Sep 17, 2016, 6:19 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Booking on United.com (016 ticket)
Pro
-Category bonus with United Chase Credit cards (ie- the Explorer Card earns two miles per dollar spent on United.com but not on Lufthansa.com, for example)
- Deal directly with UA on UA schedule changes
- UA change rules are generally more generous
Con
- Many partner flights will be booked as UA codeshare and this can make some things more difficult or impossible -- such as *A upgrades, seat assignments, actual partner fare class is hidden, ..
- While not a major thing, in irrops, codeshares can be an extra issue for the agent
= Due to plating restrictions, partners may not allow UA access to the partners best fares
Partner site
Pro
- Native flight numbers (No codeshare issues)
- Deal directly with partner for partner schedule changes
- Access to partner's lowest fares
Unclear
- partner flights will earn PQPs based on miles and multiple and UA operated flights will earn PQPs in the fare method -- which may be hard to determine in advance
Not hard rule which is better but a good chance for higher cost tickets PQPs on 016 ticket are better, and also for lower cost fares, you need to run the numbers.
Does not matter
-PQP earning & UA Lifetime mileage earning is unaffected by booking method
- On UA operated flight your UA elite benefits fully apply and you can use PlusPoints or miles to upgrade
Pro
-Category bonus with United Chase Credit cards (ie- the Explorer Card earns two miles per dollar spent on United.com but not on Lufthansa.com, for example)
- Deal directly with UA on UA schedule changes
- UA change rules are generally more generous
Con
- Many partner flights will be booked as UA codeshare and this can make some things more difficult or impossible -- such as *A upgrades, seat assignments, actual partner fare class is hidden, ..
- While not a major thing, in irrops, codeshares can be an extra issue for the agent
= Due to plating restrictions, partners may not allow UA access to the partners best fares
Partner site
Pro
- Native flight numbers (No codeshare issues)
- Deal directly with partner for partner schedule changes
- Access to partner's lowest fares
Unclear
- partner flights will earn PQPs based on miles and multiple and UA operated flights will earn PQPs in the fare method -- which may be hard to determine in advance
Not hard rule which is better but a good chance for higher cost tickets PQPs on 016 ticket are better, and also for lower cost fares, you need to run the numbers.
Does not matter
-PQP earning & UA Lifetime mileage earning is unaffected by booking method
- On UA operated flight your UA elite benefits fully apply and you can use PlusPoints or miles to upgrade
Pro/Cons of booking flights on partner site vs united.com
Dec 7, 2015, 5:01 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,227
So, in short, if you don't care about PQD or Lifetime miles, you are often better off avoiding UA segments altogether, especially when you are in C or F on a good fare.
Dec 8, 2015, 6:49 pm
#19
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
Dec 8, 2015, 7:10 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,074
PQD = 0 and revenue based don't mix together. What was the route, flight, booking class and how many miles did you get?
Dec 27, 2015, 4:52 am
#21
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Ireland
Posts: 215
Example; If the ticket is for FRA-LAX-SFO, 220 ticket, FRA-LAX on LH metal, LH code, LAX-SFO in UA metal, UA code. Does the fact that there is a UA metal flight in there mean that the entire itinerary is calculated on revenue, or is the first leg distance based, and the second leg revenue based?
Dec 27, 2015, 5:36 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,337
I have had NH, CA, SN flights issued on 016 stock and earned RDM is based on $ spent not flight miles. Of course, the $ is counted in PQD.
On the other hand，all of my SQ flights ticketedd on 016 earned RDM based on actual miles flown.
On the other hand，all of my SQ flights ticketedd on 016 earned RDM based on actual miles flown.
Last edited by UA_Flyer; Dec 28, 2015 at 12:47 pm
Dec 28, 2015, 2:38 am
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,074
Could you please confirm what happens when more than one of these statements applies to a ticket?
Example; If the ticket is for FRA-LAX-SFO, 220 ticket, FRA-LAX on LH metal, LH code, LAX-SFO in UA metal, UA code. Does the fact that there is a UA metal flight in there mean that the entire itinerary is calculated on revenue, or is the first leg distance based, and the second leg revenue based?
Example; If the ticket is for FRA-LAX-SFO, 220 ticket, FRA-LAX on LH metal, LH code, LAX-SFO in UA metal, UA code. Does the fact that there is a UA metal flight in there mean that the entire itinerary is calculated on revenue, or is the first leg distance based, and the second leg revenue based?
how does that work?
Dec 28, 2015, 10:57 am
#24
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Ireland
Posts: 215
Dec 28, 2015, 12:45 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,337
May 14, 2016, 3:54 am
#26
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: CO Plat
Posts: 255
Booked on UA, Ticketed on LATAM ?
For an upcoming flight to South America, I am flying on UA metal, with connecting flights on LATAM metal.
Which scenario makes more sense, and is there a practical difference?
1 - Book all flights on united.com.
2 - Book UA r/t on united.com, and book LATAM r/t on latam.com.
Note that Latam is not Star Alliance, and these are not codeshare flights.
Guess I would not accrue MP FF miles with Latam flights - have a feeling it's better to book on metal's website "just in case".
Or am I just a worrywart and being a 'big girls blouse' about it all?
Thanks
Which scenario makes more sense, and is there a practical difference?
1 - Book all flights on united.com.
2 - Book UA r/t on united.com, and book LATAM r/t on latam.com.
Note that Latam is not Star Alliance, and these are not codeshare flights.
Guess I would not accrue MP FF miles with Latam flights - have a feeling it's better to book on metal's website "just in case".
Or am I just a worrywart and being a 'big girls blouse' about it all?
Thanks
May 14, 2016, 3:57 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068
For an upcoming flight to South America, I am flying on UA metal, with connecting flights on LATAM metal.
Which scenario makes more sense, and is there a practical difference?
1 - Book all flights on united.com.
2 - Book UA r/t on united.com, and book LATAM r/t on latam.com.
Note that Latam is not Star Alliance, and these are not codeshare flights.
Guess I would not accrue MP FF miles with Latam flights - have a feeling it's better to book on metal's website "just in case".
Or am I just a worrywart and being a 'big girls blouse' about it all?
Thanks
Which scenario makes more sense, and is there a practical difference?
1 - Book all flights on united.com.
2 - Book UA r/t on united.com, and book LATAM r/t on latam.com.
Note that Latam is not Star Alliance, and these are not codeshare flights.
Guess I would not accrue MP FF miles with Latam flights - have a feeling it's better to book on metal's website "just in case".
Or am I just a worrywart and being a 'big girls blouse' about it all?
Thanks
