll most likely not see Business Saver on UA metal, those seem to be rare, but partners should show up unless they haven't released availability this far ahead.
Jan 21, 2018, 9:01 am
#2208
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,459
Miles are becoming very difficult to use well for UA flights.
Jan 21, 2018, 9:23 am
#2209
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: RDU
Posts: 5,241
Thanks. Yes very difficult to use miles these days. 
310,000 for South America is ridiculous.
Edit: it doesn't look any better on partner flights.
310,000 for South America is ridiculous.
Edit: it doesn't look any better on partner flights.
Last edited by zitsky; Jan 21, 2018 at 9:37 am
Jan 21, 2018, 10:03 am
#2210
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,459
Jan 21, 2018, 11:25 am
#2211
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,416
I generally see good availability into South America on CM and other partners. The downside is it always involves being on a 737 the whole way..
Jan 21, 2018, 12:35 pm
#2212
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: UA 2MM Plat, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, and EVA Gold soon
Posts: 546
Questions on this itinerary:
Award travel PNH-MNL routing thru BKK.....
Call UA to get the early flight arrives 11:15 am to BKK, so I can have dinner with friends and Depart early next morning 7:45am to MNL.
Was told that I would be charged for 2 one way and double miles instead.
The layover is less the 24 hours, but was told that if the routing is not showing up it can't be booked as 1 one-way.
Was told that the less than 24 hr rule no longer applies since sometime last year.
UA, in the pass was able to manually do this for me.
Is this the "TRUTH" or should I try and call again.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Award travel PNH-MNL routing thru BKK.....
Call UA to get the early flight arrives 11:15 am to BKK, so I can have dinner with friends and Depart early next morning 7:45am to MNL.
Was told that I would be charged for 2 one way and double miles instead.
The layover is less the 24 hours, but was told that if the routing is not showing up it can't be booked as 1 one-way.
Was told that the less than 24 hr rule no longer applies since sometime last year.
UA, in the pass was able to manually do this for me.
Is this the "TRUTH" or should I try and call again.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Jan 21, 2018, 12:41 pm
#2213
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,409
Jan 22, 2018, 11:16 am
#2214
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PWM
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 1,335
Slow calendar view
I just noticed that on the new site the award flights load several seconds before the calendar does. So you can start perusing flights while that ball is still spinning over "week view." Can save a lot of time depending on how many dates you have to inspect!
Jan 23, 2018, 6:23 am
#2215
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Lawrence, MA USA
Programs: Delta Gold
Posts: 273
I have an award ticket booked through UA on Copa in March (in Business, I-class). Anyone have any thoughts as to why they want to charge me $275 for baggage?
(Don't know if this matters, but one outbound leg is on Avianca.)
$275 baggage fee
(Don't know if this matters, but one outbound leg is on Avianca.)
$275 baggage fee
Jan 23, 2018, 7:03 am
#2216
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
Yep. CM is normally non lie-flat seats. I chose to take AV when going to south america. Cheap business class availability awards and lie-flat beds. Only downside were long layovers in Bogota.
Jan 23, 2018, 9:14 am
#2217
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,459
Jan 24, 2018, 3:20 pm
#2219
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: RDU
Posts: 5,241
Booking award online for two people
Maybe I misunderstood, but I was told somewhere I could book for two people using each person's Mileage Plus account number. That doesn't seem to be true when doing an online search. I do a search, select flights then it tells me I don't have enough miles in my account. There's no place to show Person1 ID is 1234 and Person 2 ID is 2345. Should I just call the reservation desk? Is there a way to do this online?
Jan 24, 2018, 3:36 pm
#2220
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,429
Maybe I misunderstood, but I was told somewhere I could book for two people using each person's Mileage Plus account number. That doesn't seem to be true when doing an online search. I do a search, select flights then it tells me I don't have enough miles in my account. There's no place to show Person1 ID is 1234 and Person 2 ID is 2345. Should I just call the reservation desk? Is there a way to do this online?
m two MileagePlus accounts you need to book each person separately using the appropriate account that has the miles required for each booking.