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}
#2371
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SJC / DPS
Programs: AS G75K, UA Silver
Posts: 1,752
I don't think there are any intra-region F routes left outside of SIN-CGK, EWR-ORD and ORD-IAH. SIN-MNL looks like it should be eligible (old F product) but no availability is ever released.
#2372
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,186
Actually I think you're right. I was looking for PEK-PVG, but F is sold as J it seems.
I don't think there are any intra-region F routes left outside of SIN-CGK, EWR-ORD and ORD-IAH. SIN-MNL looks like it should be eligible (old F product) but no availability is ever released.
I don't think there are any intra-region F routes left outside of SIN-CGK, EWR-ORD and ORD-IAH. SIN-MNL looks like it should be eligible (old F product) but no availability is ever released.
#2373
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: CVG, originally LAX/SNA
Programs: UA MileagePlus Premier Platinum, Hilton Honors Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 77
Plus it is risk to make an online change with a partner flight. If anything goes wrong, you end up with neither the original nor the new itin.
given the new rules, better to book OWs vs RTs (no excursion but that is of limited value to me); and bookie new and than cancel old -- no changes.
given the new rules, better to book OWs vs RTs (no excursion but that is of limited value to me); and bookie new and than cancel old -- no changes.
#2375
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,581
When space was initially released and you reserved it, the partner felt it was the right thing have that space available. However, if the reservation is canceled or released, the partner may want to re-evaluate what it wants to do with the space. Generally, there is not a fixed quota of award space but rather it will be variable based on paid space activity.
#2376
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,921
Can you route across the Pacific when traveling between the West Coast and the Middle East. Like SFO to Muscat via Narita and Bangkok for example.
#2377
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SFO South Bay
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 3,052
Can United add a segment to the beginning of an award ticket after it is booked? For example, I see much better availability for last minute LH F space LAX to FRA than SFO to FRA. But for some reason, the online tool often does not show the SFO-LAX-FRA-XXX routing. So I was planning to snag the LAX-FRA-XXX LH ticket when it pops up, and then call UA to add the SFO-LAX segment afterwards. Would they do it or would they force me to redo the ticket and thus risk losing the LH F space.
I ask because it is often easier and faster for me to snag a ticket online than call UA.
I ask because it is often easier and faster for me to snag a ticket online than call UA.
#2378
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,530
The new regime seems to be "they can only book what you see online" except for rare agents.
#2379
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Austin, TX -- AA Life Platinum; QF Life Silver; UA Silver
Posts: 5,462
Convert one-way to open-jaw+excursionist?
Is it possible to convert a one-way award to a roundtrip/open-jaw with excursionist perk? Possible issue is the original outbound itinerary isn't showing available anymore if they need to reticket the entire itin.
Booked AAA-BBB. Want to do AAA-BBB//BBB-CCC//DDD-AAA. AAA-BBB no longer available at least with my current routing.
Booked AAA-BBB. Want to do AAA-BBB//BBB-CCC//DDD-AAA. AAA-BBB no longer available at least with my current routing.
#2380
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,581
Is it possible to convert a one-way award to a roundtrip/open-jaw with excursionist perk? Possible issue is the original outbound itinerary isn't showing available anymore if they need to reticket the entire itin.
Booked AAA-BBB. Want to do AAA-BBB//BBB-CCC//DDD-AAA. AAA-BBB no longer available at least with my current routing.
Booked AAA-BBB. Want to do AAA-BBB//BBB-CCC//DDD-AAA. AAA-BBB no longer available at least with my current routing.
If a partner, the new ticket would have to essentially be booked as a new trip. You could take the chance of canceling AAA-BBB and if you get really lucky it may come available again.
#2382
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 47
Is it possible to link the PNR on a paid ticket with an award ticket? I was looking at award flights to Europe for the family, but also wanted to buy one ticket. Wasn't sure if it was possible to link the party together in that scenario or if we needed to be either all paid or all award for that to happen.
#2383
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,186
Is it possible to link the PNR on a paid ticket with an award ticket? I was looking at award flights to Europe for the family, but also wanted to buy one ticket. Wasn't sure if it was possible to link the party together in that scenario or if we needed to be either all paid or all award for that to happen.
#2384
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: HNL / SIN
Posts: 87
[Excursionist Help] Planning a RTW
Hello!
I'm trying to better understand the excursionist perk with relation to a RTW trip I am planning and am hoping I might be able to get some ideas! I've heard of it before but am only now getting into the detailed research on it.
Generally, I'll have an itinerary that goes like this:
SIN->HNL->Europe->USA (wedding)->N. Africa->S. Africa->N. S. America->Central/South S. America
In terms of a bit more detail, it's like this:
Miles-wise, I have:
I'm trying to better understand the excursionist perk with relation to a RTW trip I am planning and am hoping I might be able to get some ideas! I've heard of it before but am only now getting into the detailed research on it.
Generally, I'll have an itinerary that goes like this:
SIN->HNL->Europe->USA (wedding)->N. Africa->S. Africa->N. S. America->Central/South S. America
In terms of a bit more detail, it's like this:
- SIN->HNL
- HNL->Europe
- Europe->Europe (travel within Europe for 2-3 months using a variety of buses/trains/flights)
- Europe->SAN (USA)
- SAN->SFO
- SFO->RAK
- RAK->CAI
- CAI->JNB
- JNB->CPT
- CPT->LIM
- Travel in Central/Southern S. America for 2-3 months
- GRU->SIN
- SIN->Japan for 1-2 months
- Japan->SIN
- Europe->SAN->SFO->Return to Europe instead of RAK and I get the SAN->SFO flight free
Integrate my Europe and N. Africa portions so that I can do Europe->RAK->CAI->EuropeSomeone rightfully pointed out that I incorrectly tried to bundle RAK and CAI together when they're in two separate zones. Argh- I could get 1 award ticket with SIN->Japan (start of trip, as part of item 1), and then Japan->SIN (item 14), and then choose anywhere between to add a free 1-way flight. For this option, though, I would end up having to spend about 27.5k United miles to get from Japan->HNL as part of my item 1 which might just end up canceling out the cost of whatever 1-way ticket I can get for free (or even negatively outweighing it considering there won't be as many 27.5k 1-way trip tickets I can get?)
Miles-wise, I have:
- UR: 96k
- United: 78k
- Asiana: 50k
- Delta: 80k
- AA: 75k
Last edited by goodtasting; Apr 10, 2018 at 8:28 am
#2385
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,186
I could get 1 award ticket with SIN->Japan (start of trip, as part of item 1), and then Japan->SIN (item 14), and then choose anywhere between to add a free 1-way flight. For this option, though, I would end up having to spend about 27.5k United miles to get from Japan->HNL as part of my item 1 which might just end up canceling out the cost of whatever 1-way ticket I can get for free (or even negatively outweighing it considering there won't be as many 27.5k 1-way trip tickets I can get?)
All that matters is that take one flight that begins in a given region, then take an intra-regional flight in a different region, and then the last flight of your itinerary finishes in the region where you started. So, SIN-HNL / ARN-BCN (e.g.) / NRT-SIN is perfectly valid, and ARN-BCN would be free.
Any region that you will visit twice is a candidate for an Ex Perk. Of course, I don't see many of those...
I wouldn't spend a minute trying to get SFO-SAN for free, though. I'd use it for intra-Europe or intra-South America. You can fly SFO-SAN cheaply on several carriers -- and I'm guessing you're not going to have enough miles to get the whole trip for free, so you may as well focus on using your miles for the most expensive flights.
Have fun! And... good luck with seat availability.