Portugal trip next June (2019)

Old Jan 2, 2019, 5:10 pm
  #16  
 
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IAD has a few directs with UA, but may have some more options later in the year as I believe TAP is adding IAD-LIS nonstop. However it was announced as "June" so I'm not sure exactly when the schedule goes into place.
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 5:45 pm
  #17  
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Keep in mind that TAP has very attractive one way C fares to and from Europe.
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 6:22 pm
  #18  
 
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I go frequently to LIS and have been using the west coast SFO-LHR fares a bunch that allow for a stopover in Lisbon (with no min stay req. in London), comes out at about $2,350 per pax roundtrip instead of playing the GPU lottery. Tho it would have to be for July due to ticketing limitations.

Fare basis is: PLXM6SNC.

Main restrictions are:
ADVANCE RESERVATIONS/TICKETING: CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS FOR ALL SECTORS ARE REQUIRED AT LEAST 180 DAYS BEFORE DEPARTURE.
OUTBOUND - PERMITTED MON THROUGH WED ON EACH TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.
INBOUND - PERMITTED TUE THROUGH THU ON EACH TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.
STOPOVERS: 2 FREE STOPOVERS PERMITTED ON THE PRICING UNIT - 1 IN EACH DIRECTION IN LIS/OPO/REK CHILD/INFANT DISCOUNTS APPLY.
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 6:59 pm
  #19  
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Originally Posted by zrs70
Keep in mind that TAP has very attractive one way C fares to and from Europe.
they may however earn a less miles than a 016 Eco ticket; earning on Tap is not great. Also some Tap planes are not exactly state of the art.
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 9:41 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by cfischer
Also some Tap planes are not exactly state of the art.
TAP's fleet consists of Airbus 319, 320, 321, 330 and 340, and includes both CEO and NEOs.
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Old Jan 3, 2019, 12:36 am
  #21  
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Originally Posted by zrs70
Keep in mind that TAP has very attractive one way C fares to and from Europe.
+1 SFO-LIS nonstop in C is currently pricing at $1350 one-way. I know we all want to find a way to use GPUs for family travel but this seems like a no-brainer, as the cost is probably not much more than UA economy (and no dice roll on the GPU).

Originally Posted by cfischer
GPU success on LH is orders of magnitude higher than on UA. .
And maybe even better on the new LH nonstops from DEN-FRA. We even found 4 saver award seats in C next summer...

Originally Posted by cfischer
they may however earn a less miles than a 016 Eco ticket; earning on Tap is not great. Also some Tap planes are not exactly state of the art.
Yes, the TAP flights won't earn as much RDM or EQN, but still decent. And TAP plans to use the new 787s (or are they 350s) on the SFO route, with 100% lie-flat business class seats.
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Old Jan 4, 2019, 1:59 pm
  #22  
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Thanks for the ideas, am passing them along to my family who are flying from HNL. I generally prefer Boeing over Airbus aircraft but will look into the SFO-LIS routes. Had already been considering the LH DEN-FRA legs in PE but FRA-LIS is either E or B in the A321, no PE.
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Old Jan 4, 2019, 6:44 pm
  #23  
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Originally Posted by artvandalay
TAP's fleet consists of Airbus 319, 320, 321, 330 and 340, and includes both CEO and NEOs.
o.k. ... seats ... not planes. Anyway. J seats on TAP are hit/miss.
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Old Jan 15, 2019, 8:14 pm
  #24  
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Thanks for all the feedback. Right now, am thinking about DEN-FRA-LIS on LH PE (for the DEN-FRA leg) versus DEN-EWR-LIS on UA with waitlist for J for roughly the same amount. I'd go DEN-EWR-LIS even though I hate EWR if I had confidence the GPUs would clear but am looking at the LH route through FRA in PE as more of a sure thing. The other thing keeping me from pulling the trigger right now on DEN-FRA-LIS is the prospect of Y on the A321 from FRA to LIS. Any experience with the LH Y seats on the A321? I wish I could find a way to at least price a ticket with DEN-FRA in PE and FRA-LIS in J but can't seem to do that at UA, LH, Expedia, or Orbitz (and really don't want to split the ticket midway).

Will be booking J on TAP for LIS-TER-LIS separately.
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Old Jan 16, 2019, 12:27 am
  #25  
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Tough call. I generally hate backtracking but I also avoid EWR like the plague. Plus you get the horrid 757 on this UA route. So yes, I'd go with LH - and waitlist your GPU on LH? I would not worry about the shorter flight on the A321. All intra-Euro flights are pretty pathetic, even in so-called business class which is simply a blocked middle seat.
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Old Jan 16, 2019, 9:42 am
  #26  
 
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I'd recommend buying Business outright on TP as well. Prices are decent and it's guaranteed J; puts you right into LIS.

PQM is 100%, RDM is 125% if not purchased on 016 stock, which is not a dealbreaker, IMO.

Enjoy your trip - amazing country! ^
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Old Jan 16, 2019, 10:10 am
  #27  
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Originally Posted by ExplorerWannabe
The other thing keeping me from pulling the trigger right now on DEN-FRA-LIS is the prospect of Y on the A321 from FRA to LIS. Any experience with the LH Y seats on the A321?
Don't really know what to say - Y is Y. It's tight, and the seats are hard. You at least get a snack. It's possible you may be able to pay cash for an upgrade on the EU segment at the counter; not sure if this is available for short-haul as Euro-J is unimpressive enough I've never paid for it.
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Old Jan 16, 2019, 7:36 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by seanp7
I'd recommend buying Business outright on TP as well. Prices are decent and it's guaranteed J; puts you right into LIS.

PQM is 100%, RDM is 125% if not purchased on 016 stock, which is not a dealbreaker, IMO.

Enjoy your trip - amazing country! ^
Thanks, Ive been the Azores before but other than an overnight in Lisbon on the way back, havent seen the mainland. I care more about PQM than RDM ... have over a million award miles now and little reason to use them but Id like to make sure I get Gold again next year (1K this past year was a fluke). It looks to me like LH PE gets guaranteed near the same PQM as UA J with decent room for the long haul flight and at least the chance of an upgrade on the 744. Will consider TP options as well ...
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Old Jan 25, 2019, 12:45 am
  #29  
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Ua 182 den-fra?

I should have just gone ahead and purchased the LH PE fares last month, they're up about $800 now. One thing I've noticed is that UA is claiming a parallel route, UA 182, currently set up as a 787-8 but lists it "pending goverment approval." Doing some searching, it seems United is scheduling to start that new route DEN-FRA on May 2 but what happens if government approval doesn't come through? They reroute me on flights of their choice (probably the ugh, 757 via IAD)?
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Old Jan 25, 2019, 1:43 am
  #30  
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Originally Posted by ExplorerWannabe
I should have just gone ahead and purchased the LH PE fares last month, they're up about $800 now. One thing I've noticed is that UA is claiming a parallel route, UA 182, currently set up as a 787-8 but lists it "pending goverment approval." Doing some searching, it seems United is scheduling to start that new route DEN-FRA on May 2 but what happens if government approval doesn't come through? They reroute me on flights of their choice (probably the ugh, 757 via IAD)?
it will come through, it is just a general disclaimer. If for whatever reason UA does not operate the flight then they will re-route you on another UA flight of your choice as long as a seat in any booking class in your cabin is still available.
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