TAP (TP) award booking experiences using United miles
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: DL DM 3MM
Posts: 127
TAP (TP) award booking experiences using United miles
Booking flights within Europe for a summer family holiday. If I go to TAP Portugal and do the search for 5 one way tickets (LIS to Nice), I get 324.55 Euro for standard economy (includes one checked luggage, one checked bag). I do the search on UA.com and get the same flight but UA wants $1,829. I also tried just searching for one ticket - same results (UA 5x higher than TAP). Before I call UA I was wondering if anyone else experienced this and if there are suggestions on what to do -- would like them to be issued from UA to get points/status (I am a 1k member) but if I do book on TAP can I get UA credit? Adding screen shots from the two sites. Thanks,
#2
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
Booking flights within Europe for a summer family holiday. If I go to TAP Portugal and do the search for 5 one way tickets (LIS to Nice), I get 324.55 Euro for standard economy (includes one checked luggage, one checked bag). I do the search on UA.com and get the same flight but UA wants $1,829. I also tried just searching for one ticket - same results (UA 5x higher than TAP). Before I call UA I was wondering if anyone else experienced this and if there are suggestions on what to do -- would like them to be issued from UA to get points/status (I am a 1k member) but if I do book on TAP can I get UA credit? Adding screen shots from the two sites. Thanks,
#3
Join Date: Mar 2009
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TAP and many other United partners have plating restrictions that limit the cheapest fares to native tickets. As a result, United’s website may only return high fares on TAP.
#4
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Almost certainly a plating restriction. This is TAPs decision, and 100% has nothing to do with United. They can only sell the fares that tAP allows them too. What fare class is UA booking to? I suspect fulll Y.
If the lower fare fare is more important to you (and it would be to me), then you’ll have to book through TAP and forget about PQD.
If the lower fare fare is more important to you (and it would be to me), then you’ll have to book through TAP and forget about PQD.
#5
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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Because the discount T fare TP is selling for 64.91 euro is subject to the following ticketing restriction:
TICKETS MUST BE ISSUED ON THE STOCK OF TP
The cheapest ticket not subject to this restriction is the M fare (M14CLC0A) that UA offers for $365.80 US.
TICKETS MUST BE ISSUED ON THE STOCK OF TP
The cheapest ticket not subject to this restriction is the M fare (M14CLC0A) that UA offers for $365.80 US.
Last edited by Kacee; Jan 21, 2018 at 9:07 am
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
Except that UA continues to fall further and further behind the curve by trying to push PQDs without allowing them to be earned on partner-ticketed flights. AA and DL both allow PQDs on all flights, and the more that UA's partners issue plating restrictions, the less competitive UA becomes for flyers who travel across a range of alliance airlines. This shouldn't have anything to do with UA -- and, it's not caused by UA, which I think is your point -- but UA's actions mean it actually does have quite a bit to do with UA.
#7
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Except that UA continues to fall further and further behind the curve by trying to push PQDs without allowing them to be earned on partner-ticketed flights. AA and DL both allow PQDs on all flights, and the more that UA's partners issue plating restrictions, the less competitive UA becomes for flyers who travel across a range of alliance airlines.
On non-JV flights, I could see where UA may have concluded that they will lose too much revenue from PQD trapped UA elites who will suddenly be free to book elsewhere.
#8
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
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I can't see much of a reason for UA not offering PQD on JV flights (either as a straight up PQD number or a percentage of miles flown).
On non-JV flights, I could see where UA may have concluded that they will lose too much revenue from PQD trapped UA elites who will suddenly be free to book elsewhere.
On non-JV flights, I could see where UA may have concluded that they will lose too much revenue from PQD trapped UA elites who will suddenly be free to book elsewhere.
#9
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Fine, except that since AA and DL don't have these restrictions, they're risking losing 100% of the revenue as passengers change alliances instead. That doesn't really seem like a good trade to me...
#10
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At these prices, 8K UA award tickets intra-EU seem to make the most sense, even if it's only some of the family members.
TAP also has very low earnings for their low fares, so losing out on PQMs for the other family members is probably inconsequential.
TAP also has very low earnings for their low fares, so losing out on PQMs for the other family members is probably inconsequential.
#12
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#13
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
You will get whatever being *G entitles you to. Whether you are Gold, Platinum, or 1K on UA will have no bearing on the benefits TAP gives you on their ticket stock.
#14
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The plating restrictions are annoying. LH flights are all restricted to high-fare bucket classes if you are booking as standalone flight on UA's website. Sometimes, flights don't even show up (e.g. I could not book LUG-ZRH standalone, but LUG-EWR (with stopover in ZRH) shows up. AC seems to actually have JV pricing that makes sense (e.g. I booked YUL-YQB on 016 stock at $73). Not sure about NH. I think it's a mix of UA's (in)famous technology and plating restrictions that make it a PITA to book partner flights.