FlyerTalk Forums - Can't redeem domestic first class(I) (SFO-HNL) on United with Krisflyer miles

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Can't redeem domestic first class(I) (SFO-HNL) on United with Krisflyer miles

Gday all. I'm SQ KF departing on a *A round the world redemption soon with the wife, and we haven't been able to redeem United 1st domestic after 10 months of trying. Absolutely no availability on first between HNL and SFO, only economy. Is the problem the popularity of the route, or United saving redemptions in first for its own premium passengers?

If it makes any diff I'm KF Gold and all other rtw legs are on business, booked via KF miles.

SFO-HNL is an extremely popular route that gets sold out up front. Even UA elites can’t get award space.

Any I-class is difficult to come by for domestic flights. HNL-SFO is particularly bad. Don't waste your time searching for it ... it will likely never appear.

Thanks for the advice, should've saved myself some Award Flyer points as I kept a daily search going for more than 6 months. Nada. Nonetheless, shan't complain about going to Hawaii!

Domestic I class very very hard to get.

Do saver awards even exist to Hawaii?

So? It's been impossible to redeem MP miles for any class on SQ for several months.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...till-gone.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by rankourabu (Post 30924232)

Do saver awards even exist to Hawaii?

There are plenty of Saver First awards HNL-SFO available - you have to be prepared to fly last minute - they typically are not available in more than a week in advance.

40K F awards available 3/25, 3/27, 3/28

Quote:

Originally Posted by tingadingling (Post 30923499)

or United saving redemptions in first for its own premium passengers?

No, but if they did (and withheld them from just SQ), that would be called well-deserved karma.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HNLbasedFlyer (Post 30924333)

While this is accurate, I'm not sure how helpful it is for someone trying to plan a RTW award. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsloan (Post 30925024)

While this is accurate, I'm not sure how helpful it is for someone trying to plan a RTW award. :)

I think the OP can book the segment in X and then change it to I if/when it becomes available . . .

RTW tickets can usually be changed en-route.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rankourabu (Post 30924232)

Do saver awards even exist to Hawaii?

Searched this about a month ago and saw one day in the schedule -- it was 1 March 2019 iirc -- with I1 on SFO-HNL, I0 on all other UA sectors to Hawaii otherwise. I only searched for 6 months though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kale73 (Post 30924291)

So? It's been impossible to redeem MP miles for any class on SQ for several months.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...till-gone.html

I can emphathise. On its best day, SQ award bookings for J and F are still painful to get. Fact is, they have to offer an awards program but they don’t make it particularly easy. When I was PPS (1K equivalent?) I’d still be waitlisted all the time and have to harry their operators to clear several weeks before a flight (which they often eventually did). I’d hate to be an alliance partner member trying to redeem on SQ.

Though in this instance, it seems to be a multi partner problem with UA that has now been resolved except for SQ. I don’t see why they’d be in a hurry to fix it frankly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ari (Post 30925040)

I think the OP can book the segment in X and then change it to I if/when it becomes available . . .

RTW tickets can usually be changed en-route.

Yes, this is exactly what I’m doing. If we don’t get I we’ll fly X for this leg, my main concern is baggage limits and not so much cabin/seating as we plan to sleep during the red eye anyway.

For future reference, try and book *A RTW redemptions a year in advance and be prepared to amend routes if I or F is important to you. I was flexible and still landed with a suboptimal routing. You can call in to change flights when I becomes available, but have to pay $125 for each change, on SQ anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HNLbasedFlyer (Post 30924333)

Great advice - thanks shall try this. Your nick name lives up to its promise!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rankourabu (Post 30924232)

Do saver awards even exist to Hawaii?

YES and we waitlisted for upgrade and got upgraded as well - 4 of US - in the middle of summer - on the 4th of July - from IAD-HNL 767 - lay flats

IAD-HNL is a different story.

SFO/LAX-HNL are the worst given they are still CPUable.