No longer able to book LH Group intra-Europe only flights on UA 016 ticket stock
Nov 1, 2017, 11:04 pm
#76
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
Thanks Kacee, you are right, I did misunderstand. I can book Y and J on LH intra-EU on 016 stock for next year which is what I am doing.
Jun 4, 2018, 10:16 am
#77
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leesburg, VA
Programs: UA MP (DH is MM 1K, so yeah! so am I!), SPG Platinum/LTG, Marriott Platinum Premier/LT Platinum
Posts: 163
Hubby has a business trip to Germany & Sofia, Bulgaria (then meeting me in VCE for a few days before a cruise). When adding in the FRA-SOF roundtrip, flight costs went up by over $2k, almost $3k. In Economy!!! The round trip on LH? Something like $300. Seriously. I had to buy the flights separately, even though he is flying directly to SOF (via FRA) for his first meeting. Silly UA.com...
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jun 4, 2018 at 3:53 pm Reason: moved to exisiting discussion
Jun 4, 2018, 10:18 am
#78
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,423
LH no longer permits UA to plate its intra-European fares below full Y.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jun 4, 2018 at 3:51 pm Reason: moved to exisiting discussion
Jun 4, 2018, 10:21 am
#79
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leesburg, VA
Programs: UA MP (DH is MM 1K, so yeah! so am I!), SPG Platinum/LTG, Marriott Platinum Premier/LT Platinum
Posts: 163
Jun 4, 2018, 10:26 am
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,423
This only affects trips which are wholly within Europe - you can still fly on a journey which includes intra-Europe segments with a discount fare, provided that the actual fare component is e.g. from the US to Europe. You could fly SFO-FRA-SOF, but not FRA-SOF. If you attempt a journey with multiple stops, it gets more complicated as you could try this with either a stopover on a longer fare component or a three-fare constructions.
Jun 4, 2018, 10:37 am
#81
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leesburg, VA
Programs: UA MP (DH is MM 1K, so yeah! so am I!), SPG Platinum/LTG, Marriott Platinum Premier/LT Platinum
Posts: 163
This thread dates it to 14 March 2017.
This only affects trips which are wholly within Europe - you can still fly on a journey which includes intra-Europe segments with a discount fare, provided that the actual fare component is e.g. from the US to Europe. You could fly SFO-FRA-SOF, but not FRA-SOF. If you attempt a journey with multiple stops, it gets more complicated as you could try this with either a stopover on a longer fare component or a three-fare constructions.
This only affects trips which are wholly within Europe - you can still fly on a journey which includes intra-Europe segments with a discount fare, provided that the actual fare component is e.g. from the US to Europe. You could fly SFO-FRA-SOF, but not FRA-SOF. If you attempt a journey with multiple stops, it gets more complicated as you could try this with either a stopover on a longer fare component or a three-fare constructions.
Jun 4, 2018, 10:44 am
#82
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
I won't bore you with the details, but, in general, when contemplating a trip like this, use the ITA Matrix took at matrix.itasoftware.com to see how the fares are affected. It'll break the journey down for you on the summary screen, and you can look for red flags, like anything booked into "Y" or appearing as a one-way for thousands of dollars more than you expect. Those flights are good candidates to sever from the itinerary and purchase separately or use miles. (MileagePlus awards are a particularly good deal for one-way travel, since it's often very expensive).
Jun 4, 2018, 10:56 am
#83
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leesburg, VA
Programs: UA MP (DH is MM 1K, so yeah! so am I!), SPG Platinum/LTG, Marriott Platinum Premier/LT Platinum
Posts: 163
This is a circle trip, not a round-trip with a stopover. If you priced SOF-FRA separately, I'd expect the price to drop dramatically.
I won't bore you with the details, but, in general, when contemplating a trip like this, use the ITA Matrix took at matrix.itasoftware.com to see how the fares are affected. It'll break the journey down for you on the summary screen, and you can look for red flags, like anything booked into "Y" or appearing as a one-way for thousands of dollars more than you expect. Those flights are good candidates to sever from the itinerary and purchase separately or use miles. (MileagePlus awards are a particularly good deal for one-way travel, since it's often very expensive).
I won't bore you with the details, but, in general, when contemplating a trip like this, use the ITA Matrix took at matrix.itasoftware.com to see how the fares are affected. It'll break the journey down for you on the summary screen, and you can look for red flags, like anything booked into "Y" or appearing as a one-way for thousands of dollars more than you expect. Those flights are good candidates to sever from the itinerary and purchase separately or use miles. (MileagePlus awards are a particularly good deal for one-way travel, since it's often very expensive).
Jun 4, 2018, 11:26 am
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
That's surprising, and may have been due to limited inventory or something. The UA W fare for WAS-SOF allows for a free stopover in FRA (amongst other cities) in each direction, and the routing rules allow you to transit FRA and then take an LH-coded flight from there. So, if there were available inventory, it should have priced the same as an IAD-SFO RT.
Nov 17, 2019, 7:52 am
#85
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: UA/*A:S,UC DL/ST:S Hyatt:Plat, GE
Posts: 82
Only Y fares on *A partners when booking on UA.com
I was booking a return flight between two European cities and found that UA was only offering full-fares in Y on LH/LX for ~$2500. The same flights were showing up for $200-$300 on Google.
I was planning to book on UA as i'm nearly the next MP status requirements and get better MPCC benefits if I do. It used to be only a small premium vs EU carriers, but $2200 is a bit absurd.
Does anyone have experience getting around this?
I was planning to book on UA as i'm nearly the next MP status requirements and get better MPCC benefits if I do. It used to be only a small premium vs EU carriers, but $2200 is a bit absurd.
Does anyone have experience getting around this?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Nov 17, 2019 at 11:32 am Reason: Moved to consodidated thread
Nov 17, 2019, 10:11 am
#88
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: UA/*A:S,UC DL/ST:S Hyatt:Plat, GE
Posts: 82
Thanks for your replies.
Jun 22, 2023, 7:26 am
#89
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: ORD MDW
Programs: AA, UA, DL , IHG Plat, Bonvoy Gold - 2009 FT Fantasy Football Champion
Posts: 6,855
How are people booking intra-Europe Star Alliance flights? I never tried before and assumed that one could on United.com, but no results are returned. (Example: AMS-CDG)
Jun 22, 2023, 7:37 am
#90
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Note that unless you need ot take advantage of Star Alliance Gold status, for AMS-CDG in particular, you’re probably a lot better off with KLM or Air France. *A won’t have any nonstop flights in that market.