long shot fare question - will UA fare match other carrier's fare?
Feb 17, 2021, 12:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: MP - 1K, Hyatt - Platt, SPG - Gold
Posts: 336
long shot fare question - will UA fare match other carrier's fare?
OK - so i need to go to Dubai on short notice. I am in ORD, so there is a nonstop EK flight there. Being GS on UA, I want to try to stay on UA. There is a flight through FRA that I could do, but the airfare is double EK's. Long-shot question: would UA fare match? I can justify 10 to 15% fare difference, but not double.
(Note, the ORD / FRA flight is empty, in case your wondering).
(Note, the ORD / FRA flight is empty, in case your wondering).
Feb 17, 2021, 12:14 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K | Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 459
The challenge is the reps on the phone have no control over this even if they wanted. They would need the pricing/revenue team to manually reprice and that team typically only entertains exceptions if there is a fare mistake or other issue driving it - not competitive factors.
Best bet would be seeing if there are any combinations of travel that would allow you to get a lower price (e.g. separately buying the United RT to FRA and the RT to Dubai from Frankfurt, changing the length of the trip, etc.).
Best bet would be seeing if there are any combinations of travel that would allow you to get a lower price (e.g. separately buying the United RT to FRA and the RT to Dubai from Frankfurt, changing the length of the trip, etc.).
Feb 17, 2021, 12:19 pm
#4
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,777
UA has not traditionally fare match but as a GS you can give it a try -- as mentioned the front line agent will have to get approval from others. Only by calling will you get an answer (or if with a large corporation, via the UA corporate contact),keep expectations low.
Feb 17, 2021, 12:29 pm
#5
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
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The challenge is the reps on the phone have no control over this even if they wanted. They would need the pricing/revenue team to manually reprice and that team typically only entertains exceptions if there is a fare mistake or other issue driving it - not competitive factors.
Best bet would be seeing if there are any combinations of travel that would allow you to get a lower price (e.g. separately buying the United RT to FRA and the RT to Dubai from Frankfurt, changing the length of the trip, etc.).
Best bet would be seeing if there are any combinations of travel that would allow you to get a lower price (e.g. separately buying the United RT to FRA and the RT to Dubai from Frankfurt, changing the length of the trip, etc.).
Feb 17, 2021, 12:53 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: MP - 1K, Hyatt - Platt, SPG - Gold
Posts: 336
The challenge is the reps on the phone have no control over this even if they wanted. They would need the pricing/revenue team to manually reprice and that team typically only entertains exceptions if there is a fare mistake or other issue driving it - not competitive factors.
Best bet would be seeing if there are any combinations of travel that would allow you to get a lower price (e.g. separately buying the United RT to FRA and the RT to Dubai from Frankfurt, changing the length of the trip, etc.).
Best bet would be seeing if there are any combinations of travel that would allow you to get a lower price (e.g. separately buying the United RT to FRA and the RT to Dubai from Frankfurt, changing the length of the trip, etc.).
Feb 17, 2021, 12:58 pm
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
If you fly via FRA, do you have authority to enter Germany? On separate tickets, doubtful that UA will permit boarding.
In any event, during the pandemic, nonstop is almost always preferable to anything direct or a connection. Every segment is a potential complication which has to be carefully analyzed and with fewer options, simple IRROPS can lead to lengthy delays.
In any event, during the pandemic, nonstop is almost always preferable to anything direct or a connection. Every segment is a potential complication which has to be carefully analyzed and with fewer options, simple IRROPS can lead to lengthy delays.
Feb 17, 2021, 1:08 pm
#9
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Feb 17, 2021, 5:29 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,117
I doubt you'll have much success. United has historically had a pretty generous fare match program for travel agents against AA and DL fares, but in my experience it only worked on wholly United-operated itineraries, and I haven't seen one that works for EK fares. (I'm honestly not sure if it's even still active at the moment.)