Jan 19, 2017, 10:23 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Main Impact
Useful Links
EveryDay Awards - UA MP award changes 1 Nov 2017 (Everyday award/dynamic price, No RTW, No Show fee,..)
principle change - Standard awards being replaced by "EveryDay Award" with variable pricing
What is the Excursionist Perk?
Previous thread -- UA award booking,change questions/fees/issues/routing/excursionist problems {Archive}
- No more free stopover - replaced with Excursionist Perk
- Agents no longer have the ability to find routings or build itineraries 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 basically requires current availability for all existing Os&Ds in the PNR (as if a brand new booking is made)
- Singapore Airlines segments are priced separately (add-ons)
Useful Links
EveryDay Awards - UA MP award changes 1 Nov 2017 (Everyday award/dynamic price, No RTW, No Show fee,..)
principle change - Standard awards being replaced by "EveryDay Award" with variable pricing
What is the Excursionist Perk?
The Excursionist Perk is a free one-way award within select multi-city itineraries. Members who book an itinerary with three or more one-way awards will be eligible to receive one of those one-way awards for free, if it meets all of these conditions:
The Excursionist Perk cannot be in the MileagePlus defined region where your travel originates. (For example, if your journey begins in North America, you will only receive the Excursionist Perk if travel is within a region outside of North America.)
The Excursionist Perk cannot be in the MileagePlus defined region where your travel originates. (For example, if your journey begins in North America, you will only receive the Excursionist Perk if travel is within a region outside of North America.)
- Travel must end in the same MileagePlus defined region where travel originates.
- The origin and destination of the Excursionist Perk is within a single MileagePlus defined region.
- The cabin of service and award type of the free one-way award is the same or lower than the one-way award preceding it.
- If two or more one-way awards qualify for this benefit, only the first occurrence will be free.
Previous thread -- UA award booking,change questions/fees/issues/routing/excursionist problems {Archive}
UA award booking, change questions / issues / routing / excursionist problems / help
Jan 23, 2024, 10:54 am
#991
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,404
Just as a grocery store would sue someone for swapping price tags. The reason that the nonstop isn’t available by itself is that LH knows it’s more valuable.
It’s imposed by LH.
It’s imposed by LH.
Jan 24, 2024, 5:34 pm
#992
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 156
Booked IAD-LIS RT, and noticed the outbound segment is now 10k miles less. However if I pull up the existing reservation and try and change that flight (to switch to the lower redemption amount), all it offers me is the (insane) business class fare.
Is this just something to fully re-book and then cancel the original? Or is there a way to make the change with the existing reservation?
Is this just something to fully re-book and then cancel the original? Or is there a way to make the change with the existing reservation?
Jan 24, 2024, 6:19 pm
#993
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,940
Booked IAD-LIS RT, and noticed the outbound segment is now 10k miles less. However if I pull up the existing reservation and try and change that flight (to switch to the lower redemption amount), all it offers me is the (insane) business class fare.
Is this just something to fully re-book and then cancel the original? Or is there a way to make the change with the existing reservation?
Is this just something to fully re-book and then cancel the original? Or is there a way to make the change with the existing reservation?
Jan 24, 2024, 9:21 pm
#994
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 12
1. There is no change / cancellation fees anymore for award, so no price penalty for changing 2 one-ways vs roundtrip
2. Rebooking roundtrips may require new availability for all segments, rebooking a one-way only requires availability for that portion.
3. Each one-way can be funded from different accounts, roundtrips must be funded from the same account.
4. With one-ways awards you can pick the best carrier award program for each direction
5. With a roundtrip, if yo want to cancel the return, you forfeit the extra mileage, with one-ways you can cancel the return and get the miles
The downside is the excursion segment is only available for roundtrips
More in Award Travel: Do you book one-ways or round trip
2. Rebooking roundtrips may require new availability for all segments, rebooking a one-way only requires availability for that portion.
3. Each one-way can be funded from different accounts, roundtrips must be funded from the same account.
4. With one-ways awards you can pick the best carrier award program for each direction
5. With a roundtrip, if yo want to cancel the return, you forfeit the extra mileage, with one-ways you can cancel the return and get the miles
The downside is the excursion segment is only available for roundtrips
More in Award Travel: Do you book one-ways or round trip
Jan 24, 2024, 9:29 pm
#995
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Jan 25, 2024, 1:24 am
#996
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 12
Thanks. Could this be done online or have to call? How about after the excursionist segment, it's also possible to get the refund after a 2 hours schedule change?
Jan 25, 2024, 6:04 am
#997
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,038
the excursionist segment is free, but I am sure you can get the airport taxes back - might have to wait till travel is complete.
Jan 25, 2024, 9:55 am
#998
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Thanks. Could this be done online or have to call? How about after the excursionist segment, it's also possible to get the refund after a 2 hours schedule change??
Additionally if this includes partner flights, best to be done only after the partner flights have been flown. UA can not guarantee partner flights will be retained / re-confirmed after a ticket change. Sometimes yes, sometimes no -- up to the partner.
Jan 25, 2024, 7:41 pm
#999
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: TPE, EWR
Programs: UA*S, CX*S, CI*G
Posts: 67
Is there a way to combine (marry) two saver awards into one to get a better price?
Was trying to connect two United flights with XN availability but the combination just never showed up despite their respective availability.
This layover time, if connected, is within a 24-hour window.
Called the agent and got the ticket as two segments individually priced, which are double the original miles needed.
Is there a way to go around this? (I believe chances are rare but want to give it a try)
Was trying to connect two United flights with XN availability but the combination just never showed up despite their respective availability.
This layover time, if connected, is within a 24-hour window.
Called the agent and got the ticket as two segments individually priced, which are double the original miles needed.
Is there a way to go around this? (I believe chances are rare but want to give it a try)
Jan 25, 2024, 8:13 pm
#1000
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Is there a way to combine (marry) two saver awards into one to get a better price?
Was trying to connect two United flights with XN availability but the combination just never showed up despite their respective availability.
This layover time, if connected, is within a 24-hour window.
Called the agent and got the ticket as two segments individually priced, which are double the original miles needed.
Is there a way to go around this? (I believe chances are rare but want to give it a try)
Was trying to connect two United flights with XN availability but the combination just never showed up despite their respective availability.
This layover time, if connected, is within a 24-hour window.
Called the agent and got the ticket as two segments individually priced, which are double the original miles needed.
Is there a way to go around this? (I believe chances are rare but want to give it a try)
One suggestion is to search and purchase oneway awards vs round trips. This increases the search depth and might capture your desired segments (or not). This does mean you can not do excursion segments but in places like europe, rail is a good alternative and more flexible.
Jan 25, 2024, 10:32 pm
#1001
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 12
You will need to call/
Additionally if this includes partner flights, best to be done only after the partner flights have been flown. UA can not guarantee partner flights will be retained / re-confirmed after a ticket change. Sometimes yes, sometimes no -- up to the partner.
Additionally if this includes partner flights, best to be done only after the partner flights have been flown. UA can not guarantee partner flights will be retained / re-confirmed after a ticket change. Sometimes yes, sometimes no -- up to the partner.
Jan 25, 2024, 10:55 pm
#1002
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,404
At that point, you’re getting into a fuzzy area. If you were to cancel at that point, the normal behavior would be to charge you for what you flew and refund what you didn’t. It’s possible that UA would still give you the 0-mile Excursionist Perk; it’s also possible that they’d charge you for the leg that had previously been zero, on account of the fact that one-way journeys aren’t eligible for an Excursionist Perk in the first place.
Jan 29, 2024, 6:35 pm
#1003
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: Don't think it matters...
Posts: 5,240
OK, so not a preclearance airport, which would have made the connection time legally.
Yes. If you go back and check, you’ll find that there’s been a schedule change — they wouldn’t have sold this itinerary to you as listed. Go into the United website, do a search for SIN-PDX on that date, and they generally should be willing to put you onto any flight that comes back in your current class of service, without charging you any difference in miles. If you want an itinerary operated by partner airlines, you may need to argue a bit or hang up and call again. If your itinerary is purely operated by UA, it should be an easier conversation.
You should also be able to select an overnight stay at SFO if you wish, but UA will not pay for your hotel.
Yes. If you go back and check, you’ll find that there’s been a schedule change — they wouldn’t have sold this itinerary to you as listed. Go into the United website, do a search for SIN-PDX on that date, and they generally should be willing to put you onto any flight that comes back in your current class of service, without charging you any difference in miles. If you want an itinerary operated by partner airlines, you may need to argue a bit or hang up and call again. If your itinerary is purely operated by UA, it should be an easier conversation.
You should also be able to select an overnight stay at SFO if you wish, but UA will not pay for your hotel.
They say Intl to Domestic MCT in SFO is 60 mins and my current 75min connection in SFO is within MCT so any changes will be voluntary changes and as luck would have it there are no saver fares on any of the legs.
Original ticket is DEL - SIN (SQ) - SFO (UA) - PDX (UA).
Is the MCT for SFO listed somewhere clearly mentioned as basic googling just gets me travel blogger posts.
Jan 29, 2024, 6:46 pm
#1004
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Spoke to UA CS.
They say Intl to Domestic MCT in SFO is 60 mins and my current 75min connection in SFO is within MCT so any changes will be voluntary changes and as luck would have it there are no saver fares on any of the legs.
Original ticket is DEL - SIN (SQ) - SFO (UA) - PDX (UA).
Is the MCT for SFO listed somewhere clearly mentioned as basic googling just gets me travel blogger posts.
They say Intl to Domestic MCT in SFO is 60 mins and my current 75min connection in SFO is within MCT so any changes will be voluntary changes and as luck would have it there are no saver fares on any of the legs.
Original ticket is DEL - SIN (SQ) - SFO (UA) - PDX (UA).
Is the MCT for SFO listed somewhere clearly mentioned as basic googling just gets me travel blogger posts.
Time for another call or chat.
Jan 29, 2024, 8:53 pm
#1005
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: Don't think it matters...
Posts: 5,240