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UA award booking,change questions/fees/issues/routing/excursionist problems {Archive}

Old Dec 27, 2016, 9:23 pm
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Last edit by: WineCountryUA
United's Announcement and FAQ

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)

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This is an archive thread, the active thread is Award booking questions/ issues/ routing/ excursionist problems / help
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UA award booking,change questions/fees/issues/routing/excursionist problems {Archive}

Old Mar 24, 2017, 3:57 pm
  #1351  
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,925
With >24hr stops, you have to book separate awards to do build a multi-stop itinerary:

http://mileageplusupdates.com/
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 3:59 pm
  #1352  
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Did you mean <24h? The UA program used to be good for this but since the changes last October it's much harder to price an award like that. For such a "creative" routing it's probably no longer possible to get that priced as a single award.

If you actually meant >24h then each segment is a separate award no matter what.
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 5:32 pm
  #1353  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA *G, Starwood Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Platnium
Posts: 15
Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
With >24hr stops, you have to book separate awards to do build a multi-stop itinerary:

http://mileageplusupdates.com/

Oops, I meant to say UNDER 24 hours <24h
Yes, a creative layover for hard to reach cities.
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 5:32 pm
  #1354  
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Flagstaff, AZ USA
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 386
Originally Posted by findark
I'm sure they would say it's an "IT issue" that "we're working on fixing". Given the number of other things broken on the UA site it's not particularly surprising. When the 3-class 772 was flying p.s. you could get the website to offer a price that could not be booked.
Thanks for the feedback. Is this the management's official stance, or your personal opinion? In either case, my view is that this kind of a response is unacceptable.

It's understandable that a company might have "IT issues", but it certainly should not be the customer's problem. If the website advertises an award flight as available for many days, there should be a way to book it. When a customer calls with this kind of a problem, the proper response is to book the flight manually, apologize for the inconvenience, and maybe offer the customer some bonus miles for their trouble.

Instead, based on my experiences in the last week, United engages in false advertising, instructs their agents to lie, and treats their customers in a patronizing and dismissive way. This is a completely unacceptable way for a company to operate. Has anyone reached United management about this? I want to talk to someone who recognizes the problem and has the power to do something about it.
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Old Mar 26, 2017, 11:50 am
  #1355  
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: UA 1K; Marriott Titanium / LT Plat
Posts: 649
Just booked an award flight, with the 3rd of 3 legs on a Partner Airline (NH):

Tuesday, April 4th
TPA-IAH UA1895
IAH-NRT UA7
NRT-KUL NH815

How do I Check in for the ANA flight? Get a boarding pass? I called ANA and got seats.

Thank you in advance!
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Old Mar 26, 2017, 12:14 pm
  #1356  
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Originally Posted by jonisflying
Just booked an award flight, with the 3rd of 3 legs on a Partner Airline (NH):

Tuesday, April 4th
TPA-IAH UA1895
IAH-NRT UA7
NRT-KUL NH815

How do I Check in for the ANA flight? Get a boarding pass? I called ANA and got seats.

Thank you in advance!
You'll be checked in for ANA flight when you check in for UA flights. You can pick up boarding pass for ANA flight at Narita ANA desk past transit security.
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Old Mar 26, 2017, 12:15 pm
  #1357  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,099
Originally Posted by jonisflying
Just booked an award flight, with the 3rd of 3 legs on a Partner Airline (NH):

Tuesday, April 4th
TPA-IAH UA1895
IAH-NRT UA7
NRT-KUL NH815

How do I Check in for the ANA flight? Get a boarding pass? I called ANA and got seats.

Thank you in advance!
Can't speak for NH specifically, but whenever I fly partner airlines as part of my UA trip, I first check in with UA. If they do not provide the partner boarding pass, I then log onto the partner app or site and get it from them. Also, if you have lounge privileges, you could just stop into an NH lounge or Star Alliance lounge and pick one up.
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Old Mar 26, 2017, 1:16 pm
  #1358  
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: UA 1K; Marriott Titanium / LT Plat
Posts: 649
Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
You'll be checked in for ANA flight when you check in for UA flights. You can pick up boarding pass for ANA flight at Narita ANA desk past transit security.
Cool! Thank you IAH-OIL-TRASH!

Originally Posted by 747FC
Can't speak for NH specifically, but whenever I fly partner airlines as part of my UA trip, I first check in with UA. If they do not provide the partner boarding pass, I then log onto the partner app or site and get it from them. Also, if you have lounge privileges, you could just stop into an NH lounge or Star Alliance lounge and pick one up.
Cool! Thank you 747FC!

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 26, 2017 at 1:39 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member -- please use multi-quote
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 5:50 am
  #1359  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 148
Searching award seats

Whats the best way to search for saver business award seats?

I am trying to find 2 business class seats to SYD from the east cost.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 6:04 am
  #1360  
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Originally Posted by Polo2883
Whats the best way to search for saver business award seats?

I am trying to find 2 business class seats to SYD from the east cost.
Good luck. My advice is to try BNE you'll get better results from the East Coast (better routings that seem to have been removed for SYD).
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 11:28 am
  #1361  
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Originally Posted by Polo2883
Whats the best way to search for saver business award seats?

I am trying to find 2 business class seats to SYD from the east cost.
Search from a gateway city in Australia to a gateway in the US first, and then tack on the extra segments in Y if need be. This will help find more availability and options to play with. For a premium award ticket, connecting in Asia tends to be a more common option.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 10:24 pm
  #1362  
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Flagstaff, AZ USA
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 386
I was eventually able to get the entire itinerary. After 6 days of showing it as available, the United system finally let purchase it. Looks like the system update may take place Saturday night.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 2:29 pm
  #1363  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: PHX
Posts: 4,782
I am trying to book DEN-HAM on LH in J. If I look at DEN-FRA, nothing is available. If I search multi-segment, DEN-FRA and FRA-HAM, I find it, but it adds the extra miles. If I search DEN-HAM, it shows me availability, but DEN-FRA-BRU-HAM.

Same thing on Aeroplan. It's bizarre that I cannot see DEN-FRA-HAM, given there are a dozen FRA-HAM flights a day, all with lots of availability. But I can see DEN-FRA-BRU-HAM. Perplexing.

Anyway, if I book DEN-FRA-BRU-HAM, do I have any hope of making a change with United to just a single connection, FRA-HAM? I don't want to Europe connections taking all day for a 1 hour flight.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 2:54 pm
  #1364  
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Originally Posted by lkar
Anyway, if I book DEN-FRA-BRU-HAM, do I have any hope of making a change with United to just a single connection, FRA-HAM? I don't want to Europe connections taking all day for a 1 hour flight.
Hope? Yes. But I would gear up for an extended back and forth with agents. Sounds like it could be an issue with married segments, and you may very well not be able to change.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 4:49 pm
  #1365  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: PHX
Posts: 4,782
Thanks. I actually think it's false availability. It lets me get pretty far down the path of booking (I haven't hit the final button) but when I try on aeroplan, it errors out.
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