PPM

I am trying to check if others have noticed markedly decreasing saver award availability for 1K members on both domestic and international flights. As a long-term 1K, it strikes me that the saver award availability, which was a great perk, is now taking the death spiral of the GPUs and RPUs. I'm trying to book saver awards for mid-week flights in March between Cleveland and Peru and for ORD-NYC for November, and they are all standard awards. This seems in marked contrast to just a few months ago. This will be the final straw for me--sitting on unused GPUs and CPUs that I can't use, despite my 200,000 miles annually.

aacharya

No. I might need to start with a connection but always get my nonstops eventually.

docbert

I just picked a date at random in mid-November (the 14th) and of the 27 direct flights ORD-NYC, 24 of them had saver awards available. Exactly half of those were the "extended availability" awards.

Mid-March (13th) CLE-LIM shows 3 1-stop flights saver awards available (20K), one of which is extended availability. There's also a number of 2-stops, many of which are extended availability only.

FLYMSY

Kacee

Award availability is declining pretty much universally among frequent flyer programs. There are many causes for this, but the two main ones are high demand for paid air travel and the explosion in credit card miles. More miles chasing fewer seats.

Consistent with the overall trend, United saver award availability has been in steady decline, as discussed many times in this forum over the past five years or so. For 1Ks (and Plats) relative to other UA flyers, we're actually doing better because the difference between IN and I inventory is now actually meaningful. For years that was not true. But on an absolute basis, yes, it's harder to find saver awards. On some routes (SFO-EWR) saver business is basically nonexistent (and has been for years).

Aussienarelle

I have found much availability about three weeks before I want to fly. As a 1K I book a placeholder at standard rates for economy before this time and then watch until the business saver availability and book saver and cancel standard. Nice perk as a 1K there are no fees for cancel and redeposit of miles. United are in the business of maximizing their bottom line - I am in the business of minimizing my costs and usage of my miles.

ryman554

Then why do you reserve the standard award? Sounds like it is one more seat taken that could have been for an XN seat. I get it with the variable pricing, not all stan...oops "everyday" awards price differently, but sounds more complex than it could be.

naumank

I do second the OP. I recently checked some random dates on flights from SFO to some Asian cities and the options (including partner flights) were not great. I was also trying to book a flight from SFO to OGG/HNL in late December and there was little availability for the dates I wanted (I was able to book the same dates of saver awards in the past two years).

halls120

Once we retire, we plan on changing the way we travel - no more advance planning, just last minute decisions because saver business seems to be much more plentiful close in than far out.

747FC

Saver awards to/from Hawaii are almost non-existent, at least for this Gold member. I've basically given up trying. Hope that there are some benefits awarded to 1Ks in this area.

jsloan

Coach saver availability is the same for Gold and 1K.
Business saver availability is theoretically better at Platinum. For a long time, this was more of a theoretical than real benefit, but, anecdotally, I've been seeing a few more IN > 0, I = 0 inventories recently than were common in the past (mostly via board postings).

747FC

aacharya

OP asked if I noticed less availability. I have not, technically. Assume he or she was noting lack of nonstop availability also.

Aussienarelle

Because I plan to fly or have my friend /family fly on the flight so book standard economy at 70,000 miles, then when business saver becomes available at 60,000 miles I change the booking. As a 1K no fees for me using this approach.

Yes, it is a three step (book, cancel, book) rather than a one step process but I use less miles and get the desired flights. The friends/family are generally flying with me (on a paid ticket).

narvik

(bolding mine)

....which you now just hexed and therefore will be the next thing that will disappear! Thanks for nothing!