Award Inventory - calling creative programmers
 

I'm sure that I'm not the only one frustrated with the inability to book an award ticket using ual.com. It can take several hours to search a couple of weeks for either of the three cabins on certain routes/classes/airports.

Is there anyone who could write a program that would

1) search over a period of time (i.e. 7/6/05 through 7/31/05) returning +/- x days (say 10) which would give the first trip 7/6, return 7/15,7/16,7/17 with the x being 1

2) search up to 3 departing and 3 arrival airports (i.e., SFO, OAK, SJC to LHR,FRA,CDG)

3) search for all three classes of service

4) provide a combined report that could be printed/saved as an html file

This would in essence run hundreds of scenarios on the ual.com (after you have logged in, of course) that you could let run for an hour or so and come back to see what your options are for booking award travel.

Any thoughts - any takers?

BTW, I'd be willing to pay a few bucks for the shareware version to make it worth their while.

Forgot to mention
 

Add 1 more variable - Standard vs. Saver Awards

This would be very useful. One question though. Does availability of standard or saver fares have anything to do with status? If it does, then there would have to be a mechanism to pass the user's credentials through. Being the paranoid computer geek that I am I'd be leery of entering my MP # and password into a non-UA site.

I'll take a look at this and may take it on IF I survive my 14.5 hour flight (LAX-SYD) stuck in a middle W seat :eek:

Most people here seem to agree that the award inventory shown on ual.com is not as accurate, or does not display all the inventory, as one might obtain by calling UA International or Domestic Awards reservations. Further, only UA metal flights are displayed, so no Star Alliance award inventory. And finally, Standard awards are pretty much available anytime, in any class on any flight if you see Fn, Cn, Yn where n is greater than or equal to one (1)?

A telephone call might be simpler?

Such a program already exists (ITA); however, it can only access information loaded into the CRSs by the airlines. This is the real issue. Unfortunately for us, and for various reasons, airlines routinely do not load their award inventory into a CRS...; even partners don't let each other's customers see their award inventory (otherwise we would see, for example SQ award inventory on ual.com)...

And while I'd welcome that functionality with awards booking, I'd probably say that I'd want ITA functionality first for revenue bookings (which outnumber my award bookings at least 10:1).

Meanwhile, as transpac our best bet is to call the international desk.

I agree...
 

A call is currently the best way to get all your options. I'd just love to see my options on screen to help me determine best plane/times/airports/etc.
I'd have to create a spreadsheet with the agent on the phone and ask 50 questions just to book 1 ticket - doesn't seem very efficient to me.

1) Standard award is ALWAYS available, so long as UA is allowing even 1 full fare coach passenger to book...Standard gets "last seat availability."
2) Saver is dependant on status ONLY as a 1k. NY is an exclusive saver award category that often allows more total standard awards then XY, and your 1k status and a call to res is the only way to get it, if availble. Other than the NY, Mr 1st time flier, and Mrs 2P get the same shot at it.

I wish they could get something like BA's award booking section where it shows you availability across an entire month. This is great for international bookings and avoids the hunt and peck method that UA forces us to use. Even AA's web will tell you when there is availability in the future if your selected day is unavailable.

Award Res Woes
 

I long ago abandoned the ual.com award availability option for a number of reasons, the foremost being that I like to know my options with other Star carriers as well.

Anyway, I find that a firm, but friendly conversation with the award reservations desk can easily yield a quick string of available dates for each segment. It helps to know in advance which flights/routings you'd prefer and to ask very matter-of-factly about which dates are open for, say, UA423 from Dec. 12 to 21. I find that the agents are most often annoyed when their time is being wasted, so they'll usually give you what you want if you make an efficient request.

It's a pain, but this is the reality of United's beauracratic culture.

What United needs to do is to allow one the option to search specifically for upgrade award inventory. The only way to find this right now is to do a search for a free ticket and see if these dates also have upgrade awards available.