Jan 1, 2018, 9:57 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Welcome to this thread to ask your basic, simple questions about United Airlines, its operations, or the MileagePlus program. We know that the airline is complex and we’ve created this thread for new and veteran members to ask those basic questions about United Airlines that you think must have an easy answer but just can’t find it or aren’t sure where to look.

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Use this thread for a simple, basic question. Moderators may move posts to other threads if the question deserves its own thread.
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Generally, there are not long discussions of an issue in this thread. If it appears that is needed, the posts will be moved to an existing thread or used as the start of a new separate thread.

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Here is a link to recent previous threads:
Have a Simple Question About United Airlines/MileagePlus? Ask Here [2017]

Have a Simple Question About United Airlines/MileagePlus? Ask Here [2016 Part II]

Have a Simple Question About United Airlines/MileagePlus? Ask Here [2016 Part I]

Have a Simple Question About United Airlines/MileagePlus? Ask Here [2015 -Part II]...

Have a Simple Question About United Airlines/MileagePlus? Ask Here [2015 Thread]...

Have a Simple Question About United Airlines/MileagePlus? Ask Here [2018]

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Jul 29, 2018, 7:07 am

#991

gaobest

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: May 2008

Location: San Francisco

Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak

Posts: 27,552

Quote:

Originally Posted by WineCountryUA

Not all, especially the older MP branded cards, have the benefit

thanks! Which MP cards (assume Chase) allow access to unlimited Everyday Awards? I'm so out of the loop that I use Standard as my award word!! I will call Chase and try to get a new MP card and move some of the huge credit line to set up the MP card so I can have this unlimited Everyday award access!

Jul 29, 2018, 9:26 am

#992

mahasamatman

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2004

Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)

Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis

Posts: 52,121

Quote:

Originally Posted by gaobest

Which MP cards (assume Chase) allow access to unlimited Everyday Awards?

Any of the currently available cards (Explorer, Club) allow access.

Jul 29, 2018, 10:30 am

#993

Upon Boarding

formerly Goflyer100

Join Date: Jul 2015

Programs: DL Platinum Medallion - Hilton Diamond

Posts: 161

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmailKid

There is always some luck involved in u/g, but day of the week and time of flight have a LOT to do with it. And no, I'm not surprised about PTY flights.

LAX-IAD is still a hub to hub, so not so good chance to u/g, but at least theoretically eligible for CPU.

Got it! I just booked AMS-ORD-SFO-LAX-SFO-FRA-AMS. Is the chance bigger for upgrade on SFO-LAX because it's a shorter flight? ORD-LAX is the same I guess because it's from hub to hub.

Jul 29, 2018, 11:01 am

#994

Kacee

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Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: PHX

Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)

Posts: 56,420

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goflyer100

Got it! I just booked AMS-ORD-SFO-LAX-SFO-FRA-AMS. Is the chance bigger for upgrade on SFO-LAX because it's a shorter flight? ORD-LAX is the same I guess because it's from hub to hub.

ORD-LAX is an easier upgrade than ORD-SFO because LAX has far fewer UA elites than SFO. ORD-SFO is basically impossible. SFO-LAX it totally depends on your particular flight.

As 1K, if I can't confirm a domestic upgrade to or from SFO at booking, I assume I'm sitting in Y.

Jul 29, 2018, 11:08 am

#995

StuckinITH

Join Date: Nov 2012

Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum

Posts: 3,477

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kacee

As a 1K, I managed to upgrade an ORD-LAX flight (not at booking) but I did not get it on LAX-ORD. My mistake was booking a flight at a time when passengers would do LAX-ORD to connect to the European departures from ORD.

Jul 29, 2018, 11:15 am

#996

Upon Boarding

formerly Goflyer100

Join Date: Jul 2015

Programs: DL Platinum Medallion - Hilton Diamond

Posts: 161

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kacee

Thanks! I meant ORD-SFO of course. Anyway it's easier to get an upgrade on flights to and from non-UA hubs if I understand correctly, like IAD-SEA or SEA-ORD which I did In late February this year. Is there a place where I can see how many UA elites are in a specific city?

Jul 29, 2018, 11:21 am

#997

Kacee

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Goflyer100

Thanks! I meant ORD-SFO of course. Anyway it's easier to get an upgrade on flights to and from non-UA hubs if I understand correctly, like IAD-SEA or SEA-ORD which I did In late February this year.

I wouldn't necessarily agree that it's "easier" - what I would say is that hub-to-hubs can be particularly difficult. Ex-SFO, there are plenty of flights to non-hubs where I'd say a Gold's chances are basically zero.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goflyer100

Is there a place where I can see how many UA elites are in a specific city?

No, that's UA proprietary info.

Anecdotally, SFO is the worst for upgrades. LAX is probably easiest. But these are really broad generalizations.

Jul 29, 2018, 11:22 am

#998

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,367

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goflyer100

No, there is no such place, but you can infer a lot of it by looking at schedules. The more flights UA operates out of a location, the more UA elites will live there. UA has many more flights from SFO than LAX, both in terms of pure numbers and in terms of market share.

The Star Alliance website gives some numbers:
https://www.staralliance.com/en/airp...irportCode=SFO
https://www.staralliance.com/en/airp...irportCode=LAX

2257 weekly departures from SFO
1243 weekly departures from LAX

I don't know how often they update that information, but it's good enough to get an idea.

And, yes, your upgrade chances are best flying to non-hub airports, especially on non-business travel times. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday are the easiest days to get upgrades (T&W only for trans-oceanic travel, as Saturday is a busier day long-haul than it is short-haul, relatively speaking. Of course, there are no complimentary upgrades for those routes anyway).

Jul 29, 2018, 10:18 pm

#999

gaobest

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: May 2008

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Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak

Posts: 27,552

Quote:

Originally Posted by mahasamatman

Any of the currently available cards (Explorer, Club) allow access.

what about the united travel bank chase card, which has a 2% rebate on ual (1.5% for non-ual) to ual travel bank accounts - it's $0 annual fee but chase site doesn't say if it has the unlimited Everyday Award access.

Thanks!

Jul 29, 2018, 10:57 pm

#1000

WineCountryUA

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: 66,772

Quote:

Originally Posted by gaobest

The TravelBank credit card has no UA travel benefits (other than the rebate to the UA Travel Bank). As nothing is mentioned, take it is a sign nothing is offered

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...om-club-q.html

Jul 30, 2018, 8:29 am

#1001

Upon Boarding

formerly Goflyer100

Join Date: Jul 2015

Programs: DL Platinum Medallion - Hilton Diamond

Posts: 161

A few months ago I made an award flight with NZ. However due to an aircraft change I was put on a later flight. I'm wondering if I can get miles from this flight since my ticket number starts with 236 and not with 016. I'm wondering where 236 stands for since NZ ticket numbers starts with 043.

Jul 30, 2018, 8:39 am

#1002

frontenac551

Join Date: Jan 2007

Posts: 466

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goflyer100

According to this site (http://www.kovrik.com/sib/travel/airline-codes.txt), 236 is BMI, but since that doesn't exist anymore, my link is clearly out-of-date.

Since it was an award ticket, I'd assume that you couldn't collect miles, though I suppose you might have been put into a booking class that does allow miles (even if the ticket were 016, an award ticket doesn't collect miles). With Air New Zealand, if booking class was F, I, N, or R there is no mileage credit.

https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/mar...spx?ItemId=379

Jul 30, 2018, 12:20 pm

#1003

gaobest

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: May 2008

Location: San Francisco

Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak

Posts: 27,552

Quote:

Originally Posted by WineCountryUA

thank you! So seems that for me, it's the explorer or explorer business... The club card is too high (450) as I rarely travel with ual.

Jul 30, 2018, 12:46 pm

#1004

silver_halide

Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: YVR

Programs: UA Plat; Marriott Gold; SPG Gold; Hyatt Gold; Hertz Gold

Posts: 87

I'm looking at a flight CHC-???-BNE where ??? is either AKL or WLG. The second leg will be QA-operated NZ code share. I know NZ recently announced a deal with QA for trans-Tasman flights, including earning points. My understanding, however, is that I cannot earn UA MP points on that leg since UA doesn't have a deal with QA; i.e. the NZ deal doesn't help me. (The first leg is NZ operated, so I should be fine.) Is that correct?

Jul 30, 2018, 12:52 pm

#1005

Kacee

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Join Date: Apr 2013

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Posts: 56,420

Quote:

Originally Posted by silver_halide

Correct. You cannot earn UA miles for a QF operated flight.