UA website offering limited routing
Mar 19, 2018, 3:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: 1K
Posts: 220
UA website offering limited routing
Booking a trip from DRO to YYZ and website only offers 5 options, all single stop in DEN.
Previously was able to route through other hubs like ORD, IAD or EWR for similar (sometimes lower) pricing and get more PQM/S and most importantly avoiding a 4 hour flight on a CRJ700!
Matrix and Google both show many additional options.
Did something change recently with the UA routing algorithms?
Previously was able to route through other hubs like ORD, IAD or EWR for similar (sometimes lower) pricing and get more PQM/S and most importantly avoiding a 4 hour flight on a CRJ700!
Matrix and Google both show many additional options.
Did something change recently with the UA routing algorithms?
Mar 19, 2018, 3:46 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MRY - CNX - TXL
Programs: UA 1K / *G / Marriott PE / Expedia Gold+ / Hertz PC
Posts: 7,058
Is it letting you chose the option you want on Google and bring it up on the UA site to book?
Just booked SFO-EWR-SFO for a wedding in May. UA site showed $2200 but was able to use Google to get it for $1245.
Just booked SFO-EWR-SFO for a wedding in May. UA site showed $2200 but was able to use Google to get it for $1245.
Mar 19, 2018, 4:04 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: 1K
Posts: 220
Yes. The Google flights that don't show up on a ua.com search are bookable on United when you click the Google link.
Mar 19, 2018, 4:05 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,693
Are you searching for award or revenue on the UA site?
Regardless, just pick the flights you want on Google Flights, and use the UA booking link at the end. The UA search is broken in other ways too.
Regardless, just pick the flights you want on Google Flights, and use the UA booking link at the end. The UA search is broken in other ways too.
Mar 19, 2018, 4:08 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: 1K
Posts: 220
Unfortunately the routes I want I can only find on Matrix. Will have to look closely at the fare rules and see if I can re-create on UA via multi-city.
Just seems odd as I fly this route often and previously there were dozens of routing options available.
Mar 19, 2018, 5:25 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA Plat, HH Gold, Marriott Amb
Posts: 418
It appears that UA cut all flights from Durango except those to Denver.
According to this site: https://www.flightsfrom.com/DRO UA is only operating flights to Denver.
http://www.flightconnections.com/ corroborates.
According to this site: https://www.flightsfrom.com/DRO UA is only operating flights to Denver.
http://www.flightconnections.com/ corroborates.
Mar 19, 2018, 5:39 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: 1K
Posts: 220
More research shows that Matrix is creating 3 separate one-way fares.
When I try to do the same routing via United, the routing that Matrix shows are still not available.
Google also shows my preferred routing options as one-ways so I can at least get the fare/routing there and click the buy on United button there. Interestingly, booking it as two OW is better via Google than the 3 OW that Matrix suggest.
And the real kicker. Buying the two-one ways via Google is $851, but the best RT on UA is $887 and best OW on UA is 863.
This has been the case since they started service here. Would love to see ORD, IAH, or SFO as options via an ER175, but not holding my breath!
When I try to do the same routing via United, the routing that Matrix shows are still not available.
Google also shows my preferred routing options as one-ways so I can at least get the fare/routing there and click the buy on United button there. Interestingly, booking it as two OW is better via Google than the 3 OW that Matrix suggest.
And the real kicker. Buying the two-one ways via Google is $851, but the best RT on UA is $887 and best OW on UA is 863.
It appears that UA cut all flights from Durango except those to Denver.
According to this site: https://www.flightsfrom.com/DRO UA is only operating flights to Denver.
flightconnections.com - All flights worldwide on a map corroborates.
According to this site: https://www.flightsfrom.com/DRO UA is only operating flights to Denver.
flightconnections.com - All flights worldwide on a map corroborates.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 19, 2018 at 6:01 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Mar 19, 2018, 6:04 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,056
Revenue flights.
Unfortunately the routes I want I can only find on Matrix. Will have to look closely at the fare rules and see if I can re-create on UA via multi-city.
Just seems odd as I fly this route often and previously there were dozens of routing options available.
Unfortunately the routes I want I can only find on Matrix. Will have to look closely at the fare rules and see if I can re-create on UA via multi-city.
Just seems odd as I fly this route often and previously there were dozens of routing options available.
Mar 19, 2018, 7:31 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA Plat, HH Gold, Marriott Amb
Posts: 418
Did you make sure 2+ stops is selected in your search settings? I just did a quick search 4/10 returning 4/14 and got 54 options, most of which are 2 stops. The cheapest is DRO-DEN-LGA-YYZ, but is 9+ hours. Also, Air Canada files a couple of E190s DEN - YYZ, they are an okay ride. Won't help you for Lifetime miles, but should give you PQD if it is on 016 ticket stock.
Mar 19, 2018, 8:23 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: 1K
Posts: 220
Did you make sure 2+ stops is selected in your search settings? I just did a quick search 4/10 returning 4/14 and got 54 options, most of which are 2 stops. The cheapest is DRO-DEN-LGA-YYZ, but is 9+ hours. Also, Air Canada files a couple of E190s DEN - YYZ, they are an okay ride. Won't help you for Lifetime miles, but should give you PQD if it is on 016 ticket stock.
It's just plain strange. I fly this route every month or so and have never not been able route via ORD.
FWIW my dates are 4/22 to 4/27....
Mar 19, 2018, 10:46 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: UA Premier Platinum, DL Platinum
Posts: 597
Can you try searching as a multi-city booking? For instance, DRO-DEN and DEN-YYZ? Sometimes this works (as in, shows you a through fare and treats XXX-YYY and YYY-ZZZ as married segments), and sometimes it doesn't.
You could also search each way, note the flight numbers, note the one-way fares, and then call United and ask them to replicate.
You could also search each way, note the flight numbers, note the one-way fares, and then call United and ask them to replicate.
Mar 20, 2018, 10:02 am
#15
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA Plat, HH Gold, Marriott Amb
Posts: 418
If the price is right and I can get more miles I'll take the longer routing, especially if I can avoid 4 hours in a CRJ700 – DEN->YYZ is pretty miserable even in F.
When looking for RT or OW I get (5) options. I've tried logged in, logged out, different browsers, you name it. Looking at the filters at the bottom of the page and there is no option for 2 or 2+ stop itineraries. Airports only show DEN as connection - no other options available. Under "Experience" I can exclude Star Alliance and it cuts the options to (3).
It's just plain strange. I fly this route every month or so and have never not been able route via ORD.
FWIW my dates are 4/22 to 4/27....
When looking for RT or OW I get (5) options. I've tried logged in, logged out, different browsers, you name it. Looking at the filters at the bottom of the page and there is no option for 2 or 2+ stop itineraries. Airports only show DEN as connection - no other options available. Under "Experience" I can exclude Star Alliance and it cuts the options to (3).
It's just plain strange. I fly this route every month or so and have never not been able route via ORD.
FWIW my dates are 4/22 to 4/27....
Going multi-city, I was able to piece together, DRO-DEN-ORD-YYZ using the same flights as offered on Saturday. Return on 4/27 showed 74 options with just entering YYZ-DRO. The outbound priced Q,V,V and the return I picked (YYZ-EWR-DEN-DRO) priced K,W,W for a fare of $962.88.
Something definitely weird going on for that Sunday, but you can make it work with multi-city.